New Delhi: Former India batter VVS Laxman is set to be appointed as the BCCI’s first Director of Cricket, a newly created position that will place him at the top of India’s cricket operations and strengthen the board’s long term player development structure.
Laxman, who currently heads the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), is also expected to receive a two year contract extension. While he will continue overseeing rehabilitation programmes, junior cricket and talent pathways for both men’s and women’s teams, his expanded responsibilities will now include greater oversight of coaching structures, staff appointments and the overall cricketing ecosystem.
The new designation is designed to create a unified system connecting every level of Indian cricket, from youth development and domestic pathways to the senior national teams. It marks a significant organisational shift, with Laxman becoming the key figure responsible for ensuring consistency in talent identification, player progression and high performance planning.
The appointment effectively places Laxman above Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar in the administrative hierarchy. However, sources indicate that the change does not affect their immediate positions.
Agarkar’s tenure as chairman of the national selection committee is due to end in September, while Gambhir has faced scrutiny following India’s struggles in the World Test Championship. The upcoming two Test series against Sri Lanka is expected to be an important phase for the coaching staff in red ball cricket.
Despite speculation, both Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar are expected to continue in their current roles until the 2027 ODI World Cup. Laxman’s appointment is viewed as a structural reform rather than a replacement of existing leadership, giving the BCCI a single senior authority to oversee the complete cricketing pathway from grassroots to the international stage.
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