NEW DELHI, Aug 24: National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman will perform the duties of interim head coach for the upcoming Asia Cup after Rahul Dravid tested positive for COVID19.
Dravid is currently in isolation and will link up with the squad once he tests negative.
“VVS Laxman, Head Cricket, NCA will be the interim Head Coach for Team India (Senior Men) for the upcoming ACC Asia Cup 2022, to be played in the UAE,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah stated in a release.
“Laxman, who travelled with the Indian team that played the ODI series in Zimbabwe will oversee the team’s preparation in the absence of Rahul Dravid, who tested positive for COVID-19 before the team’s departure to the UAE. Dravid will join the team once he tests negative and is cleared by the BCCI Medical Team,” he said.
Laxman has linked up with the squad in Dubai along with vice-captain KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda and Avesh Khan, who travelled from Harare after competing in the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe.
It has been learnt that Dravid’s health status is still being monitored and Laxman will be in charge of the side till Dravid resumes duties. India will begin their Asia Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday.
The Asia Cup 2022 will be played in UAE, starting from August 27 through September 11.
The six teams are divided into two groups with India, Pakistan and a qualifying team in Group A. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are in Group B.
Each team plays the other once in the group stage with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super 4 round. The top 2 teams from Super 4 will qualify for the final. India are the defending champions, having won the 2018 edition of the tournament and its seventh title. It is also the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
India squad for Asia Cup
Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan. (Agencies)
