New Delhi
VVS Laxman will take charge of the Indian men’s cricket team as head coach for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, with regular coach Gautam Gambhir set to be rested ahead of India’s white-ball assignment against the West Indies.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports confirmed Laxman’s appointment while announcing India’s 768-member contingent for the event. The roster includes 503 athletes, 246 team officials and supporting staff, and 19 contingent staff.
Laxman, who heads the Centre of Excellence, will be assisted by Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Subhadeep Ghosh. He guided India during the T20I series against Zimbabwe in July, when Gambhir was rested following the white-ball series against England.
India’s men’s and women’s teams will enter the Asian Games as defending champions. Ruturaj Gaikwad captained India to gold in the men’s competition at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, while Harmanpreet Kaur led the women’s team to the top prize.
The cricket event is scheduled from September 19 to October 3 and will feature men’s and women’s T20 competitions.
Meanwhile, accommodation arrangements have emerged as another concern surrounding the event. Japan Cricket Association CEO Naoki Alex Miyaji said participating teams would be provided hotel accommodation despite room shortages across the host region.
Questions had surfaced last week after leading Asian teams raised concerns over accommodation facilities, particularly room sizes. The assurance may ease concerns as teams prepare for the tournament.
For India, Laxman’s appointment adds continuity to the coaching setup while allowing Gambhir to manage his workload before the West Indies series.
INDIA’S ASIAD CRICKET SETUP
- Men’s head coach: VVS Laxman
- Assistants: Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Subhadeep Ghosh
- Women’s head coach: Amol Muzumdar
- India are the defending men’s and women’s champions.
- Cricket runs from September 19 to October 3.
