VVS Laxman Takes Charge as Head Coach for Indian Men's Cricket Team at Asian Games

VVS Laxman Appointed Head Coach for Asian Games

New Delhi: VVS Laxman, the head of the Centre of Excellence (CoE), has been appointed as the head coach for the Indian men's cricket team for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

This announcement was made by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which also revealed the Indian contingent for the Asian Games, consisting of 768 members, including 503 athletes, 246 team officials, and 19 support staff.

Laxman will lead the men's team while regular head coach Gautam Gambhir takes a break ahead of the white-ball series against the West Indies, starting September 27. Joining Laxman on the coaching staff will be Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh, while Amol Muzumdar will head the women's team.

Previously, Laxman managed the Indian squad during the T20I series against Zimbabwe in July, following Gambhir's rest after the series against England.

Both the men's and women's teams are entering the Asian Games as defending champions, having secured gold medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Games. Ruturaj Gaikwad led a largely second-string men's team to victory, while Harmanpreet Kaur guided the women's team to gold.

In related news, accommodation arrangements for the Asian Games have raised concerns. Naoki Alex Miyaji, CEO of the Japan Cricket Association (JCA), stated that participating teams will be provided hotel accommodations despite a shortage of rooms in the host region.

Last week, several top Asian teams expressed concerns regarding the facilities and arrangements for the men's and women's T20 events, scheduled from September 19 to October 3.

Miyaji explained, "The Asian Games are being organized by AINAGOC in collaboration with the ACC under the OCA. The JCA is providing support but is not directly involved. All parties are working diligently to ensure cricket's success at the Games."

He added that the organizing committee had only 17 months to prepare and had to start from scratch due to the lack of suitable cricket venues in Aichi Prefecture. Despite the challenges, AINAGOC and ACC have collaborated to ensure adequate playing facilities.

Miyaji also reassured that discussions regarding accommodation options have been ongoing, stating, "Participating cricket teams will be offered hotel accommodations, while other sports may have more limited options like cruise ships or container hotels. Teams can also arrange their own accommodations if they prefer."