Former Indian batter and BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) head VVS Laxman revealed that he was offered the role of Team India head coach back in 2023, but could not take it up for personal reasons and decided to continue as the head of the CoE and contribute to its development as it got a new facility of its own in Bengaluru. Amid concerns over the recent spate of injuries, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia met Laxman on Sunday to review the rehabilitation and injury-management programme at the facility. Saikia also attended the press conference along with Laxman, BCCI president Mithun Manhas and other senior officials. Speaking during the presser, he said, "The reason why I extended (as the head of CoE): In 2023, I was supposed to become the head coach. Because of personal reasons, I was not able to take that up. I went and spoke to Jay (Shah) twice. He understood my reasons. Because of what Jay and the BCCI have given me, the freedom to execute my vision, it continues with Devajit ...
The SAFF Championship clash between India and Kuwait in Bengaluru witnessed several ugly brawls with on Tuesday. India coach Igor Stimac was sent off following argument with the match officials and Kuwait players. That was not all as two players, one each from India and Kuwait, were also sent off due to ugly fouls. This was the second time in the 2023 edition of the SAFF Championship that Stimac was sent off from the ground. Earlier, he was shown a red card during a match against Pakistan. Tuesday's match against Kuwait ended in a 1-1 draw. Both teams are in the semi-finals but India finished second in the points table.
Stimar first received a yellow card for disrupting play. Then he was sent off for having a go at the match officials. Stimac engaged in an animated argument with match officials and was eventually flashed a red card in the 81st minute.
@stimac_igor pic.twitter.com/9XsezuKehW
— GKFC Ultra (@gkfcultra) June 27, 2023
But the harsh moments did not end there as India's Rahim Ali and Kuwait's Al Qallaf were sent off. The melee ensued after Qallaf pushed down India's Sahal Abdul Samad in the 84th minute and Rahim, in turn, pushed the Kuwait player to the ground. After that there was not enough time for either side to force a result.
@ttovino pic.twitter.com/outwXCLYmx
— GKFC Ultra (@gkfcultra) June 27, 2023
Sunil Chhetri worked his magic but India had to split points with Kuwait after an acrimonious 1-1 draw in their last group match in the SAFF Championship on Tuesday. Chhetri had put India on the road to victory with an injury-time strike in the first half but an own goal by Anwar Ali in the added time of the second half spoiled the home side's march. This was also the first goal India conceded in nine matches.
The result meant that India and Kuwait ended up on seven points but the latter topped Group A on better goal average.
India will play Lebanon in the semifinal while Kuwait will take on either Bangladesh or Maldives.
Already qualified for the semifinal, both India and Kuwait pressed forward from the whistle, giving some entertaining moments.
With PTI inputs
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/yAqj74N
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