Leipus (seen in file picture, working out with Sachin) is highly respected

New Delhi/Calcutta: Sourav Ganguly apart, a member of Team India’s support staff — Andrew Leipus — took an early morning flight out of the capital on Sunday. While the captain was heading home, the physio had an appointment with Board president Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Speaking to The Telegraph aboard the Air Sahara service, Leipus said: “Basically, there’s going to be a discussion on the mechanism that should be in place across the country so that injuries to the strictly first-class cricketers are minimised and, more important, there’s a system to monitor fitness problems.”

According to Leipus, not everybody is able to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket — largely because little is in place to ensure minimum fitness standards. “As this is the off season, the time is ripe to decide on something that could become operational when the next season begins,” he added.

Obviously, the Team India physio will himself have to play a big role — not least in identifying the right candidates. The ball, of course, is going to roll once the Board gives the green signal.

Among other things, Leipus is “worried” that even Internationals, who prove their match-fitness in domestic cricket, break down on returning to the big league. “Oh, yes, it’s definitely a concern,” he acknowledged.

Meanwhile, Leipus and wife Sue (who holds a very senior position in a travel agency) are shifting from Johannesburg to London. “She’s been transferred and we expect to be in our new home after three weeks or so,” he informed.

Leipus, who enjoys the respect of all players, has been with the team from October 1999.