VVS Laxman is likely to coach the Indian team on a short Ireland tour. Laxman will temporarily cover the head coach position as Rahul Dravid will abet India for the England saga. Dravid will coach the team for rescheduled fifth test and a couple of white-ball series.
Dravid will be with India’s Test squad in England which will play a four-day game in Leicester from June 24-27, before they move to Birmingham where the test will be played from July 1 to July 5. He will join the team after India’s five-match T20I series against South Africa.
The home series will be played between June 9 to June 19, in Delhi, Cuttak, Vizag, Rajkot, and Bengaluru. Regulars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Mohammad Shami, Ravi Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja could be rested for the series.
Laxman is currently the director at the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru, and has been in the position since Dravid went on to be the coach for the national side, last year. Laxman has coaching experience with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Laxman was also a batting consultant for Bengal’s domestic team. Also, he was part of the support staff group with the World Cup-winning India Under-19 team in the Caribbean, earlier this year.
Selectors likely to pick 2 different squads
Chetan Sharma led selection committee is likely to pick two squads on May 22; one for a T20I home series against South Africa (SA) and the other for the England tour. As there’s barely a time of a week between the SA series and the Ireland tour, it is yet to be seen if selectors choose the same squad for the T20I series.
It isn’t a new occurrence for India as they had to do the same when one Indian team with Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri went to England for the World Test Championship final followed by a test series, against England, in July last year. While, another team toured Sri Lanka for limited-overs series, with Shikhar Dhawan as a skipper and Dravid as a stand in coach then.
India’s Test proficients may depart for England on June 15. The team will play the Birmingham test which was abandoned due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp then. India is leading the series 2-1 and will be keen to clinch the Pataudi Trophy since 2007.
Written By Prachi Pisal
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