Nitin Patel was the last Head of Sports Science and Medicine for BCCI.
It has been almost nine months since Nitin Patel stepped down as the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Head of Sports Science and Medicine. Applications have been invited since August 2025, but unfortunately, even as the year comes to a close, the spot remains vacant.
This leadership gap is particularly glaring because the BCCI recently inaugurated its world-class Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, a facility that recently earned a "Gold" rating for its advanced infrastructure.
However, a building is only as good as the people running it. Without a permanent head, the medical department lacks a singular authority to make final calls on player fitness.
Why Nitin Patel Stepped Down
When Patel left the BCCI, it was reported that he officially resigned, but the board later clarified that he had only asked for his contract to be extended for three months due to personal reasons.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia spoke to the Times of India a few months ago regarding this and said that Patel’s contract ended on December 31, 2024, and he only officially stepped down on March 31, 2025, because of that three-month extension.
“We wanted Nitin to continue, but he’s got a pressing personal (family) issue to attend to, so he can’t continue, so we will have an alternative person in his place,” Saikia added.
A BCCI source also spoke about Nitin’s stay with the BCCI and spoke well of him. “One good thing that happened in the past couple of years is that whenever any injured player did his rehab, he only came back when he was more than a hundred percent. Nitin’s family lives abroad, and managing COE’s sports science and medical division is a 365-day-a-year assignment."
So, it’s just really likely that Patel simply chose to prioritize his family commitments over the relentless schedule required to oversee the fitness of India’s elite cricketers. However, it’s piquing the interest of many fans.
Fans today are just so fond of tracking every cricket update, especially regarding players’ health, through various platforms. Some would check injury reports on a news app or follow the latest match trends on a platform like 10CRIC India.
Even if some consider this a small detail, many are still curious who would replace Nitin, because this could impact how injured players can return to the field and even how long they’d stay.
Head of Sports Science and Medicine Replacement
Finding a replacement for Patel has proven to be a much bigger challenge than the BCCI likely anticipated.
The search recently took an interesting turn when the BCCI approached a familiar face: Andrew Leipus. Leipus, the Australian physiotherapist who famously revolutionized the Indian team’s fitness culture in the early 2000s, was reportedly the board’s top choice.
Discussions progressed significantly, and for a moment, it seemed the vacancy would finally be filled by a man who understands the system perfectly. However, in late December 2025, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Leipus had to pull out at the last minute due to personal reasons.
Saikia said, “We had shortlisted three or four candidates, including Leipus. He was set to join but had to pull out at the last minute due to a personal reason. We will finalize a new candidate soon.”
Why This Matters to the Players
The absence of a central authority has real-world consequences for India’s top stars. For example, when Jasprit Bumrah was returning from his back surgery, he was reportedly advised by his surgeon to play only three out of five Tests in a series.
In the absence of a Sports Science Head, external medical opinion would prevail without a second internal check from the board.
The accountability for player fitness also falls into a gray area. For veteran players like Mohammed Shami, whose workloads must be managed with surgical precision, the lack of a head scientist means there is no one person to set a uniform standard across the board.
This creates a risk where players might be rushed back to satisfy match schedules, or conversely, kept in rehab longer than necessary because no one wants to take the risk of clearing them.
Conclusion
The clock is ticking for the BCCI, especially now that we’re about to welcome a new year. India is set to co-host the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, and having a stable medical wing is essential for a successful campaign.
Secretary Devajit Saikia has promised a new candidate will be finalized soon, but after nine months of waiting, many remain skeptical. Then again, we can only wait for BCCI’s official announcement.