The former India batter VVS Laxman will extend his term as head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru with his three-year contract until this September.
VVS Laxman was being chased by an IPL franchise for the head coach position, a role which would not be possible because of NCA duties. He is likely to be assisted by his team of coaches, including Shitanshu Kotak, Sairaj Bahutule and Hrishikesh Kanitkar who are stars of Indian domestic cricket.
Laxman’s contract extension comes ahead of the inauguration of a new state-of-the-art NCA campus on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The foundation for which laid in January 2022, 14 years after the land was sanctioned by the Karnataka government on a 99-year lease.
The New art NCA campus is believed to be equipped with 100 pitches, indoor facilities with 45 pitches, three international-sized grounds, a modern rehabilitation center, lodging facilities, and Olympic-sized pools, apart from a host of other amenities. With the NCA is in its final stages of construction and is likely to be operational from early next year.
During his first three-year term at NCA, Laxman carried forward the processes laid by his predecessor Rahul Dravid for injury management, player rehabilitation, coaching programs, and preparing roadmaps for the senior teams, age group, and women’s cricket.
One of Laxman’s challenges is the revival of the India A tour program, which has been stop-start over the past two years, unlike under Dravid when tours, both incoming and outbound, were more frequent.
Meanwhile, Jay Shah spoke about the need for strong coaches on the Bench for Team India. “India plays non-stop cricket. We have good bench strength of coaches. When Rahul (Dravid) bhai was the coach and he wanted to rest, VVS Laxman would go as the coach.”
“It depends on the coach we have picked. Gautam Gambhir was interested in all three formats, then who am I to tell him that I am going to pick you for only this format,” Shah said.
“If you look at the makeup of the Test, T20 and ODI sides, 70 percent of the team is more or less the same…How will the players bond with different coaches?”
Shah also highlighted the reason for India receiving a bigger chunk of the pie that the ICC makes, stating the benefits that arise from the India squad.
“India is the only team that travels everywhere. The benefit we get from that is that our relations with other boards get stronger and the economy of the country improves because of India. That’s why we get 40% share (in revenues from the ICC), but in turn, the other countries too earn,” concluded Jay Shah.
