With the main Indian team busy preparing for the WTC final in England, a reserve squad is heading to Sri Lanka in July. Recent reports indicate that Rahul Dravid is the top candidate to lead this group as head coach.
Speculation suggests that Dravid will be accompanied by his NCA team during the trip. While an official announcement is still pending, his appointment is a practical move since Virat Kohli is currently managing the primary squad in the United Kingdom.
The main team under Kohli's leadership will be in the UK to compete in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final, which will be followed by a five-Test series against the English side.
Dravid is well-suited for this responsibility thanks to his extensive experience guiding the U-19 and 'A' squads. His mentorship has been instrumental in polishing young talents like Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant before they debuted for the national team.
The available pool for the Sri Lanka tour includes players like Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, the Pandya brothers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, and spinners Chahal and Kuldeep. This series serves as a crucial platform for them to showcase their skills and gain confidence internationally, with rumors suggesting Dhawan might be named captain.
The tour itinerary consists of three ODIs and three T20Is, all of which are scheduled to be played at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium.