Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, confirmed that he will have two new assistants in Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, the duo he was associated with at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the Indian Premier League (IPL)’s 2024 edition.
“This is going to be the crux of the support staff, but there’s still one month after the Sri Lanka tour to finalise (others),” Gambhir said on Monday, just before the squad departed for three T20Is and three ODIs starting over the weekend.
“I have worked with people like Ryan and Abhishek in the last two months in the IPL, enjoyed working with them, thorough professionals. Hopefully we can have a successful tenure as coaches. Hearing good feedback about other guys as well.”
ten Doeschate.
Dilip reappointed
Besides the duo, T. Dilip has been reappointed as fielding coach while Sairaj Bahutule, who was a member of the support staff in Zimbabwe, will be the bowling coach in Zimbabwe.
Barring ten Doeschate - who will join the squad in Pallekele - the others travelled with the squad to Colombo on Monday.
It is understood that Dilip is likely to be the lone survivor from Rahul Dravid’s coaching staff while Morne Morkel is the front-runner for the bowling coach’s post.
Gambhir, one of the architects of India’s World T20 and World Cup triumphs in 2007 and 2011 respectively, took a lot of positives from his IPL mentorship stints and spelt out his coaching philosophy.
“My learning has been simple – it has been all about winning. I don’t deviate from something. We are in a profession where there can be only one winner. We try and play fair, we try and play hard and try and come back in a winning dressing room and a happy dressing room,” he said.
“A happy dressing room is a winning dressing room. Ultimately it is the players’ team, support staff is there to try and get the maximum out of their potential. Some days international cricket can be tough, can be insecure as well because only 15 can keep. It is the job of support staff to keep them happy.”
