Former India batter VVS Laxman is set to take charge of the Indian men’s cricket team as head coach for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, replacing Gautam Gambhir for the tournament.
Shreyas Iyer will captain India in the T20 competition, which begins on September 24. Gambhir will be unavailable as India’s Asian Games campaign clashes with the senior team’s multi-format series against the West Indies.
As a result, India will field two separate squads during the period, with the senior team facing the West Indies and Iyer’s side travelling to Japan for the Asian Games.
Laxman to Lead Coaching Staff
According to a news agency report, Laxman will oversee India’s coaching setup during the Asian Games in Gambhir’s absence.
Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Shubhdeep Ghosh will form part of the support staff, while Maroof Fajander will serve as the support staff leader.
India have named a strong T20 squad featuring several established players and promising youngsters, making the team one of the leading contenders for the gold medal.
India Get Direct Entry into Quarter-Finals
India have received direct entry into the quarter-finals and will begin their Asian Games campaign in the second quarter-final.
Pakistan will play in the first quarter-final, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have also secured direct berths in the last eight. The opponents for the directly qualified teams will be decided later.
Strong Squad for Japan
Iyer will lead a batting line-up featuring Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan and 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain and will be joined by Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar among the all-rounder options.
The spin department includes Varun Chakravarty and Ravi Bishnoi, while Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana form the pace attack.
Spotlight on Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Teenage batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be one of the players attracting significant attention during the tournament.
The 15-year-old has already impressed with his aggressive batting in the IPL and domestic cricket. The Asian Games will provide him with another opportunity to showcase his talent on a major international stage.
With experienced players and emerging talents across all departments, India will enter the men’s T20 competition as strong contenders for the gold medal.
India Squad for Asian Games 2026
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarty, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Suryavanshi.