‘Factually incorrect and baseless,’ BCCI secretary denies Test-coach appointment speculations:Media reports claimed board approached VVS Laxman for white-ball guidance

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia has straight denied rumours of VVS Laxman joining Indian men’s team as Test coach. He called out the speculation as ‘factually incorrect and baseless’, further adding that the board has not taken any steps to replace Gautam Gambhir in the longest format of the game. It is worth noting that there were media reports prevailing that VVS Laxman was approached to become India’s next Test coach. As per media reports, the move was made when India suffered a 0-2 whitewash against South Africa at home during the Test series. It was Men in Blue’s second whitewash after New Zealand clean-swept the hosts 0-3 last year, for the first time in the last 12 years. As a result, a rumour started, but the BCCI secretary denied it straight away. ‘Factually incorrect and baseless’: BCCI secretary on new Test coach rumours While speaking to ANI, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said: This is totally incorrect news going on. This is totally speculative news. Some very reputed news agencies are also flashing the news. There is no truth to it. BCCI straight away denies. People can think all they want, but BCCI has not taken any steps. This is somebody’s figment of imagination; there is no truth in it, and I cannot say anything except that this is factually incorrect and baseless news. Notably, both New Zealand and South Africa whitewashes have affected the chances of India playing the World Test Championship. They have slipped down to the sixth spot, and only the top two can only compete for the WTC mace at the end of the two-year cycle. No doubt, Men in Blue have won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup in Gambhir’s stint. However, there are reasons why these rumours are surfacing, which include poor white-ball performance. India’s slump in white-ball cricket Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India has won just seven Tests and lost 10, drawing the other two. As far as the series record is concerned, India started well with a 2-0 series win against Bangladesh at home, but back-to-back setbacks against New Zealand and Australia (1-3 Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss away from home) led to legends Rohit, Virat, and Ravichandran Ashwin’s Test retirement. The 2-2 draw against England away from home under the leadership of a young Shubman Gill, followed by a 2-0 series win at home against West Indies, provided hope. But Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma, spinner Simon Harmer and pace all-rounder Marco Jansen chipped in to first deny India a chase of merely 124 runs at Kolkata and then inflict on them their biggest-ever Test loss by 408 runs. Now, the next big task for Men in Blue is to defend the T20 World Cup trophy at home, but the Test performance of Indian side is still concerning, needing some rectifications.