VVS Laxman’s presence at the Indian men’s selection committee meeting in Guwahati on Tuesday raised several questions but the BCCI has now explained the reason behind it.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that VVS Laxman, who heads the Centre of Excellence (CoE), will attend all men’s selection meetings from now on. The decision was taken to ensure there is no communication gap between the CoE and the board, especially regarding players’ fitness and injuries.
VVS Laxman’s appearance had triggered plenty of speculation on social media. The timing was notable because the BCCI had recently advertised for a new member of the selection committee after Ajit Agarkar’s departure. Laxman had also reportedly been discussed as a possible candidate for the role a few months ago.
Devajit Saikia explained that VVS Laxman has detailed information about the injury and fitness status of players through his role at the CoE. The BCCI therefore wants him to be present during selection meetings so that the selectors and the CoE have complete clarity about players’ availability. The decision was made following a review meeting in Mumbai.
However, VVS Laxman could not have directly replaced Ajit Agarkar even if he had been considered for the position. Laxman is from the South Zone, while the vacant selector’s position is reserved for a representative from the West Zone.
The BCCI’s decision also comes against the backdrop of reports of growing differences between the board and the Centre of Excellence. There had been reports suggesting that Ajit Agarkar and VVS Laxman had disagreements, with concerns that their differences could lead to heated exchanges during meetings.
Questions surrounding the CoE had increased over the years following several unusual injury cases involving Indian players, including some instances where players picked up injuries soon after returning to the team. As the head of the CoE, VVS Laxman came under greater scrutiny. Laxman, however, had defended the centre’s role, pointing out that the Centre of Excellence is much more than simply a rehabilitation facility.
With the BCCI now deciding to have VVS Laxman attend selection meetings regularly, the board appears keen to improve communication between the selection committee and the CoE and avoid further confusion over players’ fitness.
It’s great to see that the BCCI wants to improve the communication between selectors and CoE, what do you say?
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