BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has confirmed that VVS Laxman, the head of the Centre of Excellence (CoE), will now regularly attend all senior selection committee meetings.
This decision was finalized during a high-level review meeting in Mumbai, aiming to prevent miscommunication between the selection panel, team management, and the Bengaluru-based CoE facility.
Previously, a lack of seamless coordination regarding injury management timelines -- notably between the CoE and the senior selection committee under its former setup -- had led to complications surrounding player availability.
“VVS was in the meeting to ensure there is no miscommunication between the selectors and the CoE,” Saikia quoted as saying by TOI.
“He is the head of cricket at the BCCI. He has all the information about the players’ injuries, so to avoid any miscommunication, Laxman should attend the selection meetings going forward. It was decided after the review meeting in Mumbai,” he further added.
Saikia clarified that the structural update is not an issue of transparency but rather about operational efficiency. The primary goal is to ensure that the panel relies on up-to-date and complete medical data before finalising national squads.
“It is not about transparency. It is about ensuring that the selectors get complete and accurate information so that they can make the right decisions,” he stated.
Laxman officially began this routine by joining the selection panel during the meetings held in Guwahati on Tuesday (October 6) to pick the Indian T20I squad and India A squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour.
Following the third ODI against the West Indies in Mullanpur last week, India skipper Shubman Gill expressed his frustration over the team's inability to field its preferred bowling lineup.
Despite the hosts securing the three-match series 2-1, the visitors pulled off their highest-ever successful ODI chase in the final game, overhauling India's total of 351/7.
Gill attributed the player absences to a combination of scheduling clashes and ongoing injuries. Key bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh were unavailable due to their participation in the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, while Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna sat out due to fitness and injury concerns.
“I would say it’s been unfortunate, you know, with the injuries and with the scheduling, with the other matches being around. It’s been a little bit unfortunate that we have not been able to play the bowling lineup that we would like to,” Gill had told reporters.
(With TOI Inputs)
