(Source X)
Sitanshu Kotak and Sairaj Bahutule from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) are expected to join VVS Laxman’s coaching team for India’s upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. Although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not officially announced the coaching staff for the Zimbabwe series, it is anticipated that NCA coaches will be sent for the five T20Is beginning on July 6 in Harare.
Kotak and Bahutule have extensive coaching experience with India, India A, and India U-19 teams, having spent considerable time with many players during targeted High Performance Camps at the NCA.
With Rahul Dravid’s contract extension concluding after the 2024 T20 World Cup, finalizing formalities with the new coach before the team departs for Zimbabwe on July 1 seems unlikely. The BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) has interviewed Gautam Gambhir and WV Raman for the head coach role, with Gambhir currently favored to succeed Dravid.
Following Gambhir’s anticipated appointment, finalizing the support staff remains pending, with uncertainty over whether the Indian Cricket Board will issue an advertisement for these positions. Typically, the head coach plays a crucial role in selecting the support staff, a process likely unchanged this time.
Movement on the coaching front is expected post India’s T20 World Cup campaign. Key figures within the Indian cricket board prioritize avoiding distractions during the ongoing campaign.
“Whatever will happen, will happen after the World Cup. No point in having any distractions when the tournament is going on. Right now, all our attention should be on the team in the Caribbean and hope they end the wait for the ICC trophy,” says a senior board official.
In a recent update, all-rounder Shivam Dube has been named as the replacement for the injured Nitish Reddy in the Zimbabwe series. The BCCI did not specify the nature of Reddy’s injury, but reports indicate it is a groin strain.
“The Men’s Selection Committee named Shivam Dube as a replacement for the injured Nitish Reddy in India’s squad for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring Nitish Reddy’s progress,” read a BCCI release.
India’s squad: Ꮪhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube.
