The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has dismissed almost all of the proposed support staff choices from the new head coach, Gautam Gambhir, with just one exception.
Limited Approval from BCCI
According to recent media reports, the Indian cricket board has only accepted Abhishek Nayar for the position of batting coach. Gambhir had put forward several notable names for various roles, but most were not approved.
Gambhir’s Recommendations
Gambhir recommended several prominent figures for the support staff positions:
- Bowling Coach: South African pacer Morne Morkel and former India bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji.
- Fielding Coach: Netherlands’ Ryan ten Doeschate and South African Jonty Rhodes.
BCCI’s Choices
However, the BCCI has decided to go with former India pacer Zaheer Khan as the bowling coach. For the fielding coach position, T Dilip, who served under Rahul Dravid, remains their top choice.
A Shift in Approach
This decision represents a shift from the board’s previous approach during the tenures of Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid, both of whom had the support staff of their choosing.
Gambhir’s Coaching Background
Gambhir, who took over from Dravid after India’s T20 World Cup victory, brings a wealth of coaching experience. He previously led the Kolkata Knight Riders to a title in the 2024 IPL season as a mentor.
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Upcoming Tour of Sri Lanka
Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach will be the tour of Sri Lanka. India is scheduled to play three T20Is on July 27, 28, and 30, followed by three ODIs on August 2, 4, and 7.
Search for a New T20I Captain
In addition to the changes in the support staff, India is also looking for a new T20I captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format after the T20 World Cup win. Suryakumar Yadav is expected to be named the new T20I skipper over Hardik Pandya for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.
Yadav previously captained India during their 4-1 T20I series win against Australia and the 1-1 series draw against South Africa after the ODI World Cup 2023.
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