Former India cricketer VVS Laxman is all set to return to the Indian Premier League (IPL), with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) having expressed interest in bringing the India great on board as part of its coaching team. Laxman currently heads the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and is unlikely to extend his contract with the BCCI.

LSG's current coaching staff includes former Australia cricketer Justin Langer as the head coach, South Africa great Lance Klusner as assistant coach, Morne Morkel oversees the bowling department. At the same time, the legendary Jonty Rhodes is the fielding coach.

According to a report in the Times of India, LSG have approached Laxman and has had an informal chat, expressing their plans for the coaching team for the upcoming 2025 season of the IPL.

Laxman's only other experience working with a cricket team was during his tenure as a mentor of the Sunrisers Hyderabad between 2013 and 2021.

The report further said that Laxman is not keen on extending his contract with the BCCI as the head of NCA, having shifted base to Hyderabad. The contract is slated to end in September, and the former India batter has already been approached by several IPL franchises.

BCCI had earlier approached him to replace Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian team, with Laxman reportedly being their first preference, but he declined the offer owing to his reluctance to travel so much with the team.

As far as the NCA is concerned, the report added that former India batting coach Vikram Rathour is likely to take over the reins from Laxman. Rathour has long been associated with the BCCI, having first served as a national selector of North Zone following his appointment in 2012, before joining the Indian team as a batting coach between 2019 and June 2024.

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