Lakshmipathy Balaji named India A head coach ahead of Australia A tour to Pondicherry

Former Chennai Super Kings bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji is set to take over as head coach of India A ahead of the five-match India A v Australia A series that begins in Pondicherry on September 22.

The tour comprises two unofficial Test matches and three official ODIs, with the second Test scheduled to start on September 29 and the ODIs due on October 6, 9 and 11. Devdutt Padikkal will lead India A in the red-ball fixtures, with squad members including Sai Sudharsan, Tushar Deshpande and Anshul Kamboj; Australia A will bring players such as Nathan McSweeney and Josh Philippe. The teams last met in September last year when India A won by five wickets, and in their previous five meetings each side has won two matches with one ending in a draw.

The appointment was reported by PTI journalist Kushan Sarkar, who posted: "🚨 NEW COACH FOR INDIA A 🇮🇳Lakshmipathy Balaji will be the Head Coach of India A for this series against Australia A. [Kushan Sarkar] pic.twitter.com/F4uwK01FMq" Balaji is expected to replace Hrishikesh Kanitkar as India A head coach.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar has worked alongside Balaji previously; the pair are credited in the report with Tamil Nadu’s domestic success. Kanitkar was also named the stand-in chief coach of the India women’s national cricket team during the side’s run-up to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.

Earlier this year Balaji was shortlisted for Centre of Excellence coaching roles alongside VRV Singh and others. The Board of Control for Cricket in India had been looking to appoint a bowling expert for its Bengaluru facility after Troy Cooley left, and the latest report states Balaji "has been given a rather important role in the hierarchy."

Balaji retired from first-class and List A cricket in September 2016 and had fully stepped away from all forms of professional cricket by 2016. His coaching résumé, as noted in the report, includes spells as a bowling coach with Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.

The first unofficial Test of the India A v Australia A series will commence on September 22 in Pondicherry, followed by the second Test on September 29 and the three ODIs on October 6, 9 and 11.