Not head coach or chief selector: VVS Laxman set for powerful India Director of Cricket role with 4 major responsibilities - Report

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Not head coach or chief selector: VVS Laxman set for powerful India Director of Cricket role with 4 major responsibilities - Report originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:​

• VVS Laxman is reportedly set to be appointed the BCCI's director of cricket.
• The newly created role would give him control over all Team India's cricketing operations.
• His mandate would reportedly cover performance reviews, appointments, selection, and management.
• Laxman was previously linked to BCCI Chief Selector or India head coach role.

VVS Laxman reportedly set for India Director of Cricket of BCCI role​

The rumours had been circling VVS Laxman for quite some time about his direction with the Indian cricket team moving forward. While some saw him as the interim for India's red-ball side till the BCCI could phase out Gambhir, others argued that the former Indian Test legend wasn't interested in coaching.

Now, with the latest updates, it seems that Laxman might be set for a major promotion within Indian cricket, but not in either of the roles widely speculated. Reports now suggest the BCCI is creating an entirely new, powerful position for the former batter.

Much of the recent chatter had linked Laxman with either a split-coaching role as India's Test head coach or a move to replace Ajit Agarkar as chairman of selectors. Laxman himself had played down that talk, reaffirming his commitment to the Centre of Excellence and confirming he had turned down the head coach job in 2024. But according to a recent update, the reality is a third and even bigger assignment.

MORE:Gautam Gambhir's fate as India Test head coach revealed based on each IND vs SL Test series result

VVS Laxman's 4 major responsibilities as Director of Indian cricket​

Sport Today's Nikil Naz was quick to first dismiss Laxman going for either the Test head coach or the chairman of selectors' roles. "However, what we can now kind of confirm to you is it's neither of those two positions. But the BCCI has identified a third very major position," he said on the official YouTube channel.


He then revealed that the director of cricket would be the role that the cricket board has for Laxman. "Probably for the first time, the BCCI is going to be getting a position like that. You might have VVS Lakshman as the director of cricket of the BCCI," Naz said. With this, the former batter would be the sole person responsible for the national team's cricketing operations.

Naz was quick to mention that it wasn't the first time that the BCCI had similar posts. Earlier, they had the position of general manager of cricket, which was held by former Indian cricketer Saba Karim and former first-class batter Dr M.V. Sridhar. So it isn't like the BCCI hasn't tried their luck with a GM role.

But the number of responsibilities would make this the first of its kind. Naz was quick to point that out, saying:

"He's going to be the sole man in charge of the cricketing operations within Indian cricket, whether it is the men's team or the women's team."

Naz mentioned how the BCCI might have taken some inspiration from the role of the similar name that was held by former England captain Andrew Strauss for the ECB. While the current position is held by Rob Key as the GM, back when Strauss was in the chair, the role was named director. Naz swiftly moved to digress on Laxman's responsibilities as well.

MORE: Gambhir's fate as India Test head coach based on IND vs SL Test series result revealed

VVS Laxman's four major responsibilities as BCCI Director of Cricket​

As per the report, Laxman would have four major responsibilities moving forward.

Performance reviews​

Naz mentioned that Laxman's foremost duty would be conducting performance reviews. "So every time you have a period or a series that's not gone according to plan. VVS Laxman will be the man in charge who will question various stakeholders, whether they are the players, the coaching staff, selectors and so on and so forth and then try and get to the bottom of the issue."

India has been struggling with major series defeats in the past few months, including back-to-back Test defeats against New Zealand and Australia. They also lost six consecutive T20 losses in July against the likes of England and Ireland; it is clear that the BCCI wants someone to gauge who isn't performing well.

Appointments​

Secondly, Laxman would take charge of key appointments, a role he has experience in from his time on the Cricket Advisory Committee, which included stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, among others, who eventually picked Anil Kumble as coach in 2016.

"You've had the advisory committee in various stages, but I think it's now kind of become redundant. I think that's why there's the need of having a director of cricket who's solely in charge of cricketing operations," Naz said.

He then continued, "So I think the director of cricket is solely going to appoint, uh, let's say coaches or support staff or even look at who the captain should be in various formats. So he's going to be there in that capacity as well."

Selection​

Naz then moved on to the third responsibility for Laxman, which might also be the most formative.

"He will work in tandem with the selectors when it comes to picking squads, even with the coach the head coach and the rest of the coaching staff even with the captain as to what his requirement is."

Naz was quick to mention that this wouldn't just be for picking the playing 11 for India's international matches but would also go down to the youth level for India A and junior matches. A 360-degree view of selections in Naz's own words.

Overall Management​

The final responsibility for Laxman, Naz said, would be the overall management. With one of the deepest rosters in international cricket, it has been a debate every time the board decides on which players to rest for matches. Laxman, once he takes on his role, would be responsible for managing that entirely.

According to Naz, sending a few first-class cricketers to away tours first to make them understand the playing conditions is something the former batter can also explore. Managing bench strength would also be a key matter in the overall management.

MORE: India's 3-or-4 spinner dilemma ahead of 1st Test vs SL

Why a Director of Cricket is exactly what Indian cricket needs​

There is a compelling case for this appointment, and it addresses the most glaring weakness in the current structure, a lack of accountability. Recent failures have descended into a blame game, with fingers pointed variously at the medical team, the selectors, the coaches and the captain, but with no single figure ultimately answerable.

A director of cricket would provide that central fulcrum, someone to get every stakeholder on the same page and enforce responsibility across the board. In Laxman, the BCCI has a candidate of impeccable standing and deep institutional knowledge, having worked with domestic players, India-A side and the national setup.

If the report proves accurate, it could mark one of the most significant structural reforms in the modern history of Indian cricket, provided the role is handed the genuine authority it requires to succeed.


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