Cricket: Rahul Dravid to coach Indian men's team on Sri Lanka tour

Former India captain and current National Cricket Academy (NCA) head Rahul Dravid is all set to coach the Indian limited-overs side against Sri Lanka in July. India and Sri Lanka will play three T20Is and as many ODIs in the tour of the Island Nation and with Ravi Shastri and co. set to be occupied in India’s tour of England, Rahul Dravid will take up the charge of the limited-overs side.  

The tour of Sri Lanka will be Dravid’s second stint with the Indian team having worked as a batting consultant during the tour of England in 2014.

The troika of Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun and Vikram Rathour will be in England with the Indian Test team and a BCCI official has confirmed to ANI that the NCA head would be taking the charge in Sri Lanka.

ALSO READ: Indian women's team to play first-ever pink ball Test in Australia: BCCI secretary Jay Shah

"The Team India coaching staff will be in the UK and it is best that the young team is guided by Dravid as he has already worked with almost all of India 'A' boys. The comfort the youngsters share with him will be an added advantage," the BCCI official told ANI.

Before leading the NCA in 2019, Dravid had worked closely with the current crop of youngsters in the Indian team at the Under-19 level as well as in the India-A team. He has been regarded as a crucial component behind India setting up a solid bench strength over the last couple of years.

ALSO READ: 'Going to be very difficult': Mike Hussey on India hosting T20 World Cup

The Indian squad for the Sri Lanka tour is expected to be picked at the end of the month and the Men in Blue will have to follow quarantine protocols in the Island Nation before locking horns in three ODIs and three T20Is.

The three ODIs will be played on July 13, 16, 19 and the T20Is are expected to be played from July 22-27.