The Bengal head coach takes on his first BCCI assignment as Rest of India prepare to face Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar from October 1 to 5.
Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla has been appointed the batting coach of the Rest of India side that will take on Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup. The five-day fixture is scheduled at Srinagar from October 1 to 5, and the appointment marks Shukla's first assignment under the BCCI.
The 45-year-old is a well-regarded figure in Indian domestic cricket. As a player, he represented India in three ODIs in 1999 and captained Bengal across a productive first-class career. He was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad that won the IPL championship and, in his final IPL season, featured for the Delhi Capitals.
Since retiring from playing, Shukla has served as Bengal's head coach for several seasons, guiding the side through multiple Ranji Trophy campaigns and building a reputation as a thoughtful leader of the game's longer format.
His familiarity with the demands of red-ball cricket at the domestic level makes him a considered choice for the batting coaching role in a fixture of this stature. The Irani Cup is one of Indian domestic cricket's most prestigious contests, traditionally bringing together the Ranji Trophy champions and a Rest of India side assembled by the BCCI.
What is the significance of Shukla's appointment for Rest of India?
Shukla steps into a national-level support role for the first time, which represents a meaningful progression in his coaching career. His record guiding Bengal through multiple Ranji Trophy campaigns gives him direct experience of the demands placed on batters in red-ball cricket at the highest domestic level.
There is also a pointed backdrop to his involvement. Bengal's most recent Ranji Trophy campaign ended in the semifinals, where they were beaten by Jammu and Kashmir, the side that subsequently won the title and earned the right to host this Irani Cup. Shukla will now work with the Rest of India batters as they prepare to take on that same Jammu and Kashmir unit in Srinagar, giving the assignment a personal dimension beyond its cricketing significance.
Jammu and Kashmir's title win last season earns them the hosting rights, and the Srinagar venue adds further weight to what is already a prestigious domestic fixture. For Shukla, the opportunity to prepare a batting unit against the very side that eliminated his Bengal team in the semifinals will sharpen the focus he brings to the role.
Who completes the Rest of India support staff for the Irani Cup?
Two other appointments complete the coaching setup for the Rest of India side. Debasish Mohanty, a former India fast bowler with substantial domestic coaching experience, has been confirmed as the bowling coach for the Srinagar fixture. Mohanty's background in pace bowling at the international level gives the support staff a strong technical grounding across disciplines.
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Milap Mewada will serve as the fielding coach, rounding out the three-member support staff. Together, Shukla, Mohanty and Mewada form the technical team responsible for preparing the Rest of India players across all three disciplines ahead of the five-day contest beginning October 1.