The BCCI on Friday invited applications for the post of Head of Sports Science and Medicine at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, renewing its search for a full-time expert after several preferred candidates, including former India physiotherapist Andrew Leipus, backed out. The crucial position has remained vacant since Nitin Patel resigned in March 2025, leaving the BCCI struggling to find a suitable replacement at a time when the CoE has faced scrutiny over injury management and rehabilitation of Indian players. Applications for the position will close on September 30, with the successful candidate reporting to CoE head VVS Laxman.
Leipus among candidates who backed out
Both BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and Laxman have publicly acknowledged the difficulty in filling the position. Leipus, who previously worked as the Indian team physiotherapist, had emerged as the board’s preferred candidate and discussions had progressed substantially before he withdrew citing family reasons.
“After Nitin left, we did not get anyone who can fill in that position. We had Andrew Leipus, and everything was agreed upon. In fact, Devajit had two or three meetings with him but suddenly Andrew backed off citing family reasons,” Laxman had said last month.
The BCCI subsequently conducted an extensive interview process involving Laxman and medical experts Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, Dr Ashish Soni and Dr Rohan Khavte. Five candidates were shortlisted, with an Australian professional emerging as the first choice.
However, that candidate also withdrew after being selected because he was unwilling to relocate to Bengaluru, one of the key requirements for the position.
“It is a full-time job and it is not a part-time one. It is day-to-day monitoring,” Laxman had said while explaining why relocation was essential.
All Blacks expert also declined role
The board then approached another specialist who had served as head of sports science with New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team. According to Laxman, discussions reached an advanced stage and the candidate had almost agreed to take up the assignment before withdrawing at the last moment.
The repeated setbacks have left the BCCI without a permanent head overseeing sports science and medicine at the CoE for around 18 months.
The vacancy assumes added significance because the Bengaluru facility is central to the fitness assessment, rehabilitation and return-to-play programmes of centrally contracted and other elite Indian cricketers.
Player welfare, injury prevention key responsibilities
In its latest recruitment notice, the BCCI said the successful candidate would provide strategic and operational leadership to its Sports Science and Medicine services across elite cricket and CoE programmes.
The position will involve line management of the CoE’s Head of Physiotherapy and Strength and Conditioning head as well as the corresponding heads attached to Team India.
The appointee will work closely with national and CoE coaches, cricket education personnel and other performance specialists to develop integrated support programmes for Indian players.
“The position will have a key focus on player welfare, injury prevention and rehabilitation, physical development, research, innovation and the adoption of relevant technologies and services,” the BCCI said.
CoE under scrutiny over injuries
Finding a permanent specialist has become particularly important with the CoE facing questions over the management and rehabilitation of injured players. The facility plays a central role in monitoring workloads, overseeing rehabilitation programmes and determining players’ readiness to return to competitive cricket.
The Head of Sports Science and Medicine is expected to coordinate the different medical, physiotherapy and strength-and-conditioning units to ensure a more integrated approach to player fitness and rehabilitation.
The BCCI’s renewed recruitment exercise will now seek to end a prolonged search that has seen multiple high-profile candidates withdraw despite advanced negotiations. With the September 30 application deadline approaching, the board will hope to finally fill one of the most important positions in its elite player-performance structure.