 "VVS Laxman had filled in for Rahul Dravid as India head coach on a number of assignments. PTI")
VVS Laxman will continue as head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, signing an extension of at least a year. His initial three-year contract expires in September.
Laxman was linked with couple of IPL franchises for a head coach position. Now with his extension at the NCA, he cannot take up a role with a franchise. At NCA, he is likely to be assisted by Shitanshu Kotak, Sairaj Bahutule and Hrishikesh Kanitkar, all important figures in India’s domestic cricket.
His contract extension comes ahead of the inauguration of a new state-of-the-art NCA campus in the outskirts of Bengaluru, the foundation for which was laid in January 2022, 14 years after the land was sanctioned by the Karnataka government on a 99-year lease.
The new facilities are touted to hold at least 100 pitches, indoor facilities with 45 pitches, three international-sized grounds, a modern rehab centre, lodging facilities and Olympic-sized pools, apart from a host of other amenities. The NCA is in its final stages of work and is likely to be operational next year.
During his three-year term at the NCA, Laxman carried forward the processes laid by his predecessor Rahul Dravid for injury management, player rehabilitation, coaching programmes and preparing roadmaps for senior sides, age-group teams and women’s cricket.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOne of Laxman’s challenges for the next term would be revival of the India A tour program, which has been stop-start in the past two years, unlike under Dravid when tours, both domestic and foreign, were more frequent.