VVS Laxman has no desire to take over as the head coach of the Indian team and with his tenure as the head of cricket at the NCA coming to an end in September, it remains to be seen how the BCCI manages to retain him.
Chennai: It is well known that VVS Laxman has no desire to take over as the head coach of the Indian team and with his tenure as the Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) coming to an end in September this year, it remains to be seen how the BCCI manages to retain him in the set-up.
Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir is considered a strong contender among the options available to the BCCI but it is not yet clear whether secretary Jay Shah has spoken to the senior players of the national team about a unanimous agreement on Gambhir.
Shah, in a statement on Friday, had denied having been approached by any Australian candidate. He also indicated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was looking for an Indian coach who knew the country’s cricket inside out.
Laxman has served as interim Indian coach during his tenure of nearly three years at the NCA, which makes the stylish former cricketer from Hyderabad the perfect choice for the job. But he has not even applied for the post which will be physically and mentally exhausting for the next three and a half years. The last date for application is May 27.
If he applies, he will be a strong contender given his credentials at the BCCI’s High Performance Centre. The BCCI will also want to hold on for the 49-year-old and may even try to convince him for the top job. “It will completely depend on Jai but he will have to convince VVS Laxman to be part of the Indian coaching ‘set-up’, at least when they play a red-ball series,” a former BCCI official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
He said, “If he is not willing to work on a full-time basis, he can join as a consultant when the Indian team plays red ball series in Australia this year and England next year.” It can also be understood that it will not be difficult for Laxman to go back to IPL after the NCA tenure ends because he has an offer from at least one franchise. He is also a commentator cum analyst.
