VVS Laxman set to become BCCI director of cricket

VVS Laxman is in line to be appointed as the Director of Cricket at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), according to reports that emerged on Friday, August 14. The BCCI has not issued any official confirmation, and the precise responsibilities and structure of the proposed role have not been defined.

Laxman currently heads the BCCI Centre of Excellence, the factory for top India cricketers, located in Bengaluru. Reports suggest the board is considering elevating him to a newly created oversight position, which would mark a significant step up within the Indian cricket administration for the former India batter.

According to a development reported by India Today, this coincides with a period of transition in the BCCI’s selection setup. Ajit Agarkar‘s term as chairman of the senior selection committee is due to conclude in September 2026, and the board is reportedly weighing whether to extend that term through to June 2027.

What has Laxman done to merit this elevation?

Laxman has accumulated a credible record in administration and coaching since retiring from the game. His most visible assignment at the international level came when he took charge of a young India squad for a T20I series in Zimbabwe, with head coach Gautam Gambhir and the regular support staff rested after the England tour. India won that series 3-0, a result that underlined Laxman’s capacity to manage a transitional group at the highest level.

His broader contribution has come through the Centre of Excellence, where he has overseen the development of India’s cricket pipeline. In 2024, he was considered a candidate to succeed Rahul Dravid as India‘s head coach but opted to remain in his existing role, a decision that kept him embedded within the BCCI’s long-term planning structure.

The proposed DoC position would place Laxman at a higher tier of oversight within Indian cricket, though what that means in practical terms has not yet been communicated by the board.

What remains unclear about the appointment and its impact?

Several aspects of the proposed appointment are yet to be resolved. It is not known whether the Director of Cricket role would sit above the selection committee as a separate administrative layer or whether it would absorb some of the functions currently held by the chief selector.

The BCCI has not publicly addressed how Laxman’s potential move would affect Agarkar’s position, whether under its current terms or under a possible extension to June 2027. The relationship between the two roles, if both continue to exist, has not been outlined.

Until the board makes a formal announcement, the scope of the appointment and its consequences for the wider administrative structure of Indian cricket remain open questions.