Former Indian spinner Sairaj Bahutule is all set to be India’s bowling coach for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka. India will travel to Sri Lanka this week to take on the Islanders in three T20Is and a three-match ODI series. The shortest format series is set to start on July 27 in Pallekele, whereas R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will host the three ODIs on August 2, 4, and 7, respectively.
Former world No. 1 T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav has been appointed as India’s new T20I captain after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the shortest format of the game last month, but the 37-year-old Mumbaikar will be back from his holidays to lead the Men in Blue in three ODIs next month.
India’s tour of Sri Lanka will be Gautam Gambhir’s first series as head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. BCCI is yet to formally announce his support staff, and according to a report in the Times of India on Sunday (July 21), Bahutule will travel to Sri Lanka as Team India’s bowling coach for the white-ball series.
The 51-year-old former Mumbai cricketer, who played in two Tests and eight ODIs for India during his six-year-long international career, has been serving as bowling coach at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for the last three years and, on a number of occasions in the past, has served as bowling coach with former head coach Rahul Dravid and NCA head VVS Laxman.
It was reported by News 18 on Sunday (July 20) that former South African pacer Morne Morkel, who has previously worked with Gambhir during his stint as mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants, is a strong candidate to become the new bowling coach of Team India.
Discussions are currently underway between him and the BCCI, and he is very likely to join the Indian cricket team after the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
“The formalities haven’t been completed yet, but they will hopefully be done soon, and Morne Morkel is likely to come on board after the Sri Lanka series,” says a source tracking developments.
Morkel has served as Pakistan’s bowling coach in the past and has played 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is for South Africa during his 12-year-long international career.
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