VVS Laxman may coach Team India for the first T20I against England: Reports

As per a report in ANI, former Indian batter VVS Laxman is likely to coach the Indian team in the opening T20I against England in Southampton. Laxman had earlier travelled with the team to Ireland for the two-match T20I series as the head coach, which India won 2-0. Laxman was roped in as the temporary coach in the absence of Rahul Dravid, who is with the other Indian team in England for the fifth Test.

Laxman, who is currently the chief of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), has also worked as a mentor for the Bengal Cricket Team and coaches the India Under-19 and India A teams.

India and England are currently playing the fifth and final Test of the series at Edgbaston in Birmingham, after which both teams will square off in a three-match T20I series from July 7 onwards.

The Indian team has already announced the squad for the T20I. The squad for the first T20I is different from the squad for the remaining two T20Is. Captain Rohit Sharma will return to white-ball cricket after missing out on the fifth Test match due to COVID-19.

The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi, Venkatesh Iyer and Arshdeep Singh have been excluded from the squad for the last two T20Is. Meanwhile, Ravi Bishnoi, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan have been picked in the team for all the three T20Is.