India will once again operate with separate coaching groups later this year, with Centre of Excellence Head VVS Laxman set to take charge of the national team during the Zimbabwe tour and the 2026 Asian Games, according to a report by Sportstar.
The move comes as Head Coach Gautam Gambhir is expected to remain with India’s senior squad for the home white-ball series against the West Indies, resulting in the BCCI assigning Laxman to oversee the other two campaigns.
Busy international schedule drives the decision
India’s itinerary presents the BCCI with overlapping international commitments across multiple competitions.
The team is scheduled to play a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in Harare on 23, 25 and 27 July before attention shifts to the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where the men’s cricket competition will be held from 24 September to 3 October.
During the same period, India will host the West Indies for a white-ball series comprising three One-Day Internationals and five T20Is, making it necessary for the BCCI to field separate coaching groups for the concurrent assignments.
Experienced support staff to assist Laxman
Laxman is expected to be joined by a familiar support staff for both tournaments.
Former India spinner Sunil Joshi is set to serve as Bowling Coach, while former India batter Hrishikesh Kanitkar will take over as Batting Coach. The same coaching group is expected to remain together for both the Zimbabwe tour and the Asian Games campaign.
Centre of Excellence continues to play a key role
The appointment is consistent with the role the Centre of Excellence has played during previous scheduling clashes.
Laxman has regularly stepped in to guide India whenever the senior coaching staff has been committed elsewhere, providing continuity across the national setup. Earlier heads of the National Cricket Academy also fulfilled similar responsibilities when overlapping fixtures required separate coaching teams.
The latest assignment further reinforces the Centre of Excellence’s role in supporting India’s international programme as the national calendar continues to expand.
Squad planning also expected to be split
The coaching arrangement is expected to be accompanied by separate playing squads for the overlapping assignments.
Shreyas Iyer currently leads India’s T20I side, while Shubman Gill captains the ODI and Test teams. With the Asian Games and the West Indies series taking place simultaneously, the BCCI is expected to continue its strategy of managing multiple squads across different competitions, with Laxman set to oversee India’s campaigns in Zimbabwe and Japan.
