Shitanshu Kotak, Troy Cooley and T Dilip to take coaching duties of India-A side in absence of VVS Laxman for Bangladesh tour

India-A side will be travelling to Bangladesh for two four-day games and the squad for the same was announced by BCCI recently. VVS Laxman, who is the NCA head coach, is currently in New Zealand along with Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Sairaj Bahutule with the senior men’s side and will not be available for the Bangladesh-A tour. As a result, BCCI has named a different set of coaching staff for the upcoming series.

As per ESPNcricinfo sources, former Saurashtra captain Sitanshu Kotak, who is among the NCA coaches, along with Australia’s bowling coach Troy Cooley and fielding coach T Dilip will take care of the India A-squad in Bangladesh.

Dilip was recently a part of India's T20 World Cup 2022 campaign as the fielding coach of the side but was rested for the New Zealand tour alongside regular head coach Rahul Dravid, Paras Mhambrey, and Vikram Rathour. 

Dilip will now join the senior team straightaway after the Bangladesh-A tour for the two-match Test series which starts on December 14. The tough scheduling has led to different Indian teams playing at the same time and hence different coaching panels have been assigned accordingly.  

India A squad for Bangladesh tour 

Abhimanyu Easwaran is all set to lead the India-A side in Bangladesh and Rohan Kunnummal got his maiden call-up after his impressive performances in first-class cricket. Senior cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav have been named in the squad for the second four-day game.  

India A squad for 1st four-day game: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Rohan Kunnummal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yash Dhull, Sarfaraz Khan, Tilak Varma, Upendra Yadav (wk), Saurabh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Jayant Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Atit Sheth 

India A squad for 2nd four-day game: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Rohan Kunnummal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yash Dhull, Sarfaraz Khan, Tilak Varma, Upendra Yadav (wk), Saurabh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Jayant Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Atit Sheth, Cheteshwar Pujara, Umesh Yadav, KS Bharat (wk)