VVS Laxman, former India batting stalwart has accepted the BCCI’s offer to take charge as director of cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. VVS Laxman has informed the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) of his decision to step down as the team’s mentor following the development.
VVS Laxman has been the frontrunner to occupy the position that was vacated by former India captain Rahul Dravid, who is about to begin his tenure as head coach of the national men’s team with the commencement of the home bilateral T20I and Test series against New Zealand. However, an official confirmation from the Indian cricket board is yet to be received.
VVS Laxman Accepts BCCI Offer To Take Charge As Director Of Cricket At National Cricket Academy
VVS Laxman has been a prominent figure in the commentary box and in the SRH dugout in the Indian Premier League as well. Earlier, he has also served as a batting consultant at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) for six years; a role that was facilitated by current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who was the CAB joint secretary in 2014.
VVS Laxman will be handling an influential post in the Indian cricket setup with Sourav Ganguly being at the forefront. At the NCA, the former will be looking after the education and skill-based programs not only for the players but, also for the former players who aspire to become coaches.
It is learned that VVS Laxman is set to assume charge after the India ‘A’ team’s tour of South Africa ends later this month. Former Saurashtra batter Sitanshu Kotak will be in charge of the ‘A’ team for the tour. However, if all goes to plan, VVS Laxman will be in charge of the NCA, India ‘A’, and U-19 teams.
In November, Rahul Dravid will take over as the head coach and will be appointed on a two-year contract until the 2023 ODI World Cup. The T20 World Cup 2021 was Ravi Shastri’s final tournament as the head coach of the team.
Sitanshu Kotak To Be Head Coach In India A’s Tour Of South Africa
The 47-year-old will also be assisted by a coaching staff – batting, bowling, and fielding. It has been learned that the BCCI has conducted interviews for these vacant positions and is yet to announce the names.
Earlier on Monday, former India cricketer Sairaj Bahutule was named the bowling coach for the India A team’s tour of South Africa scheduled to start later this month. Saurashtra great Sitanshu Kotak will be the head coach while former Assam cricketer Subhadeep Ghosh will be the fielding coach for the tour.
VVS Laxman is a batting consultant for Bengal in domestic cricket and is also a team mentor for SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL. In addition to this, the 46-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest Indian Test batsmen of all time, scoring 8781 runs in 134 matches with 17 centuries.