BCCI Reviews Centre of Excellence Roadmap Amid Test Coach Speculation

The meeting, attended by BCCI office-bearers including President Mithun Manhas and vice-president Rajeev Shukla, focused on enhancing the CoE's role in developing young cricketers.

In an X post, Saikia wrote, "Had a fruitful meeting with VVS Laxman, Head of BCCI's Centre of Excellence, in the presence of BCCI office bearers today at Mumbai. Reviewed current activities and charted the roadmap for the Centre's future course, aimed at further strengthening India's cricketing talent pipeline."

This meeting comes after media reports that Laxman has been approached to become India's next Test coach have been circulating. The news came just a few weeks after India suffered a 0-2 Test whitewash to South Africa at home under Gautam Gambhir, their second whitewash in back-to-back years following a humiliating 0-3 loss to New Zealand last year under the same coach, which marked India's first Test series loss at home since 12 years and starting of crumbling of India's great Test empire, guarded well by leaders like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for over a decade.

However, in December last year, Saikia denied speculations of Laxman being approached to be the men's team's next Test coach as "factually incorrect and baseless", saying that the board has not taken any steps regarding the change of leadership group in the longest format of the game.

Speaking to ANI, Saikia said, "This is totally incorrect news going on. This is totally speculative news. Some very reputable news agencies are also flashing the news. There is no truth to it. BCCI straight away denies. People can think all they want, but BCCI has not taken any steps. This is somebody's figment of imagination; there is no truth in it, and I cannot say anything except that this is factually incorrect and baseless news."

While Team India has been extremely successful under Gambhir in limited-overs cricket, lifting the ICC Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup T20I edition on unbeaten runs, the same cannot be said of Test cricket: under him, India has won just seven Tests and lost 10, drawing the other two.

As far as the series record is concerned, India started off well with a 2-0 series win against Bangladesh at home, but back-to-back setbacks against New Zealand and Australia (1-3 Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss away from home) led to legends Rohit, Virat, and Ravichandran Ashwin hanging up their whites.

- ANI