VVS Laxman has been appointed as the interim head coach of the Indian cricket team for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. This decision was made as Gautam Gambhir will be traveling to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The T20I series against South Africa will consist of four matches scheduled to be played in Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg on November 8, 10, 13, and 15, respectively. The Indian team for South Africa is expected to depart around November 3, while the team for Australia is set to leave by November 10-11.
Additionally, coaches from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) such as Sairaj Bahutule, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh will be part of the coaching staff under VVS Laxman. The squad for the South Africa tour will see the inclusion of new faces like pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak and middle-order batter Ramandeep Singh. With players like Mayank Yadav and Shivam Dube unavailable due to injuries, Vijaykumar Vyshak has been selected to strengthen the pace attack alongside other talented bowlers.
Hardik Pandya, a T20 World Cup winner, will provide valuable experience in the pace department for captain Suryakumar Yadav. Ramandeep Singh, known for his late-hitting abilities, will boost the middle order along with other key batters like Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are likely to open the innings, with the latter coming off a strong performance against Bangladesh.
The spin department will be led by Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi, while Jitesh Sharma is expected to share wicketkeeping duties with Sanju Samson. The 15-member squad for the T20I series against South Africa includes players like Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Yash Dayal.
Overall, the Indian team is gearing up for an exciting series against South Africa with a good mix of experienced players and promising newcomers. The leadership of interim head coach VVS Laxman, along with the support staff from the NCA, will play a crucial role in guiding the team to success in the upcoming matches. Fans can expect thrilling cricket action as India takes on South Africa in the T20I series.
