Former Indian cricket legend VVS Laxman has been appointed as the head coach for India’s upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa. This move comes as the current national coach, Gautam Gambhir, heads to Australia for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The announcement was made by a senior official from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and has been reported by Cricbuzz.
The series, a recent arrangement between BCCI and Cricket South Africa (CSA), was not initially on the calendar, adding intrigue to the upcoming fixtures. As it stands, India will face South Africa in four Twenty20 Internationals. The matches will take place in a variety of locations across South Africa: Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg on November 8, 10, 13, and 15, respectively. In preparation, the Indian team is scheduled to depart around November 3.
Meanwhile, the Indian team preparing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) tour of Australia will leave slightly later, between November 10-11. The dual tours will necessitate a significant reshuffle of resources, with various coaching staff being deployed to both continents.
Laxman will be supported by an experienced team of coaches from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Among those joining him are Sairaj Bahutule as head coach, Hrishikesh Kanitkar taking on the role of batting coach, and Subhadeep Ghosh as fielding coach. This same team featured prominently with the Indian Emerging side during the Asia Emerging Cup in Oman, further attesting to their credentials. Additionally, Sitanshu Kotak from Saurashtra and Mazhar Moidu from Kerala, both affiliated with the NCA, are currently accompanying the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India A team in Australia.
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The BCCI has put forward a 15-member squad for the four T20I matches, led by the dynamic Suryakumar Yadav. This was publicly unveiled on October 25. As India embarks on this tour, there are contrasting opinions surrounding the purposefulness and timing of the matches. Notably, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar raised concerns in a column for Sportstar, questioning the necessity of scheduling a T20 series amid India’s domestic Ranji Trophy season. Such overlapping commitments will see 50 to 60 players unavailable for their respective State teams during India’s premier national tournament.
However, the tour does present a strategic advantage for the players, especially with the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction just around the corner. These T20 matches will serve as a platform for players to showcase their talent and spark interest among IPL franchises eager for fresh and promising talent.
Here is a closer look at the squad designated for the South Africa T20I series: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, and Yash Dayal.
This tour promises significant exposure and experience for the players, especially the younger ones looking to make their mark. Despite the challenges of overlapping schedules, the initiative highlights the depth and flexibility of Indian cricket, showcasing the promising future talent pool available at its disposal.
The series in South Africa, on the backdrop of the forthcoming Australia tour, hints at BCCI’s aggressive approach in engaging and preparing teams across formats for international success. While the calendar congestion has drawn critique, the dual tours underscore the growing ambition and tactical planning behind Indian cricket’s management and its quest for sustained excellence on the global stage.