A scheduling crunch has pushed a surprise change in India’s dugout. According to reports, head coach Gautam Gambhir will skip the upcoming Zimbabwe T20I series, with VVS Laxman stepping in to lead a youthful squad. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has moved to split duties as fixtures collide later this year.
Why BCCI turned to VVS Laxman
India’s calendar is overflowing. The Asian Games 2026 in Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 04, 2026, overlaps with India’s home white-ball series against West Indies beginning September 27, 2026. Reports indicate Gambhir will remain with the senior team for the West Indies assignment.
Laxman, meanwhile, is expected to guide the group heading to Zimbabwe and later to Japan. The call reflects continuity and experience, ensuring India do not dilute coaching quality while managing two parallel missions.
Form, fixtures, and the immediate test
India are in a five-match T20I series against England and searching for rhythm. The first T20I was washed out, and the second at Old Trafford ended in a 4-wicket defeat. That comes after a 2-0 defeat to Ireland, according to reports, sharpening the focus on quick course correction.
After the England leg, India shift to a three-match ODI series before a three-match T20I tour of Zimbabwe later this month. Laxman’s interim charge arrives at a delicate moment where clarity of roles and messaging could stabilise an evolving squad.
Who supports Laxman in Zimbabwe
Laxman is set to work with a familiar bench. Reports suggest former India spinner Sunil Joshi will serve as bowling coach, while former India batter Hrishikesh Kanitkar is likely to be the batting coach.
The same support staff is expected to continue through India’s Asian Games campaign as well, adding consistency across back-to-back assignments.
Here are the key staff calls shaping the tour:
– VVS Laxman to act as head coach
– Sunil Joshi expected as bowling coach
– Hrishikesh Kanitkar likely as batting coach
Laxman’s record when handed the reins
This is far from a trial run for Laxman. In 2022, he guided India to a 2-0 T20I series win over Ireland and later oversaw a 3-0 ODI whitewash against Zimbabwe. He was India’s stand-in coach during the 2022 Asia Cup as well.
Shortly after, Laxman coached India to a 1-0 T20I series win against New Zealand. One of his standout milestones arrived at the 2023 Asian Games, where he coached the Indian men’s team to a historic gold medal.
For quick reference, Laxman’s recent stints delivered:
– 2-0 T20I win vs Ireland in 2022
– 3-0 ODI whitewash vs Zimbabwe in 2022
– 1-0 T20I series win vs New Zealand
– 2023 Asian Games men’s team gold
The bigger picture: two missions, one framework
By keeping Gambhir with the home West Indies series and assigning Laxman to Zimbabwe and Japan, India preserve strategic continuity across formats. It is a pragmatic answer to congestion, not a detour from the long-term plan.
The approach also gives the Zimbabwe-bound group a head coach who has repeatedly delivered in short, high-pressure windows, while India’s senior core continues under Gambhir as the white-ball home season begins.
What comes next
Expect Laxman to reprise the leadership role for the Asian Games 2026, as reported, with the same coaching group. For now, the handover for Zimbabwe is the key moment, setting the tone for a squad that needs both stability and spark after a stuttering start to the English summer.
