New Delhi, September 3: VVS Laxman, head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Center of Excellence, has been confirmed as the head coach for the Indian men’s cricket team at the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. This announcement was made by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports alongside the declaration of the Indian contingent. The 768-member Indian team comprises 503 athletes, 246 team officials, and 19 support staff members.
Regular head coach Gautam Gambhir has been rested ahead of the white-ball series against the West Indies. Consequently, Laxman will oversee the men’s team during the Asian Games. According to the ministry’s release, Sunil Joshi, Rishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadip Ghosh will join Laxman, while Amol Mazumdar will lead the women’s team at the Asian Games.
Laxman recently managed the Indian team during the T20 series against Zimbabwe in July, following Gambhir’s rest after the white-ball series against England.
Both the Indian men’s and women’s teams will compete as reigning champions at the Asian Games, having secured titles at the 2022 Hangzhou Games. Ruturaj Gaikwad led the largely second-string Indian team to a gold medal, while Harmanpreet Kaur guided the ‘Women in Blue’ to gold in the women’s competition.
Meanwhile, accommodation arrangements for the upcoming Asian Games have become a topic of discussion. According to Naoki Alex Miyaji, CEO of the Japan Cricket Association (JCA), teams participating in the cricket event will be provided hotel accommodations, although there is a limited availability of rooms in the host area.
Cricket is not a widely popular sport in Japan, so matches will be held at the newly constructed Korogi Sports Park, located 40 minutes by train from central Nagoya.
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