VVS Laxman to not travel with Indian team for Ireland T20I series tour: Report

Former India batter VVS Laxman, who is currently serving as the head of National Cricket Academy (NCA), will not travel with the national team on the upcoming three T20Is tour of Ireland as the head of the coaching staff.

A report in Cricbuzz said Laxman was anticipated to take charge of the coaching staff in Ireland as head coach Rahul Dravid and his team, who are currently in the USA for the last phase of the bilateral T20I series against West Indies, will head back to India.

"However, it has now been revealed that the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) will not be part of the tour. Instead, a few other coaches such as Sitanshu Kotak and Sairaj Bahutule will be part of the support staff," the report added.

Laxman had previously travelled with the Indian team as head of support staff on the T20I tour of Ireland last year, as well on ODI tour of Zimbabwe and home series against South Africa. Laxman was also the head coach of the Indian side on their white-ball tour of New Zealand later in November 2022.

The three T20I matches between India and Ireland will be played in Malahide on August 18, 20 and 23. The series holds huge importance due to the much-anticipated comeback of Jasprit Bumrah, who will also be leading the side.

Bumrah has been out of competitive cricket since September 2022 due to a back injury which needed surgery earlier this year in New Zealand. Apart from him, fast-bowler Prasidh Krishna is also coming back from a lumbar stress fracture in the back and went under the knife in New Zealand in December last year.  

The Ireland series will provide a glimpse into how Bumrah and Krishna are faring competitively after undergoing rehab at the NCA in Bengaluru.

The report further mentioned that the Indian team will be reaching Dublin in two different groups.

"One batch, currently in Miami for the last two T20Is, will travel from the US. Bumrah and the rest of the contingent will fly from Mumbai early on Tuesday," it said.

India and Ireland last played a two-match T20I series in June 2022, with the visitors, then led by Hardik Pandya, winning the series 2-0.