BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has confirmed, Indian players will have to go to the NCA for their post-injury rehabilitation process. Ganguly's words came after meeting his former teammate and current academy head, Rahul Dravid. The issue is regarding the loss of trust amid players over NCA as a centre for help while recovering from their injuries.
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Reports emerged that the NCA refused to take a fitness test of pacer Jasprit Bumrah because he had consulted overseas specialists in UK in this phase recovering from a lower back stress fracture. It is also understood, neither Bumrah was too keen for it. There have been other instances of players' injuries being mishandled at the NCA recently.
"I met Rahul Dravid yesterday, and we have put a system in place. The bowlers will have to go to the NCA. If anybody (else) has to treat them, they will have to come to NCA," Ganguly was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
"Whatever may be the reason, we will accommodate everything. We will also make sure the players are comfortable and they don’t feel left out or out of place. So, we will do it that way."
"We are going full throttle with the NCA. Construction work will start (at the new land) and it will be a state-of-the-art unit. In 18 months time, if we are still there, you will see an NCA that will be spick and span," he added.
Ganguly, while he didn't obviously want to talk much yet regarding the proposed four-nation ODI Super Series, did still say that there are details of the event to be finalised and the intent basically is to provide spectators good quality cricket.
"It’s a proposal," he said. "Let’s see where it goes. The reason behind it is only to have a good, competitive tournament. So, that’s where it stands. We will have to get clearances from the broadcasters and ICC for a four-nation tournament."
The tournament is considered a ploy from India, England and Australia to ensure ICC's proposed plan to have an extra major world event in the next eight-year cycle doesn't go ahead."
"Then, there are the Future Tours Programme (FTP) areas to look at, as to where do we fit it within the FTP. But it’s just a way to create a niche tournament," Ganguly added.
"We are looking for quality cricket. What we see today, is only bilaterals happening. People want to see a high-class tournament and we are attempting to do it. Look at the crowds in the Boxing Day Test between Australia and New Zealand. So, that’s also one of the reasons. Pink Ball Test was one such effort to generate crowd interest."
(Inputs from Hindustan Times)
