Cricket at Asian Games 2026: VVS Laxman in Line To Take Charge As India Men’s Head Coach

Legendary cricketer VVS Laxman is set to helm the Indian men's cricket team as head coach for the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opted for a split coaching model due to a packed international calendar, allowing regular head coach Gautam Gambhir to oversee the simultaneous home series against the West Indies. Cricket At Asian Games 2026: Bangladesh Announces 15-Member Squad; Litton Das Named Captain.

As per PTI, Laxman, who also heads the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), will lead a dedicated support staff for the continental showpiece. He will be joined by Hrishikesh Kanitkar as batting coach and Sunil Joshi as bowling coach, with Subhadeep Ghosh as fielding coach. Maroof Fajandar from the BCCI Cricket Operations department will serve as the Team Leader.

The 20th Asian Games, officially known as Aichi-Nagoya 2026, will run from September 19 to October 4, 2026, across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya. However, preliminary events, including some cricket matches, are scheduled to commence earlier, around September 10.

India Men's Cricket Schedule

India's men's cricket team, defending gold medalists, will enter the T20 competition directly at the quarter-final stage, led by captain Shreyas Iyer and vice-captain Tilak Varma. Their first match is slated for September 28, 2026, against the second-placed team from Group A, which includes Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal.

All men's cricket matches will be held at the newly developed Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, with the men's tournament running from September 24 to October 3. Viral Video Shows Asian Games 2026 Cricket Venue at Korogi Sports Park.

Men's Tournament Key Dates

• Men's Tournament Period: September 24 – October 3, 2026
• India's First Match (Quarter-final): September 28, 2026
• Venue: Korogi Athletic Park, Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture
• Captain: Shreyas Iyer
• Opponent: Runner-up of Group A (Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal)

India Women's Cricket Schedule

The Indian women's cricket team, also defending champions, will begin their title defence earlier. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, they are scheduled to play their opening quarter-final on September 18, 2026, against hosts Japan. The match is set for 10:30 AM IST. VVS Laxman Likely to be Named First Director of Cricket by BCCI.

Women's Tournament Key Dates

• Women's Tournament Period: September 17 – September 22, 2026
• India's First Match (Quarter-final): September 18, 2026, 10:30 AM IST
• Venue: Korogi Athletic Park, Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture
• Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
• Opponent: Japan

This appointment marks another significant opportunity for Laxman to guide India's next generation of cricketing talent on a major international stage, as both men's and women's teams aim to replicate their gold medal success from the previous Asian Games.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2026 01:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).