Laxman May Prolong His Tenure As NCA Head

VVS Laxman is expected to extend his tenure as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru by at least a year, according to *ESPNcricinfo*. Laxman took charge as the NCA head in December 2021 on a three-year contract, which was initially set to end in September 2024. Amid reports of interest from an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Laxman has chosen to remain with the NCA, given his significant responsibilities in shaping Indian cricket’s future.

Laxman is likely to continue working with an experienced coaching team that includes prominent figures like Shitanshu Kotak, Sairaj Bahutule, and Hrishikesh Kanitkar. His extension comes just as the new NCA facility in Bengaluru is set to be inaugurated. The foundation stone for the state-of-the-art facility was laid in February 2022 by former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, and Laxman himself.

The current NCA campus, located at the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, has been instrumental in training and rehabilitating India’s future cricketers since its establishment in 2000. As the NCA chief, Laxman has carried forward the processes initiated by his predecessor, Rahul Dravid, focusing on grooming emerging talent and player rehabilitation.

One of Laxman’s key challenges will be revitalising the India A tour program, which has seen reduced activity over the last couple of years. Under Dravid, both home and away tours for the India A team were frequent, providing crucial exposure to young players.

During his illustrious playing career, Laxman represented India in 134 Tests, amassing 8,781 runs at an impressive average of 45.97, including 17 centuries and 56 half-centuries. He is best remembered for his iconic knock of 281 against Australia. In addition to his Test exploits, Laxman played 86 ODIs, scoring 2,338 runs at an average of 30.76, with six centuries and ten half-centuries.