Head of Cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, VVS Laxman, has revealed that he was in line to become India’s head coach in 2023, but personal reasons forced him to turn down the opportunity. He has now made it clear that he does not intend to pursue the role in the near future either.
Speaking to reporters at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, Laxman said he was “supposed” to take over from Rahul Dravid after the 2023 ODI World Cup, when Dravid’s initial contract was due to expire. However, Laxman said he discussed his situation with then-BCCI secretary Jay Shah before deciding against taking up the position.
“In 2023, I was supposed to become the head coach. For personal reasons, I was unable to take that up. I went and spoke to Jay twice. He understood my reasons,” Laxman said.
Dravid subsequently remained in the role until the 2024 T20 World Cup, after which Gautam Gambhir was appointed as his successor. Laxman was also approached during the 2024 search for a new head coach, but Gambhir ultimately got the job.
Why Laxman is staying at the CoE
Laxman has instead continued to play a significant role within India’s cricket structure through his work at the CoE, while also taking charge as interim head coach on several occasions.
His position became relevant again after reports suggested that the BCCI could consider him as a potential replacement for chief selector Ajit Agarkar. The speculation comes amid questions surrounding the selection committee and its handling of several major decisions, including Rohit Sharma’s future.
However, Laxman has effectively ruled himself out of that conversation too.
The former India batter said he has extended his CoE stint by two years and has committed to the BCCI that he will not take up the head coach position. He credited the freedom given to him by Shah and the continued backing of current BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia for his decision.
“Because Jay and the BCCI gave me the freedom to execute my vision, and Devajit continues to give me, I’ve extended my stint at the CoE for two years, and I committed to the BCCI that I’m not taking up the head coach position,” Laxman said.
His immediate priority is to build the CoE rather than return to the India dressing room. Laxman wants to establish its structure, processes, protocols and standard operating procedures across departments before his extended stint ends.
For now, that makes his position fairly clear. Despite having been considered for India’s top coaching job twice, Laxman has chosen to focus on building the infrastructure behind Indian cricket. The recent speculation over Agarkar’s position, meanwhile, does not appear to have changed that decision.
