‘CoE can’t be just for contract players’: VVS Laxman on building India’s cricket pipeline

Bengaluru: India batsman VVS Laxman has given up a lucrative IPL contract and a thriving commentary career in December 2021. What started in a modest facility inside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has since evolved into a much bigger undertaking, with Laxman now heading the BCCI facility at a center of excellence on the outskirts of the city.The Hyderabadi, whose playing career has been defined by wristlet elegance and remarkable durability, is set to complete his tenure later this year.In an exclusive interview with TOI, Laxman reflects on his journey to the CoE, the changing landscape of Indian cricket and the ways in which the game can change, evolve and transform.Excerpts

How was the journey from the compact facility at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to the sprawling centre?

It was a very fulfilling journey. When I started in late December 2021, we worked with a relatively small facility, and today we have a much larger and more comprehensive center of excellence. The then BCCI secretary and current ICC chairman Jay Shah deserves huge credit for having the vision to invest in this facility and create an ecosystem of this magnitude. I am also grateful to the management for giving me the freedom and confidence to develop and realize the vision we had for the Council of Europe.

What do you think has been the biggest change?

For me, the biggest change is not just the infrastructure, but the ecosystem we’ve built around it, which brings together coaching, sports science, technology and education.

While contract players benefit from this facility, how do you work with domestic players who have better access to technology, quality coaching and support staff?

This is extremely important for the BCCI. CoE can’t be just for contract players. If we want to strengthen Indian cricket, we have to strengthen the way below the international level as well. That’s why we strive to give home and track players better access to quality coaching, sports science, performance analysis and technology. The goal is to identify potential early and provide players with the right environment for development. Ultimately, the CoE should contribute to the entire Indian cricket ecosystem, not just one particular group of players.

Active players have now taken a keen interest in coaching and are undergoing coaching courses. What do you attribute this trend to?

This is a very encouraging trend. Players who have played at first-class or international level have vast knowledge and experience, and many of them naturally want to give something back to the game. But playing and coaching are two different skill sets. That is why the training of coaches is important. We help them understand communication, planning, leadership and most importantly how to transfer their experience to another player. More players now realize that their impact on the game can continue beyond their playing career.

Are there any sessions for them to mentally transform themselves from players to coaches?

It’s not one session; it is an ongoing mentoring process. The transition from player to coach doesn’t happen overnight. It’s really a mindset shift. As a player, your primary responsibility is your own performance. As a coach, your responsibility is to make other people better. Through our coaching courses, we expose former and current players to communication, leadership, planning, managing different personalities and understanding individual players. The biggest learning is that coaching is not about showing people how much you know, it’s about helping the player see how much they can achieve.

Can you give the numbers of high performance camps CoE runs across the country per year?

The scope of our high performance work has grown significantly. We host cross-track programs throughout the year for men and women from the U-16, U-19 and U-23 age groups as well as targeted specialist skills camps, including fast and spin bowler camps. We now directly support over 150 players a year and the impact is clear in the results we see: improved skill levels, greater readiness for international cricket and more players progressing successfully through the pathway to higher levels. Our aim is to create a continuous journey from age group cricket to international level.

Setting up the women’s coaching system – what was the process like?

It has been a very exciting process as women’s cricket has grown tremendously in India. The supporting ecosystem must grow at the same rate. We are working on a more structured system around women’s cricket. We also invest in the development of coaches and support staff. The important thing is that we do not want to copy the system of men. Women’s cricket has its own requirements and we need to develop expertise around those specific needs.

VVS Laxman with women cricketers

How much have you enjoyed watching the youngsters blossom from the CoE, particularly the U-19 players who you spend a significant amount of time with?

This is one of the most rewarding parts of my role. When you see a young player come into the CoE with potential and then watch him develop not only as a cricketer but also as a person, it gives you immense satisfaction. With U-19 players, you are dealing with an important stage of their development. Not only are you preparing them for the next tournament; you are trying to give them the habits, discipline, resilience and awareness for a long career. When you subsequently see them progress to India A or senior cricket, it is incredibly satisfying.

VVS Laxman with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

For someone who’s in a mentoring role because you’ve traveled so much with the Under-19s and A-teams, what’s one thing you tell them?

So with the under-19s or the A-teams, it’s about getting better as a player every day in all aspects of their game. So it’s not just about the skills, but the mental aspect, the physical aspect and how they can improve because at the end of the day, any sport you play, any match you play, if you don’t have that competitive spirit, then you’re not a sports person.So you go there to perform, you go there to win the game and win the series, but at the same time, whether it’s with the Under-19s or the India players, it’s also about objectively measuring how you go after each game.It’s satisfying when you see that progress in a player because his whole endeavor is: Can they reach a stage where they can win matches for the senior Indian team in any international and also perform at the highest level?

Much was concentrated on the camps in the northeast; can you elaborate

The home circuit and structure is so robust and there are so many matches across different age groups. There is a strong focus on developing talent in the North East.So we have camps that are dedicated to North East players, men and women from U-19 to senior age groups. It’s great to see that each year the quality of these players has definitely improved and the only way it’s going to get better is if they get more exposure.

How do they get more exposure?

By playing against good teams. You only test yourself and gain confidence when you play against good teams and do well; so they get exposure.

How has the introduction of the U-15 category for women helped in identifying female players?

We started it three years ago. It allows us to strengthen the bench and see the development of players. We have first batch players who have played for India. G Kamalini was in the first batch of the U-15 tournament and played for India. So it is great to see not only boys but also girls benefiting from the various tournaments and camps that we organize under the auspices of the BCCI.

When you switch roles from admin to mentor coach, does it help you to see these players up close as an admin?

Coaching and mentoring comes naturally because as an Indian player my interactions with youngsters have always been very seamless and holistic. You share your experience, help them develop and develop as cricketers and maximize their potential.The administrative part is obviously a different experience and fortunately again the structures in the BCCI system have ensured that. The best part of this role is seeing so many players come in, perform, get drafted, attend camps and repeat the process the next year.So it is great to see some of the players who participated in the U-19 camps in 2022 playing for India in 2025-26.

Looking back on your nearly five-year journey at NCA/CoE, what gives you the most satisfaction?

The most satisfying thing was seeing the ecosystem come together. It’s not about one device or one individual. These are coaches, SSM professionals, performance analysts, pitch staff, administrators and players all working towards the same goal. I’m especially proud that CoE has evolved into a place where players don’t only come when they’re injured. They come to develop their skills, improve physically, learn and become better cricketers.The most fulfilling part of this journey as Head of CoE Cricket has been seeing the transformation of the players and we hope that they have now achieved their dream and will continue to bring laurels to the country.Ultimately, the real success will be when these systems continue to benefit Indian cricket for many years to come.