Having done it previously for Rahul Dravid in the past during the South Africa series at home, the New Zealand series away right after the T20 World Cup 2022 and the Australia T20 series at home following the ODI World Cup last year, VVS Laxman is set to fill in for the Indian men’s team head coach Gautam Gambhir for the tour of South Africa. India are scheduled to play a four-match T20 series against the Proteas starting November 8.
Since Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate, Morne Morkel, T Dilip and Co would be accompanying the Test team to Australia, Laxman has been called up again to be with the Suryakumar Yadav-led side for the four T20Is on November 8, 10, 13 and 15 in Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion and Johannesburg respectively.
Laxman will be touring with the other members of the NCA, Sairaj Bahutule, Hrishiskesh Kanitkar and Subhadeep Ghosh, the trio, who was recently in charge of the Emerging team in the Asia Cup T20. Since Sitanshu Kotak and Mazhar Moidu are with the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India A side in Australia, Laxman and Bahutule have been handed the responsibility of the South Africa series.
Originally not part of the FTP, the four-match series was added later on as a mutual agreement between the BCCI and Cricket South Africa (CSA). With several players unavailable due to clash with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India have picked a young side for the series.
The injuries to Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag and Kuldeep Yadav haven’t helped but with the likes of Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel and captain Surya himself, the mix of youth and experience should keep India in good stead despite the alien conditions in South Africa.
India squad for South Africa T20 series: 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