Player workload and the increasing number of international matches emerged as one of the central concerns at the BCCI review meeting in Mumbai
Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar (L-R)
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after a disappointing tour of the United Kingdom (England and Ireland), which saw India’s men’s team lose the T20I series to Ireland and England 0-2 and 0-4 before losing the ODI series against the Three Lions 1-2, held a review meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday, with India’s men’s team captains and coaches present.
The meeting, which was attended by Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, head coach Gautam Gambhir and Centre of Excellence director VVS Laxman, focused on the reasons behind India’s recent results and the roadmap for the coming year.
The BCCI also discussed the impact of a crowded international calendar, injury management and preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Rohit Sharma’s ODI future and the absence of chief selector Ajit Agarkar were among the other issues that drew attention after the meeting.
BCCI admits packed calendar is taking a toll
Player workload and the increasing number of international matches emerged as one of the central concerns at the meeting.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia acknowledged that frequent injuries cannot be viewed separately from the amount of cricket players are required to play. He pointed to India’s England ODI squad, in which three of the 15 players suffered injuries after the players had already gone through a lengthy IPL campaign.
The board now wants to address the issue through the next FTP rather than dealing with injuries only after they occur. Saikia said the BCCI would take feedback from the captains and head coach while developing a strategy around workloads and the return of players following injuries.
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More rest and warm-up games planned for SENA tours
The BCCI intends to push for more preparation time before India’s major assignments in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia.
Saikia said the board’s FTP officials would raise the issue at upcoming international meetings, with the aim of creating schedules that allow players sufficient rest before overseas series. The proposed changes would also include time for acclimatisation and practice or friendly matches before major series in SENA countries.
The idea is to prevent India from arriving at challenging overseas assignments after playing a heavy schedule at home or in franchise cricket, with the board believing that preparation time can also help reduce the physical demands on players.
Rohit gets BCCI backing amid ODI future speculation
Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s ODI setup was another major subject surrounding the meeting.
The former captain had faced renewed speculation about his international future during the England series, particularly after questions were raised over whether he would continue playing until the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The speculation intensified after he retired from Test cricket in 2025 and from T20Is in 2024, leaving ODIs as his only remaining international format. His response came at Lord’s, where he scored 138 in the third ODI to help India win the match and level the series.
Saikia strongly backed the veteran batter after Thursday’s meeting, pointing to his recent performances and questioning the basis for continued speculation over his future. He also said he did not want to provide further material for those speculating about Rohit.
While the BCCI secretary stopped short of announcing any selection decision for the 2027 World Cup, his comments represented a clear public endorsement of Rohit’s current position in the ODI team.
Agarkar’s absence attracts attention
Ajit Agarkar’s absence was one of the more unusual aspects of the review meeting.
The chairman of the senior men’s selection committee did not attend the discussion despite the meeting involving the team’s captains, head coach and the BCCI’s cricket administration. His absence was particularly noticeable because the review followed a poor limited-overs campaign and came at a time when questions have been raised about his tenure.
Saikia said the meeting had been called at short notice and that Agarkar was out of station. According to Saikia, Agarkar was also in an area from which he could not join the meeting online despite attempts to connect with him.
The BCCI secretary also made it clear that Agarkar’s contract was not discussed. His current tenure as chairman of selectors runs until the end of September, but Saikia said there was no conversation about an extension at Thursday’s meeting.
No new role for VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman’s presence at the meeting also led to questions about his role in the Indian setup.
Laxman currently heads cricket operations at the Centre of Excellence and was part of the review alongside Gambhir and the two captains. Reports had suggested that the BCCI could be considering a broader director-of-cricket role for him.
Saikia dismissed the speculation, saying the subject was neither discussed at the meeting nor part of the BCCI’s current plans.
Laxman’s existing role remains significant, however, particularly with the board increasingly looking at coordination between the national team, coaching staff and the Centre of Excellence.
No communication gap, says BCCI
The board also sought to reject suggestions of internal friction or a lack of coordination within Indian cricket.
Saikia described the BCCI as functioning cohesively and said there was coordination between the different teams, their technical staff, coaches, the Centre of Excellence and the men’s team management.
His comments came amid questions over how injury management and selection decisions have been handled in recent months. Devajit Saikia also said that communication was not the problem and instead identified the volume of cricket as the bigger challenge facing the board and players.
2027 World Cup planning begins in earnest
The review was not limited to analysing the England and Ireland results. The BCCI also used the meeting to begin planning for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Saikia said a roadmap had been prepared and that the board wanted India to have its best team combination in place by October-November 2027.
That leaves the team management and selectors with roughly a year to assess the ODI group, manage workloads and provide players with the required exposure. The board’s proposed changes to the FTP are therefore closely connected to its World Cup planning, with greater emphasis on player availability and preparation.
BCCI ready to intervene over Asian Games facilities
The BCCI also addressed concerns over the accommodation and facilities available to India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
Reports had raised concerns about athletes being accommodated in container-style villas or on cruise ships. Saikia said there was no immediate issue before the board and that the subject was not part of the meeting’s agenda.
However, he said the BCCI would take an appropriate decision if circumstances changed and would ensure that the players and support staff received the best possible facilities. If necessary, the board would put its own arrangements in place rather than compromise on the team’s requirements.
Three bowlers, Rasikh Salam, Kartik Tyagi and Vicky Ostwal, will travel with the Indian team for the Asian Games.
BCCI on the Women’s Champions Trophy venue change
The board also revealed that it had offered four venues to the ICC to host the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy after Sri Lanka was unable to stage the tournament at the last moment.
Two of the four venues offered by the BCCI were subsequently selected.
Saikia said the development reflected India’s willingness to step in when international events face hosting difficulties. The BCCI secretary stressed that the board remains prepared to accommodate major international tournaments when required.
What are India’s upcoming cricket assignments?
India are set to have a busy cricket calendar ahead of them in the coming days. The women’s cricket team is currently taking part in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, which started on Friday, August 28, and will run till Sunday, September 13.
India’s men’s team, meanwhile, will take on Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series starting Sunday, September 13, at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Both the men’s and women’s teams will then head to Aichi-Nagoya to take part in the Asian Games 2026, where they will have the task of defending the gold medals they won at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Topics :India cricket teamBCCICricket NewsBS Web Reports
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First Published: Sep 04 2026 | 9:58 AMIST
Source: www.business-standard.com
