Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman will take on the role of head coach for India’s four-match T20I series against South Africa in November 2024. Laxman steps into the position while Gautam Gambhir, the regular T20 coach, is set to accompany the Indian Test team on their tour of Australia as reported by Cricbuzz

India’s T20I Tour of South Africa

The Indian team will begin their T20I series in Durban on November 8, followed by games in Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg on November 10, 13, and 15, respectively. The coaching staff under Laxman will include Sairaj Bahutule, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh.

Laxman’s Previous Experience and Coaching Role

Since joining the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in 2021, Laxman has taken on the head coach role on various occasions. His coaching debut with the Indian team was in June 2022 against Ireland, with his most recent stint in July 2024 during India’s tour of Zimbabwe.

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India’s 15-Member Squad Led by Suryakumar Yadav

The BCCI announced the T20I squad on October 25, with Suryakumar Yadav as captain. Suryakumar, who led India to the 2024 T20 World Cup victory, will aim to continue India’s winning streak after recent 3-0 series victories under his leadership. Key players include Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, and Rinku Singh.

India’s T20I Squad for South Africa:

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal.

The team last faced South Africa in a T20I series in December 2023, which ended in a draw. In the final match of that series, Suryakumar Yadav scored a century and Kuldeep Yadav took a five-wicket haul, setting high expectations for the upcoming series.

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