BCCI has made some tough decisions recently. With India struggling in the latter part of the ICC World Test Championship, they’ve decided to part ways with assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, just eight months after bringing him on board. The team was in a prime spot to make it to their third consecutive WTC final but ended up losing six out of their last ten Tests. This included a surprising clean sweep by New Zealand, with a 0-3 loss at home that really shook things up. The final straw came when India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia, knocking them out of the running for the WTC final.
After a review meeting, the BCCI is shaking things up in the coaching staff as they prepare for a new cycle, which kicks off with a five-match Test series in England this June. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate have managed to keep their jobs. But Nayar, along with fielding coach T Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai, have been let go.
There’s also talk that the BCCI is considering some big changes to how they handle player salaries, meaning some well-known names might get dropped or moved to lower pay grades. Although the board hasn’t made any official announcements yet, various reports suggest several reasons for these changes in the coaching lineup. Let’s explore some of the main issues at play here.
Read Also: Abhishek Nayar and T Dilip Set to Be Removed from Team India’s Coaching Staff
Team India’s failure in retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy
First up, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy disaster. India not only lost the five-match Test series to Australia 1-3 but also gave up the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in ten years. What stung the most wasn’t just the loss, but the disappointing way the team played. Players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli didn’t step up when it mattered most. The tour started off decently, with India winning the Perth Test thanks to some strong performances, including centuries from players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kohli. But that would be the only bright spot of the tour; after that, Australia bounced back and made things tough for India. In fact, Rohit ended up dropping himself from the final Test lineup because he wasn’t playing well. This rough patch started at home when New Zealand managed to outplay India in conditions that usually favor the home team.
Chat leaks from the team meeting and Dressing room.
Then there were the dressing room leaks. After India lost the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, Gambhir reportedly gave the players a piece of his mind in the locker room. He wasn’t happy with how they were handling situations, telling them they weren’t playing the way they should be, just sticking to their natural game. He’s said to have exclaimed, “I’ve had enough!” This conversation somehow got leaked to the media, which didn’t sit well with Gambhir. He stressed that discussions between coaches and players should remain private, calling the leaked info mere speculation. Later on, he pointed fingers at Sarfaraz Khan during a review with the BCCI, blaming him for the leaks.
KKR connection
Next, there’s the KKR connection. Before becoming the head coach of the Indian team, Gambhir had worked with the Kolkata Knight Riders. When he stepped into his new role, some of his old KKR colleagues joined him, including Nayar, Morkel, and Ten Doeschate. All three played important roles in KKR’s success, helping them snag the IPL title in 2024. However, the BCCI wasn’t too pleased with what they referred to as the “KKR touch” within the team setup. There were even reports of Gambhir getting upset with Morkel for being late to training, which only fueled rumors of a rift among the coaching staff.
Big support staff.
Lastly, the BCCI has decided to enforce stricter rules for the men’s team. In January, they set out guidelines to improve discipline and team unity, as well as make logistics smoother. This meant limiting family time on overseas tours and tightening up rules around travel arrangements. As a result, some support staff members who have been around for a while might be shown the door. For instance, fielding coach T Dilip, who has been with the team for over three years, has been informed that it’s time for a change. It looks like Ten Doeschate will take over his responsibilities. As for Desai’s replacement, the BCCI is likely to bring in South African Adrian Le Roux, who has worked with the Indian team back when John Wright was coaching in the early 2000s.
The support staff also includes various training associates, physiotherapists, and masseurs who have been key to the team’s operations. These changes signal that the BCCI is serious about turning things around ahead of the upcoming Test matches.
