As per reports from Indian Express, The BCCI have acknowledged that the packed cricket calendar is taking a toll on Indian players, particularly the demanding stretch of the IPL followed by international
series. The issue came up during a review meeting in Mumbai attended by head coach Gautam Gambhir, captains Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, and Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia pointed to the recent England ODI series as an example of the workload players are facing. A 15-member squad travelled to England after spending two months playing in the IPL and three or four players suffered injuries during the series. “All this takes a toll on the health of the players,” Saikia said.
Reports further suggest that the BCCI is looking at player workload as a scheduling issue rather than treating every injury as a separate incident. With the next Future Tour Programmes cycle being discussed, the board has instructed its scheduling team to push for a more player friendly FTP when they meet ICC counterparts in Dubai later this month. The focus will be on creating proper rest periods between series, allowing players enough time to recover instead of moving directly from one assignment to another. The board wants future calendars to include adequate recovery windows, although how much of that can actually be achieved will depend on the demands of international and franchise cricket.
Key takeaways from the BCCI review meeting (Express Sports):
– BCCI acknowledges heavy schedules and the IPL are driving player fatigue and injuries.
– BCCI will push for a more player-friendly FTP.
– Future calendars will guarantee adequate rest between series.
– Mandatory… pic.twitter.com/MxTYXlDQwc— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 5, 2026
BCCI Plans to Bring Back Warm-Up Games Ahead of Major SENA Tours
The meeting also brought a more specific change with the BCCI looking to bring back mandatory warm-up matches ahead of major tours to South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. These preparation games had disappeared from international schedules as teams tried to accommodate an increasingly packed calendar. Saikia confirmed that the board wants friendly matches or proper acclimatisation fixtures to be included before major SENA tours.
The idea is to give players time to adjust to different pitches, weather conditions, bounce and movement before the main series gets underway. This could also help players coming off a long domestic or franchise season. Travelling directly from the IPL into an overseas series leaves little room for recovery or preparation, and the BCCI believes a proper acclimatisation period could help reduce the physical strain while also giving the team more time to settle into unfamiliar conditions.
Roadmap for the 2027 Cricket World Cup
The BCCI’s review also looked beyond the immediate scheduling concerns with the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in focus. Saikia said a roadmap has been prepared with the motive of having India’s strongest possible combination ready for the World Cup in 2027. The next 12-14 months will therefore be important for the selectors and coaching staff. Key players will need to be managed carefully, while fringe players will also require enough opportunities to prove themselves. Avoiding unnecessary injuries and ensuring the main players remain available will be a major part of the planning. The World Cup is expected to influence decisions around workload, rotation and the importance given to different series over the coming months.
