The English international, Nicholas Lee, is set to take over as the Strength and Conditioning coach for the Indian Women’s Cricket team after the WPL 2026 edition, according to a source that informed the PTI.
Lee was the strength and conditioning coach of the Afghanistan Men’s Cricket team from January 2024 till December 2025. Before January 2024, the Afghanistan Cricket team faced recurring challenges with player fitness, which commentators and team officials often spotted.
The appointment of Lee was a crucial element in terms of development for the Afghanistan Men’s Cricket team, as he brought a wealth of experience, having served as the Head Coach of Physical Performance for the national teams of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as well as the Sussex County Club in England.
Lee’s accreditation with the UK’s Strength & Conditioning Association (UKSCA) and academic background (BSc (Hons) in Sports Science) ensured that the fitness system of the Afghanistan squad would be reformed. Lee conducted screening tests for the players to alter individual player training plans and to get the players ready for specific tournaments like the T20 World Cup.
His expertise includes certifications in Sports Science and First Aid, which contributed to improved injury prevention and player recovery processes, essential for a cricket schedule that involves Franchise Cricket and International Cricket.
Lee’s Role in the Post-WPL Transition
The WPL 2026 season is set to commence on January 9 and will conclude on February 5. The matches will be played across Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. Considering the fact that there are only 5 teams in the league, that would result in fixtures on consecutive days.
This could be tiring for the players as the league involves top-quality international players, and natural homegrown talents would be intense, and playing matches on successive days would be highly stressful when it comes to workload management. After almost a hectic month of play, the Women in Blue will have to travel to Australia within a couple of days for the bilateral series involving 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs and a One-Off Test.
There remains a high possibility of Strength and Rehabilitation being compromised due to the short break between the WPL and the bilateral series. The addition of Nicholas Lee is expected to aid the Indian Women’s side as his experience and expertise in the field could help the players to take adequate measures to avoid injuries and fatigue.
Lee’s experience means that he could introduce new, scientifically based strength and conditioning practices to the Indian women’s team, which could play a significant role in the strength and fitness sustainability of the players.
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