New Head Coach Takes Charge of Team India For Ireland T20Is in Absence of Dravid, Laxman: Report

Mumbai: The Indian cricket team is gearing up for an exciting T20I series in Ireland, with an important twist in the coaching staff. Head coach Rahul Dravid is taking a well-deserved break, and VVS Laxman, who usually fills in, won’t be joining the team either. Instead, the young Indian squad will be guided by Sitanshu Kotak, the current head coach of India A at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

Reports suggest that Laxman was initially set to lead the team in Ireland, but he’s committed to overseeing a high-performance training camp near Bengaluru. The camp, spanning three weeks, clashes with the Ireland T20Is scheduled from August 18.

Kotak, a former domestic stalwart and experienced coach, will be accompanied by Sairaj Bahutule as the team’s bowling coach. They’ll be travelling with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and others for the three-match T20I series, while Laxman focuses on the high-performance camp where promising talents like Abhishek Sharma, Dhruv Jurel, and more have been called up by the BCCI.

Although it’s a T20I series, the Indian team views it as a crucial opportunity. It marks the return of Jasprit Bumrah and features exciting young players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma.

Sitanshu Kotak brings valuable experience, having coached the India A team for two years. This Ireland tour allows him to work closely with the next-generation Indian players who could potentially become future cricket legends. It’s a great chance for these young guns to shine on the international stage under Kotak’s guidance.