VVS Laxman Set to Coach India In South Africa T20 Series

Indian cricket fans, brace yourselves! VVS Laxman, the legendary batsman, is set to don the coach’s hat for the upcoming T20 series against South Africa. This exciting development comes as the national team embarks on a short white-ball tour amidst the ongoing domestic season.

With the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia looming on the horizon, head coach Gautam Gambhir will be leading the Test squad Down Under. This leaves the responsibility of guiding the T20 team in South Africa to the ever-reliable VVS Laxman.

The series, a late addition to the international calendar, will see India play four T20 Internationals against the Proteas, starting on November 8th. The young and dynamic Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Indian side, providing a platform for exciting talents to showcase their skills ahead of the upcoming IPL auction.

Laxman’s appointment as stand-in coach comes as no surprise. He has a proven track record of success, having previously served as a coach for the Indian team on multiple occasions. He’ll be joined by a familiar crew from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru – Sairaj Bahutule, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh. This trio recently guided India’s Emerging team to victory in the Asia Emerging Cup tournament, showcasing their coaching prowess.

The T20I series will offer a chance for India to experiment and build a strong T20 unit. The squad boasts a mix of experience and youth, with established names like Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel alongside exciting prospects like Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma. With the T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, this series holds significant importance in identifying and nurturing future stars.

However, the inclusion of this additional series has raised some questions. Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar expressed concerns about its timing, considering the ongoing domestic season. Balancing international commitments with domestic tournaments is always a challenge, and it will be interesting to see how the BCCI manages this.

 

T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal.

 

Nevertheless, the T20 tour of South Africa promises to be an entertaining affair. Laxman’s leadership, coupled with the team’s youthful exuberance, has the potential to produce a thrilling series. Indian cricket fans will be eagerly watching the team’s performance and hoping for a successful campaign under Laxman’s guidance.