Gautam Gambhir is expected to take the reigns as India’s new head coach in late July, when India begins their white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. Gambhir is currently the front-runner for the job, edging out former India women’s coach, WV Raman. In the meantime, National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman will lead the young team in the 5-match India vs Zimbabwe T20I series, the squad for which will be announced on June 22 or 23.
Laxman to hold fort until Gambhir joins
With Rahul Dravid’s tenure coming to an end after the T20 World Cup, VVS Laxman and support staff at the NCA may accompany the Indian team. Gambhir’s appointment as India’s head coach is a ‘mere’ formality, and he’ll get ample time to select his own support staff. We have already heard murmurs that Gambhir wants Jonty Rhodes as his fielding coach, but he’s yet to finalize the other coaching staff. Gambhir will start in his new role on July, when the India tour of Sri Lanka begins.
“There is a possibility that Laxman (VVS) along with some of the NCA coaches will travel with the new look squad to Zimbabwe. Laxman and the NCA team has always filled up whenever Rahul Dravid and the first team coaches have been taking periodic breaks during their stint,” a BCCI source told PTI.
Indian Cricket
Hardik or Surya to lead side in Zimbabwe
It’s yet to be finalized who’ll be the India cricket team’s skipper. One of Hardik Pandya or Suryakumar Yadav is expected to lead the young team, which has many IPL 2024 performers like Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Harshit Ranan, Yash Dayal, Mayank Yadav, Riyan Parag, and Prabhsimran.
Predicted India squad for Zimbabwe series
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, Yash Dayal, Khaleel Ahmed, Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Riyan Parag, Rajat Patidar, Prabhsimran Singh (wk).
