The BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, under the stewardship of VVS Laxman, is spearheading a comprehensive revamp of the red-ball talent pipeline.
The initiative focuses sharply on players aged under 25, blending U-19, U-23, and U-25 prospects to build long-format depth and combat transition issues that have plagued the senior side following overseas and home defeats.
India's Intra CoE Matches Squad Selection
Post the IPL 2026, the CoE will host a high-stakes intra-CoE tournament featuring four teams and 64 U-25 cricketers in four-day red-ball matches scheduled for June-July.
The squad will draw 25 players under 23 from standout performers in the Cooch Behar Trophy (U-19) and CK Nayudu Trophy (U-22), which will be selected by the Junior Selection Committee.
Another 25 players
will be picked from outstanding performances in Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, excluding IPL players.
The remaining 14 players would be joining with IPL experiences behind them, and the top youngsters in IPL 2026 are set to be included in that list.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre in Reckoning
Headliners include teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, the former U-19 World Cup captain who has already made waves in the Ranji Trophy and IPL. Performances here will feed directly into India A and Emerging India selections, creating a structured filtration system for future Test prospects.
Apart from that, youngsters such as Sameer Rizvi, Priyansh Arya, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Abishek Porel, and others are expected to be part of that squad as well.
Complementing this domestic push, India's U-19 and U-25 sides are set to embark on red-ball tours to Sri Lanka, providing vital overseas exposure in conditions that mirror challenges faced in Tests.
VVS Laxman to Spearhead the Vision
Laxman, who has helmed the CoE (formerly the National Cricket Academy) since its state-of-the-art upgrade in Bengaluru, is prioritisng Red Ball renaissance for the upcoming years. And on that note, he is highly focused on creating the able players for the international challenges. The former India stalwart has also enlisted legends like Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh for specialised red-ball camps targeting pacers and spinners.
This Gen-Z-focused blueprint signals BCCI's renewed seriousness about red-ball cricket after a period of soul-searching. The intra CoE tournament will see the 64-member pool divided in four groups, with each team playing 2 matches in varied pitch conditions.
