VVS Laxman might accompany India squad to Zimbabwe for five-match T20I series

NEW DELHI: VVS Laxman and his support staff at the National Cricket Academy might accompany the Indian team to Zimbabwe for the five-match T20I series beginning July 6 while Gautam Gambhir is expected to start his tenure as coach from Sri Lanka tour.

It is understood that the squad for the Zimbabwe series will be announced by the end of this week, either on June 22 or 23. Currently, the young IPL performers including BCCI's 'targeted list of players' are having a camp under Laxman's supervision at the NCA.

Gambhir is currently the favourite to become the head coach of the senior men's team, pipping former women's team head coach WV Raman. The announcement is a mere formality and might happen in the next few days.

Gambhir will also get a chance to pick his support staff comprising batting, bowling and fielding coach.

However, it is understood that Gambhir might start his assignment from mid-July when India travel to Sri Lanka for a white-ball series consisting of three T20Is and as many ODIs.

"There is a possibility that Laxman along with some of the NCA coaches will travel with the new look squad to Zimbabwe. Laxman and the NCA team has always filled up whenever Rahul Dravid and the first team coaches have been taken periodic breaks during their stint," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

It is understood that a young squad will go to Zimbabwe but would have six to seven members of T20 World Cup contingent.

Three rookies, who are all but certain to get a look-in are Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma and all-rounder Nitish Reddy while one among Yash Dayal or Harshit Rana could also get their maiden call-up.

The skipper of the squad will either be Hardik Pandya, if he doesn't ask for rest, or Suryakumar Yadav, who led the T20 team against Australia at home and in an away series in South Africa.