NCA chief VVS Laxman likely to coach India during Ireland tour for the T20I series: In all its likelihood, National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief VVS Laxman will coach team India for the two T20Is against Ireland next month as the shortest format tour coincides with India’s test preparations against England.
While the senior Indian contingent will be gearing up to face England in the fifth rescheduled test match at Edgbaston, a second-string Indian side will take on Ireland in a two matches T20I series, starting June 26.
The one-off test match between England and India is slated to begin on July 1, but before that the touring party will take part in a four-day practice test against Leicester from June 24-27.
Understandably, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid will be with the senior men, guiding them in the one-off Test against England.
“In all likelihood, Laxman will be with the T20 squad in Ireland as Dravid will be busy in England with the Test team,” a BCCI source told PTI.
Notably, team India dealt with a similar situation earlier during Ravi Shastri’s stint as India’s head coach and the responsibility of the NCA was on Rahul Dravid’s shoulders.
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Last year, the men in blue were slated to tour Sri Lanka while the senior men were in the UK for the five matches test series. Dravid, the then NCA chief, travelled with the second string Indian squad to the island nation for a limited-overs series while Ravi Shastri kept providing his services to the senior players in England.
The reports have suggested that two different teams would be picked for the tour of Ireland and England. India will play two T20Is against Ireland, while 1 test followed by three T20Is and as many ODIs will be played against England.
The full-strength Indian squad is expected to travel to England, while fresh faces will receive their maiden call-up for the tour of Ireland.
The Indian selectors are foreseen to roll out India’s T20I squad on May 22, the final day of IPL 2022’s league stage contest. Senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Mohammad Shami are probable to get a breather.
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