India A head coach and National Cricket Academy (NCA) batting coach Sitanshu Kotak will be India’s head coach for the three T20Is vs Ireland later this month. Domestic veteran Kotak has been an integral part of the NCA coaching set-up and will be leading the support staff in the three T20Is. Former Saurashtra batter Kotak has been head coach of India A for a couple of years now.
NCA head VVS Laxman was likely to accompany the team but will now stay back to oversee the Emerging camp underway in Bengaluru. The regular coaching staff, led by head coach Rahul Dravid and comprising of batting coach Vikram Rathour, and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, have been given a break for the series due to the packed schedule featuring Asia Cup, ODI series vs Australia and then the World Cup at home.
They are currently in the US for the last two T20Is vs West Indies in Florida and will rejoin the team for Asia Cup preparations later this month.
All eyes on Bumrah
India play Ireland in three T20Is in Dublin on August 18, 20 and 23 and all eyes will be on Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback. The seamer has been out of action since September last year and will be itching to get some game time under his belt before the Asia Cup and World Cup.
As CricketNext had reported on June 18, Bumrah is at peak fitness and bowling at full tilt. The seamer got a green signal from the men who matter at the NCA after undergoing fitness tests and playing some practice games.
The seamer will lead a young squad which features the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh for the three fixtures. The selection committee led by former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar rested regulars like Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Suryakumar Yadav for the series and decided to give a majority of squad members for Asian Games a hit.
The selectors will also be keeping an eye on Prasidh Krishna during the series as the lanky seamer too is returning from a long injury lay-off. If Prasidh finds the right rhythm, he could well be in the scheme of things for the 50-over multi-nation tournaments later this year.
Team India (Senior Men) squad for T20I series against Ireland: Jasprit Bumrah (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan
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