Sitanshu Kotak, a former prominent figure in domestic cricket, has been appointed as India’s head coach for the Ireland tour. Instead of accompanying the team, VVS Laxman, the renowned batsman and head of the National Cricket Academy, will now be responsible for supervising an intensive three-week training camp in Alur, near Bangalore.
Kotak and Sairaj Bahutule, serving as the bowling coach, will accompany players like Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming three-game T20I series in Ireland, taking place between August 18 and 23. Meanwhile, Laxman will oversee a rigorous training program from August 16 to September 5. The BCCI has summoned young talents such as Abhishek Sharma, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prabhsimran Singh, Sai Sudarshan, Akash Singh, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, and Divyansh Saxena for this camp.
Sitanshu Kotak, previously a Saurashtra batsman, currently holds the positions of India A head coach and batting coach at the NCA. Leading the team for the Ireland tour will be Jasprit Bumrah, marking his comeback after a lengthy injury period.
Also read: India vs Ireland: Squad List and Probable Playing XI
There are indications that the Cricket Club of India’s iconic Brabourne Stadium might be chosen as the venue for a women’s Test match between India and England scheduled for December this year.
The most recent Test match for the Indian women’s team took place in 2021 against Australia in a pink ball encounter on the Gold Coast. The last Test held on Indian soil was the India-South Africa match in 2013, which concluded in a draw. Indian women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her desire for more Test matches, emphasizing the nostalgia for traditional cricket.
Due to the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup, the home season of international games for the Indian women’s team has been delayed by a couple of months. As a result, the BCCI is taking its time to appoint the head coach. From December onwards, the Indian women’s team is slated for a busy schedule at home, facing off against teams like England, Australia, and New Zealand, according to a reliable source.