VVS Laxman to Coach India Men's Team at 2026 Asian Games, Gambhir Stays for West Indies Series

VVS Laxman will coach India's men's cricket team at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, stepping in for regular head coach Gautam Gambhir, who stays back to lead the senior side through their home ODI series against the West Indies.

The Sports Ministry's official list of coaches and support staff has confirmed Laxman, currently Director of Cricket at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, as the men's head coach for the Games. He will be assisted by Sunil Joshi as bowling coach, Hrishikesh Kanitkar as batting coach, and Subhadeep Ghosh, with Maroof Fajandar named team leader. It is a role Laxman knows well, having previously guided India's men's team to gold at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.

The arrangement stems from a direct schedule clash: India's cricket competition at the Asian Games runs September 24 to October 3, while the home ODI series against West Indies begins September 27, forcing the BCCI into its now-familiar split-coaching model. Gambhir will remain with the senior team for the white-ball series, while Shreyas Iyer leads the Asian Games squad under Laxman.

On the women's side, Amol Muzumdar continues as head coach for the Games, assisted by bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi and fielding coach Munish Bali, with Harmanpreet Kaur set to captain that side as India defend both the men's and women's titles won in Hangzhou.