Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla has been named the batting coach for the Rest of India squad ahead of their Irani Cup fixture against Jammu and Kashmir. The five-day fixture is scheduled to be played in Srinagar from October 1 to October 5. This assignment marks the first official coaching role with the Indian cricket board for the 46-year-old former Bengal captain, who has extensive experience in domestic red-ball cricket.
Support Staff Structure for the Srinagar Clash
The coaching staff for the Rest of India squad features several established domestic figures. Debashish Mohanty has been assigned the role of bowling coach, while Milap Mewada will supervise the squad as fielding coach. Shukla has served as the head coach of Bengal across recent domestic seasons. In the previous Ranji Trophy campaign, the Shukla-led Bengal side suffered a defeat against Jammu and Kashmir in the semi-finals, adding extra context to the upcoming fixture in Srinagar.
Early Promise and Rise Through Youth Cricket
Shukla made his first-class debut during the 1997-98 Ranji Trophy season against Maharashtra. His rapid emergence in the domestic circuit soon earned him national attention, securing a place in the Indian Under-19 squad for the 1998 Youth World Cup hosted in South Africa. In early 2000, he was selected as a trainee at the National Cricket Academy, though recurring injury issues forced his departure from the setup during that period.
International Appearances and Domestic Franchise Career
At the senior international level, Shukla represented India in three one-day internationals in 1999. His international debut arrived against Sri Lanka in the Pepsi Cup, where he bowled four overs and conceded 32 runs. He recorded a more solid outing in his subsequent appearance against the West Indies at the Coca-Cola Singapore Challenge, but selectors overlooked him thereafter, abruptly halting his international career. During that phase, certain sections of the media frequently discussed him as the next Kapil Dev, though his career trajectory never approached that stature. Widely regarded as a close confidant of Sourav Ganguly, Shukla also featured extensively in the IPL, winning the tournament with Kolkata Knight Riders and concluding his stint as an active player with Delhi Capitals.
