BENGALURU: VVS Laxman has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to succeed Rahul Dravid as India head coach in 2024, choosing instead to continue his work at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) and citing family considerations as one of the reasons behind his decision.The BCCI had approached Laxman after Dravid’s successful stint ended with India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2024. However, the former India batter opted to extend his tenure at the then National Cricket Academy, which was subsequently rebranded as the CoE, for another two years until 2026.“Because (former BCCI secretary) Jay (Shah) and the BCCI gave me the freedom to execute my vision, and Devajit (Saikia, current BCCI secretary) continues to give me, I’ve extended (stint at CoE) for two years, and I committed to the BCCI that I’m not taking up the head coach position. You all know that I was approached back in 2024,” Laxman said at a presser at the CoE on Sunday.Laxman, who succeeded Dravid as the head of the NCA in 2021, said he wanted to establish the CoE’s structure, processes and protocols before moving on.“I’ll make sure that I establish the CoE, its structure, the processes and the protocols… before I move on, after the two years’ stay,” he said.His comments come amid speculation that he could be considered for another prominent BCCI role, with his name being linked to the chief selector’s position once Ajit Agarkar‘s tenure ends in September. Laxman, however, did not indicate any decision on his future beyond his current CoE stint.
Laxman defends CoE amid injury concerns
Laxman also strongly defended the CoE’s role amid concerns over the number of India players currently recovering from injuries, insisting that the facility should not be viewed merely as a rehabilitation centre.Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar and B Sai Sudharsan are among the players who have been recuperating at the facility.“CoE is not just a rehab centre, but there are bigger roles to play for it in helping cricketers achieve excellence,” Laxman said, stressing that injuries cannot always follow predetermined recovery timelines because “it is the human body” and “not a machine”.He said there was “seamless” communication between the CoE, selectors and team management, with players released only after meeting prescribed fitness benchmarks.Laxman also highlighted the development of young cricketers and his involvement in women’s cricket as major achievements of his tenure.“Trophies are a by-product of what systems and processes you set,” he said, adding that the CoE’s work was aimed at strengthening Indian cricket and helping players become the best they can be.
