BCCI's pay gap turns heads as VVS Laxman earns just 4.16 per cent of Rahul Dravid's annual salary for Zimbabwe tour

legendary Indian batsman and the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) VVS Laxman is currently coaching the Indian team for their T20I series against Zimbabwe. This comes after Rahul Dravid's successful tenure as head coach ended with India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2024.

The BCCI has not yet named Dravid's replacement. To bridge the gap, they requested Laxman to guide the young Indian team on the Zimbabwe tour. Laxman's experience is valuable for this group, and the BCCI is reportedly offering him a significant compensation for his role.

Rahul Dravid's tenure as head coach was initially planned to end after the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, the BCCI extended his contract to see him through the 2024 T20 World Cup, which India went on to win under his leadership. Despite this success, Dravid opted not to reapply for the position and decided to step down, likely to spend more time with his family.

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This created a temporary vacancy for the Zimbabwe tour. VVS Laxman, head of the National Cricket Academy, was called upon to fill this gap. He's leading the young Indian team in the five-match T20I series along with his support staff from the NCA. Reports suggest the BCCI is close to appointing Gautam Gambhir, a former Indian batsman who played a key role in India's 2011 World Cup victory, as the new head coach. This means Laxman's coaching stint will be limited to these five T20Is, while Gambhir is expected to receive a significant salary upon taking over the reins from Dravid.

Laxman's salary for Zimbabwe tour leaves everyone shocked

Rahul Dravid, the former head coach of the Indian cricket team, was reportedly receiving a salary of INR 12 crore annually from the BCCI. In contrast, VVS Laxman, who is currently coaching the Indian team for their tour of Zimbabwe, is being paid significantly less. Laxman's salary for the Zimbabwe tour is reported to be INR 50 lakh. This is just a small fraction, around 4.16%, of Dravid's annual earnings. Notably, National Cricket Academy (NCA) will also receive compensation during the tour. Reports suggest they will be paid INR 10 lakh per match.  The tour itself began on July 6th with the first T20I match in Harare.

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VVS Laxman has filled in as coach on several occasions while Rahul Dravid held the permanent head coach position. Even though many expected Laxman to take over the role permanently, he declined. Apparently, the key reason for his refusal was the significant amount of time the head coach position demands.  Being the head coach for India typically requires spending at least 10 months away from home each year, which Laxman wasn't comfortable with.

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