VVS Laxman Could Become India Coach After Rahul Dravid’s Tenure: Report

VVS Laxman is among the favourites to take over as head coach of Indian men's cricket team.

VVS Laxman is reportedly among the candidates being considered to become the next coach of the Indian men's cricket team.

(Photo: IANS)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may consider making VVS Laxman the next head coach of the Indian men's team after the end of Rahul Dravid's contract, which currently runs till the 2023 ODI World Cup.

A report by News18 Cricketnext stated that should Dravid not consider an extension as men's team head coach, then Laxman, who is currently the Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, could be the person to take the top job.

Laxman, 48, has filled in as the head coach of the Indian team in Dravid's absence. He was with the team for the bilateral series against Ireland in June 2022, as well as for the first T20I against England and the short tour of Zimbabwe.

Laxman was also with the Indian team for the 2022 edition of the T20 Asia Cup in the UAE when Dravid was down with COVID-19 and has also travelled to New Zealand as the head coach of the team for their white-ball tour immediately after the T20 World Cup ended in November 2022.

Apart from grooming the next generation of players at the NCA, Laxman had travelled with the India U-19 team for their successful 2022 World Cup too and played a very proactive role with the young bunch during their campaign in the West Indies.

Split Coaching Remains Unlikely

The report also said that for now, split coaching will not be happening. "Has that happened in Indian cricket before?" a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying in the report when asked about the possibility of split coaching coming into the set-up.

Ever since he took over from Ravi Shastri as the head coach in November 2021, Dravid has had an indifferent run at the helm of the Indian team.

They lost to England in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup and didn't reach the final of the 2022 T20 Asia Cup apart from losing the Test and ODI series in South Africa and rescheduling the fifth Test to England at Birmingham.