VVS Laxman to coach India at 2026 Asian Games

BCCI’s head of cricket VVS Laxman will be the coach of India men’s team at the Asian Games set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya. Since the continental event is overlapping with India’s bilateral series against the West Indies at home, the Gautam Gambhir-led support staff won’t be able to join the men’s team at the Asian Games.

Apart from Laxman, India men’s coaching staff at the Asian Games will comprise of Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Sunil Joshi and Subhadeep Ghosh, who recently took over as the fielding coach. Ghosh will not be part of the ODI set up for the series against West Indies alone. While the regular support staff won’t be around for the men’s team, the case is different with the women’s team.

After the completion of the ongoing Asia Cup in the UAE, the team women’s team will head to Japan with their regular support staff that includes head coach Amol Muzumdar, bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi and fielding coach Munish Bali. That India men’s team would have different support staff is well known as the FTP clashes with the Asian Games.

Even four years ago, when India clinched the gold medal in Hangzhou, Laxman was the chief coach. This time, India’s home series against the West Indies starts on September 27 and ends on October 3. While the series is short, it overlaps with the Asian Games schedule, where India have received a first-round bye and will play the quarterfinals straight up.

India’s first game is on September 28 and should they make the gold medal match, the final is slated for October 3. Also Read | BCCI’s meeting menu: Roadmap for World Cup 27, injury management While India had send a second-string squad led by Ruturaj Gaikwad for the previous edition of the Asian Games in 2022.

However, this time they have sent their first-choice team that will be led by Shreyas Iyer and includes premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah and young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and a host of other players who were part of the squad that won the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

Even the women’s team will be at full strength as India targets two golds at the event. Both the men and women’s team are defending champions.