Reasons Behind Team India Support Staff Sackings:
Midway through the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made a decisive move regarding Team India's support structure. BCCI dismissed four support staff members including assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, fielding coach T Dilip, strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai, and a masseur. However, BCCI has not confirmed this officially.
It is primarily believed that this action by BCCI was due to Team India's disappointing performance during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2025 against Australia. Furthermore, the Indian team faced a 0-3 series defeat against New Zealand at home.
For the first time in Test history, India faced a clean sweep in a home series involving three or more matches. Following this defeat, the team suffered another setback against Australia, losing 1-3.
Why Was Abhishek Nayar Removed?
At the start of the year, BCCI appointed NCA and India A coach Sitanshu Kotak as the White Ball batting coach. Kotak joined Team India during the series against England.
In this scenario, a distinct role for assistant coach Abhishek Nayar was not materializing. Alongside Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate was also an assistant coach, while Morne Morkel was in charge of bowling. Even Gautam Gambhir, a former batsman himself, found the team overstaffed in terms of specific roles, possibly leading to Nayar's removal.
Source: aajtak
Gautam Gambhir plays a crucial role in appointing Team India's support staff, known to have included his close associates. Whenever Team India loses a series, Gambhir faces criticism, with experts opining that he gathered inexperienced support staff. Even Gambhir, lacking specialist coaching experience, stayed confined to franchise cricket. Test matches were unfamiliar territory for Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate.
During the Border-Gavaskar series, Gambhir's locker room remarks to the players leaked. Following the Melbourne Test defeat, Gambhir expressed dissatisfaction with team performance, urging improvement. Gambhir later denied reports of dressing room tension, dismissing them as mere speculations.
Has Gambhir's Influence on Coaching Staff Waned?
Rahul Dravid's stint as the head coach ended after the T20 World Cup 2024. Gambhir was appointed as India's new head coach on July 9, 2024. Upon taking charge, Gambhir incorporated a significant portion of his coaching staff from Kolkata Knight Riders, including Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate, and Morne Morkel (appointed bowling coach during Gambhir's mentorship at Lucknow Super Giants). This, possibly, led BCCI to intervene and prevent the formation of an internal lobby.
Questions Arise Due to Test Cricket Debacles
During Gambhir's tenure, the domestic Test series against New Zealand ended in a humiliating 0-3 loss in October-November 2024. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia, Team India struggled. While their white-ball performance remained reasonable, they faltered in red-ball Test cricket. This might be why the support staff faced a purge. Previously, India failed to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) finals in consecutive attempts. Fresh support staff may join Team India before the five-match series against England, commencing June 20. Their next challenge is the England series.
Why Did Fielding Coach T Dilip Face Criticism?
In recent times, Team India's fielding performance has been under scrutiny. During the BGT, vital catches were dropped, and run-out opportunities missed, affecting the team's prospects. Furthermore, concerns over fitness and injury management persisted. Several key players missed matches due to injuries, affecting team depth. Soham Desai faced blame for these shortcomings. In the series' final Test, Bumrah couldn't bowl in the second innings at Sydney.
