Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 9 (ANI): Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) head VVS Laxman on Sunday lauded legendary Indian batter Virat Kohli as an exemplary professional and role model.
He stressed that Kohli consistently sets very high standards for himself and strives to meet them every time he plays, inspiring young cricketers and teammates to emulate him.
“I think there is no doubt that Virat is an exemplary professional. And the standards he sets for himself are something which he tries and goes out every time he plays (for) whichever team to meet those standards,” Laxman told the reporters at a press conference in Bengaluru on Sunday.
“And that’s why he is a great role model. And I think a lot of youngsters or players want to emulate him,” he added.
Laxman also defended the BCCI Centre of Excellence amid scrutiny over India’s growing injury list. He stressed that injuries are an inevitable part of a cricketer’s career and said the priority should be careful monitoring and management of players, rather than blaming the CoE or looking for scapegoats.
Several key players are currently dealing with injuries, with Jasprit Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar among those facing fitness concerns.
“CoE is not merely a rehab centre. There are bigger roles to play for it in helping cricketers achieve excellence,” Laxman said.
Laxman also spoke about the vacant position of Head of Sports Science and Medicine (SSM) at the CoE, saying the BCCI has faced difficulties in finding a suitable candidate for the role.
He said the position requires not only stature and experience but also an understanding of Indian cricketers and their requirements.
“After Nitin (Patel) left, we couldn’t fill his shoes. Everything was agreed upon; Andrew (Leipus) backed off citing family reasons,” Laxman said. (ANI)
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