VVS Laxman to serve as head coach for India tour of South Africa - Reports
Former India batter VVS Laxman will serve as the head coach for the upcoming India tour of South Africa in November, reported Cricbuzz. Laxman would fill the role of Gautam Gambhir, India’s full-time head coach, who will travel to Australia with the Test team for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Laxman has served as the head coach for the Men in Blue on numerous occasions during former coach Rahul Dravid’s tenure. He previously filled the role during India's tour of Zimbabwe, where the Shubman Gill-led side won the series 4-1.
Laxman’s assistants at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru – Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Sairaj Bahutule, and Subhadeep Ghosh – will be part of the coaching staff. The trio was recently part of the coaching staff for India at the 2024 Asia Emerging Cup tournament held in Oman.
It’s worth noting that Sitansu Kotak and Mazher Moidu have accompanied Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India A for Australia tour.
“There’s a needless four-match T20 series in South Africa” – Sunil Gavaskar slams BCCI for scheduling T20Is amid Ranji Trophy
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the BCCI for scheduling the four-match T20I series in South Africa amid the Ranji Trophy. He wrote in his column for SportStar:
"Next month, there's a needless four-match T20 series in South Africa before the tour to Australia. There will also be an 'A' team touring Australia next month, so effectively about 50 to 60 players will not be available for their State teams in the premier national tournament, the Ranji Trophy.”
The 2024-25 Ranji Trophy began in October and will last till March 2.
Squad and schedule for India tour of South Africa
November 8: 1st T20I at Kingsmead in Durban
November 10: 2nd T20I at St George’s Park in Gqeberha
November 13: 3rd T20I at Supersport Park in Centurion
November 15: 4th T20I at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg
India squad for T20I series vs SA: 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.