In a decisive move reflecting its dissatisfaction with recent performances, the BCCI has taken stern action following India’s slide in the closing stages of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle. Assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has been shown the door just eight months into his stint, marking a significant shift in the team’s support setup.
India, once on track for a third consecutive WTC final appearance, saw their campaign unravel with six losses in their last ten Test matches. Among the most glaring setbacks was a historic 0-3 whitewash at home by New Zealand. However, the final blow came with India’s failure to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, a loss that officially ended their WTC final ambitions.
In the aftermath, the BCCI conducted a review meeting and reportedly implemented sweeping changes behind the scenes. The overhaul comes ahead of the team’s next challenge—the upcoming World Test Championship cycle, which begins with a five-Test series in England this June.
While head coach Gautam Gambhir, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate have managed to retain their positions, several others were not as fortunate. “Abhishek Nayar along with fielding coach T Dilip strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai have also been let go of.”
Adding to the shifting tides, murmurs within the cricketing circles suggest the board is contemplating a significant revamp of its annual player retainership structure. This could lead to high-profile players either being dropped from the list or downgraded to a lower category.
Though the BCCI is yet to issue an official statement, multiple reports hint at various internal concerns and performance-based evaluations as key factors behind these strategic changes in the coaching staff.
