Reports: VVS Laxman to be India’s coach for Ireland tour

Indian veteran batter VVS Laxman is likely to take coaching responsibility for India’s tour of Ireland, slated to start on June 26. Meanwhile, India head coach Rahul Dravid will be managing the senior member squad for the rescheduled fifth Test as well as the white-ball series in England. Dravid is expected to join the touring team after the completion of the five-match T20I series against South Africa on June 19 in Bengaluru.

Head coach Dravid will be with India’s Test squad, which will first play a four-day practice game in Leicester from June 24-27, before moving to Birmingham to take on England, who will be under the leadership of all-rounder Ben Stokes.

VVS Laxman to fill in for Rahul Dravid

Meanwhile, VVS Laxman will be doing the coaching duties to fill in for Dravid in Ireland. The former Indian batter is currently serving as the Director of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The legendary batter holds a lot of experience in the coaching department.

Before holding the position at the NCA in Bengaluru, Laxman was involved in a coaching role with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Indian domestic team Bengal as a batting consultant. He was also in charge of the World Cup-winning U-19 squad earlier this year in the Caribbean.

With South Africa visiting India for a five-match T20I series following the conclusion of the IPL, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to split the Indian squad into two, with one team comprising of the senior members set to tour England and the other to face the Proteas at home. While the senior Indian players will remain engaged in the England tour, it is said that the same squad used for the South Africa series might also go to Dublin for a two-match T20I series against Ireland.