Gautam Gambhir’s head coach appointment has been delayed, and VVS Laxman, NCA head, is set to be India’s head coach for the Zimbabwe tour, according to a report by news agency PTI.
Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who interviewed with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the head coach position, will reportedly not accompany the national side on their Zimbabwe tour if appointed. Gambhir is expected to succeed Rahul Dravid after the ICC T20 World Cup, which Dravid has confirmed will be his last assignment as head coach.
India is slated to visit Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series in July, where they are likely to rest senior players. As per the latest reports, Gambhir will not travel with the team for this tour. Instead, National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief VVS Laxman and his support staff will join the Indian squad for the T20I series next month, according to a report by news agency PTI.
“There is a possibility that Laxman 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 taken periodic breaks during their stint,” a BCCI source told PTI.
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The BCCI is set to announce India’s squad for the T20Is soon, with the selectors focusing on top performers from the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). The side is expected to be led by either Suryakumar Yadav or Hardik Pandya for the Zimbabwe series.
Meanwhile, Gambhir is reportedly set to be appointed as the new head coach, edging out former women’s team head coach WV Raman. He is expected to begin his coaching tenure with the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka next month, consisting of three T20Is and three One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Last Updated on June 21, 2024
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