NEW DELHI: With the Indian cricket board (BCCI) planning to review the U-19 team’s performance in the recent U-19 Asia Cup, the focus is likely to fall on the Centre of Excellence’s (CoE) overall role in player development.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!TOI understands that concerns have been raised about the process of grooming players over the last four years. It is learnt that the board may have to work on getting the Indian team management, selectors and the CoE back in sync.
Sources said there seems to be a lack of clarity on the roles of the CoE coaching staff and the selectors. VVS Laxman has recently got a two-year extension as the head of cricket at the CoE and may have to rework his involvement in the process of coaching.“There is some confusion about role definition. Laxman is firmly in charge of making decisions about U-19 teams. He even has a major say in appointing captains. When Rahul Dravid was head of cricket, he was actively involved in the selection of India ‘A’ players because he was the one who was devising programmes for each player. At the moment, Laxman doesn’t have much say in the India ‘A’ process,” a BCCI source said.
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Besides the big loss to Pakistan in the U-19 Asia Cup, the India ‘A’ team failed to make the final of the Rising Stars Asia Cup last month. The major concern of team management is that the players who are coming through the ranks are not close to finished products ready for the international level. Very few players successfully graduate to senior cricket from the age-group level.With the CoE beginning operations this year, Laxman, it is understood, is currently consumed by administrative work. The coaching staff at the CoE is going through a major overhaul. Fast bowling coach Troy Cooley’s role has also been under the scanner, with very few pacers showing much improvement in skills. The board is set to relieve him of his duties on the premise that he is turning 60.Incidentally, Laxman, unlike Dravid, doesn’t travel much with the developmental teams. “Most of Laxman’s overseas assignments have been with second string Indian teams when the main team is away on Test assignments. It needs to be seen if he can travel more with the developmental teams,” the source said.Recently, Jitesh Sharma was sent for the Rising Stars Asia Cup as captain on the insistence of the senior selection committee. However, Jitesh had a major say in playing combinations and strategies in the tournament, which is not a norm with developmental sides. These calls are taken by the coaching staff in consultation with the selectors.
