India head coach Rahul Dravid and his team of support staff will be given rest following the conclusion of the West Indies tour. The Indian contingent is currently in the Caribbean for 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is. The visitors won the opening Test match in Dominica by an innings and 141 runs and will move to Trinidad for the final game of the 2-match series.
According to Cricbuzz, Dravid & Co – batting coach Vikram Rathour and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, will return home from the United States where the last two matches of the West Indies tour are to be played. In their absence, the staff at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) will take charge of the Ireland tour where India will play three T20Is.
VVS Laxman will be the head coach while the batting and bowling coaches are yet to be finalised, the report further stated. The NCA chief had previously accompanied the team as a coach on the tours of Ireland and the West Indies last year.
The main motive behind resting Dravid and others is to give them enough time to recuperate before the Asia Cup, starting August 31, followed by a three-match ODI series against Australia at home and the World Cup in October.
Several media reports have stated that Hardik Pandya would lead the team in Ireland T20Is, scheduled to be played in Dublin on August 18, 20, and 23. The exact squad will be rolled out once newly-appointed chief selector Ajit Agarkar has a discussion with coach Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. It has been learned that Salil Ankola, one of the members of the selection committee, is already travelling with the team while Agarkar is expected to arrive during the second Test.
Last month, News18 CricketNext reported that the Ireland series is likely to mark the return of Jasprit Bumrah who has been out of action since September 2022. He has been approaching match fitness at a faster rate as his rehab program is being closely monitored by NCA chief Laxman.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer will also eye a comeback with the Ireland T20Is. However, question still looms over the return of KL Rahul who suffered a thigh injury in the IPL 2023 and had to go under the knife.
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