After a month's break, Team India's busy second half of 2023 began with a thumping victory in the first Test against the West Indies in Dominica. The visitors are set to play one more Test, followed by three ODIs and five T20Is. After a month-long tour, the Indian team will travel to Ireland for three T20Is as head coach Rahul Dravid and his support staff are set to get a break from the short series.
As per a Cricbuzz report, Dravid and other members of the Indian support staff, including batting coach Vikram Rathour and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will be given a break following the completion of West Indies tour, with the last two T20Is being played in the USA. The report said that the break is being given for the support staff to prepare for the Asia Cup, followed by a three-match ODI series against Australia and then the World Cup in unrelenting few months.
In the absence of Dravid and Co., the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), VVS Laxman will step in as the coach for three T20Is set to take place from July 18-23. Along with Laxman, the likes of Sitanshu Kotak, Troy Cooley and Sairaj Bahutule are set to travel with the Indian team, which is likely to be led by Hardik Pandya.
Team India took on Ireland last year as well in three T20Is which saw the Men in Blue winning it rather comfortably and this year too there will be opportunities for a few more youngsters this time around. With there not being much time after the West Indies series, the likes of Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma and Rahul Tripathi, who are not part of the T20 squad set to travel to the Caribbean, are in line to be selected for Ireland T20Is.
