Troy Cooley’s stint as fast bowling coach at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) will end soon. The BCCI is now expected to appoint a new fast bowling coach at the Bengaluru-based facility in the near future, and they are also looking for a new Sports Science Head.
Cooley joined India’s high-performance setup in late 2021 with a clear focus on developing the next generation of fast bowlers. During his stint, he played a key role in shaping pace talent at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, working closely with head of cricket VVS Laxman.
Cooley also took on important coaching roles with Indian teams. He served as the bowling coach for the Indian women’s side at the T20 World Cup in South Africa in early 2023 and later worked with the India men’s A team during their tour of England.
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His Tenure Is Over and December 31 Is His Last Day – Devajit Saikia
The BCCI has decided to end its association with Troy Cooley, with the Australian coach set to step down from his role at the Centre of Excellence. According to a report in The Times of India, his stint as fast bowling coach has concluded, and the board will soon move to appoint a replacement.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Cooley had been part of the setup since 2021 and that his exit also aligns with him reaching the retirement age of 60. December 31 will be his final day with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
“Cooley had been employed at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy since 2021. His tenure is over and he has also reached the age of superannuation (60). Dec 31 is his last day,” Saikia told TOI.
We Had Shortlisted Three or Four Candidates – Devajit Saikia
The BCCI is yet to fill the vacant Sports Science Head role at their Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, a position that has remained open since Nitin Patel stepped down nearly nine months ago. The delay has continued despite the board moving close to a final decision.
Devajit Saikia said that the board had shortlisted a small group of candidates and was close to appointing Andrew Leipus to lead the medical team. However, Leipus withdrew at the last moment due to personal reasons. Saikia added that the BCCI expects to finalize a new candidate soon.
“We had shortlisted three or four candidates, including Leipus. Leipus was set to join but had to pull out at the last minute due to a personal reason. We will finalise a new candidate soon,” Saikia said.
BCCI Centre of Excellence Faces Staff Shortages as Key Roles Remain Vacant
The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence still has several key roles lying vacant. Last month, Rajib Datta’s time as bowling coach and lead faculty came to an end, and the board has advertised for new batting and bowling coaches.
The BCCI recently invited applications for the Head of Cricket Education role after Sujith Somasunder left to take up a role with the Karnataka State Cricket Association. Notably, the deadline has passed, but there is no update on when the appointment will be made.
With players from both men’s and women’s teams playing across formats, the workload on cricketers is rising. Indian cricket needs these positions to be filled soon to ensure proper player care and planning.
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