The first T20I of the three-match series between England and India to be played on July 7.
India’s batting legend and current National Cricket Academy (NCA) head, VVS Laxman, is likely to be the head coach of the Indian team in the upcoming T20I series against England after coaching the second-string team on the Ireland tour.
It is being said that Laxman will be Team India's coach in the opening T20I of the upcoming T20I series against England, to be played on July 7 in Southampton.
Laxman had traveled to Ireland with the Indian team as a coach, as the regular head coach, Rahul Dravid, was with India's Test squad on the England tour.
The story can be repeated, as an ANI report suggested that Laxman will be India's coach during the first T20I against England.
However, a possible reason behind this could be giving rest to regular coach Dravid after completing the ongoing rescheduled Test against England.
It has already been confirmed that the players currently engaged in the Test match will not play in the first T20I like Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shreyas Iyer amongst others.
But they have been named in the squads for the second and third T20I and in the ODI series.
Here are the T20I squads for both India and England –
India's squad for 1st T20I: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik
India's squad for 2nd and 3rd T20I: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik
England T20I squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Richard Gleeson, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Matthew Parkinson, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, David Willey.
(With ANI Inputs)