India will face South Africa in four T20 matches from November 8 to 18 with games scheduled in Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg. The former India cricketer VVS Laxman is likely to step in as head coach for the team during these matches.
Laxman will temporarily replace Gautam Gambhir, who will be in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series.
According to a report from Cricbuzz a BCCI official confirmed that this four-match T20 series wasn’t originally planned. Laxman will head the coaching team, which includes Sairaj Bahutule, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh.
Laxman has filled in as head coach for Team India in the past, including during India’s tour of Zimbabwe, where the Shubman Gill-led squad won the series 4-1. Gautam Gambhir became head coach after that tour.
Laxman’s assistants, Bahutule, Kanitkar, and Ghosh, recently coached India’s Emerging team at the Asia Emerging Cup in Oman. Meanwhile, Sitanshu Kotak and Mazhar Moidu are with the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India A team on their tour of Australia.
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar criticized the BCCI for arranging a T20 series in South Africa during the Ranji Trophy season. In a SportStar column, he noted that the series might interfere with Ranji matches, especially since an India A team is also heading to Australia.
“Next month, there’s a needless four-match T20 series in South Africa before the Australia tour. With the India A team also touring Australia, about 50-60 players won’t be available for their State teams in the Ranji Trophy,” Gavaskar wrote.
The BCCI named a 15-player squad for the T20 matches, led by Suryakumar Yadav, on October 25. One advantage of the series is its timing before the IPL auction, allowing franchises to scout potential players based on their performance.
India squad for T20I series against South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal
