Abhishek Nayar, the assistant coach of Team India, and fielding coach T. Dilip may soon be asked to leave as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating reducing the size of head coach Gautam Gambhir’s support staff ahead of the England tour. According to a report by Dainik Jagran, the BCCI is keen to streamline the men’s team’s support staff moving forward.
This decision is expected to be finalised during a high-profile meeting in Guwahati on March 29, which will include BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
When Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as head coach after Dravid’s T20 World Cup victory, he became the first to bring two assistant coaches and a bowling coach. India hired Ryan ten Doeschate and Abhishek Nayar as assistants, while Morne Morkel replaced Paras Mhambrey as the bowling coach.
After India’s losses to New Zealand and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the BCCI appointed NCA and A team coach Sitanshu Kotak as batting coach. Nayar, ten Doeschate, Morkel, Dilip, and Kotak were part of the staff during India’s Champions Trophy win.
Team India’s support staff includes three throwdown specialists, two massage therapists, a senior and junior physiotherapist, a team doctor, a security and operations manager, a computer analyst, and several logistical and media managers. Many have been with the team for nearly a decade, with some, like Raghavendra, since 2011.
The roles of Nayar and Dilip are under review. With Kotak as batting coach and Morkel handling the bowlers, the board feels there’s no need for an additional assistant or fielding coach.
Dilip, the last remaining member of Dravid’s staff, has reportedly overstayed after more than three years, and ten Doeschate may take over the fielding coach role if Dilip is let go.
India has excelled in white-ball cricket, winning two ICC tournaments in nine months, but their Test performance has struggled, losing six of their last nine matches. After the IPL, India will play a five-match Test series against England in June, and the BCCI expects full dedication from all staff, selectors, and players for the A tour.