Team India head coach Rahul Dravid, support staff to be rested for Ireland T20Is: Reports

Former Indian legendary batter and current head coach Rahul Dravid and his entire coaching staff are likely to be rested for the upcoming T20I series to be played in Ireland from August 18-23.

According to reports from Cricbuzz, the coaching staff will get a break after the ongoing tour of the West Indies. This would give them enough time to reflect and rejuvenate ahead of what is a crucial phase for the Indian team with the Asia Cup and the all-important World Cup to follow.

Once again, it will be the National Cricket Academy (NCA) head and former legend VVS Laxman who will be the coach in Rahul Dravid's absence. Laxman and his coaching staff had been a part of India's previous tour to Ireland where they played a couple of T20Is last year.

The batting coach for the tour could reportedly be one among Sitanshu Kotak and Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Troy Cooley and Sairaj Bahutule could be the contenders for the bowling coach role.

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KL Rahul unlikely to make India comeback in Asia Cup

Cricbuzz has also reported that wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul won't make his international comeback even in the Asia Cup later this year. This is a massive blow to the Men in Blue as he is a crucial cog in their middle-order in the ODI format and his wicketkeeping gives the team a much-needed balance.

Rahul has reportedly not completed his rehabilitation and has also not started batting in the nets, delaying his potential comeback further. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah is likely to be back in the team for the Ireland T20Is and this will be a huge boost for the Men in Blue in the context of the World Cup.

Shreyas Iyer is another middle-order batter that the hosts will be desperate to get fit in time for the World Cup.