VVS Laxman to be head coach for Gaikwad-led Asian Games squad as likely support staff for men’s, women’s teams revealed
Indian men’s cricket team will be in the midst of their last-gasp preparation for the ODI World Cup, having just completed their home game against five-time champions Australia, before they assemble in Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium for their ODI World Cup opener, when the Asian Games event will kick off in China. With regular head coach Rahul Dravid being with the Rohit Sharma-led side in Chennai for the World Cup preparation, BCCI is likely to send batting legend and National Cricket Academy chief VVS Laxman for head coach duties for the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Team India to Hangzhou, China.
VVS Laxman to take over head coach duties for Asian Games
After the sport was snubbed in the 2018 edition of Asiad, cricket is back at the Asian Games for the third time in history and India will be sending their men’s team for the first time ever.
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Cricket at Asian Games 2022 will begin from September 19 onwards with the women’s team in action. By virtue of their ICC ranking in the format, India will begin from the quarterfinal phase itself with the final on 26th. The men’s event will begin from September 28, with the final on October 7, a day before Rohit and Co. kick off their World Cup campaign against Australia. 15 teams will be participating in the men’s category and nine in women’s with each side seeded based on their ICC ranking as of June 1, 2023.
According to a report in Times of India, Laxman, who is presently overseeing the matters at a high-performance camp of India’s emerging players in Bengaluru, will accompany the men’s Asian Games squad to China as their head coach. His support staff will include former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule as bowling coach and Munish Bali as fielding coach.
Support staff for women’s team revealed
Former India all-rounder Hrishikesh Kanitkar will play the role of an interim head coach of the India’s women’s team. His support staff will include Rajib Dutta (bowling coach) and Subhadeep Ghosh (fielding coach).
