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Taking a shocking decision, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has removed fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar from the Indian team's coaching staff. BCCI has taken this action after India's humiliating defeat in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.
According to media reports, by removing the coaching staff and many other members, the BCCI has given a strict warning that the performance of the Indian team in Tests cannot be ignored.
Abhishek became assistant coach eight months ago
Abhishek was appointed as the assistant coach just eight months ago when Gautam Gambhir took over as the head coach. However, he has now been relieved of his responsibilities as the assistant coach.
Along with him, fielding coach T. Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai have also been sacked. Apart from this, a staff member who used to massage the players in the team has also been sacked.
Abhishek worked with Gambhir in KKR
Rahul Dravid's tenure ended after the T20 World Cup 2024. After this, BCCI appointed Gambhir as the head coach. Gambhir had associated his teammates from Kolkata Knight Riders with the team as his assistants.
Before becoming the head coach of the Indian team, Gambhir was the mentor of KKR and at that time Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate were the support staff in the same team. Morne Morkel had worked with Gambhir in Lucknow Super Giants. He was holding the post of fielding coach since the time of Dravid.
Replacement for Abhishek and Dilip
The BCCI has not announced permanent replacements as per reports. However, the transition is already underway. Sitanshu Kotak, currently with the team setup, will continue in his role. Ryan ten Doeschate will handle fielding duties in place of Dilip. For fitness and conditioning, Adrian Le Roux who is currently with Punjab Kings will fill in for Desai.
India's performance in Border Gavaskar Trophy
Team India struggled in the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. They were inconsistent on both the batting and bowling fronts as the Aussies dominated. The failure was not just about the scoreboard, but the manner in which the team collapsed under pressure.
The result of this loss prompted the BCCI to introspect, and a shake-up the support staff.
The Indian team is set to play a five-match Test series against England starting June 20. They will want to bounce back with the new restructured support staff.