Indian Cricket Team Support Staff May Seek New Roles Post-England Tour

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) may have to work overtime to get the support staff for the Indian team in order after the conclusion of the ongoing England tour. TOI understands that assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and fast bowling coach Morne Morkel are contemplating moving on from their respective roles once their contracts expire after the ODI series in England this month.

“Doeschate isn’t very sure of continuing with this job. He has conveyed his problems with travelling with the team throughout the year. Morkel is still weighing his options. The board is discussing the matter with the two coaches and will try to see if things can be sorted out,” a BCCI source told TOI.

The Indian team is due to leave for Sri Lanka for a two-Test series in the first week of Aug. Cricket head at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) VVS Laxman will take his CoE coaching staff with him for India’s three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe in the last week of July.

Sources said that Doeschate may be in talks with an IPL franchise, while Morkel hasn’t said anything firmly yet. Head coach Gautam Gambhir had handpicked these two coaches when he took charge in July 2024. The BCCI has always endorsed support staff coming through its coaching programme at the CoE. Last year, Abhishek Nayar was replaced by Sitanshu Kotak as batting coach.

If things aren’t resolved with Doeschate and Morkel, the BCCI may be forced to send Lakshmipathy Balaji, who was recently appointed as the fast bowling coach at the CoE, to Sri Lanka.

Fielding coach under fire

TOI has also learnt that fielding coach T Dilip is under pressure to save his job. The board is not happy with the team’s deteriorating fielding standards. Dilip got a reprieve last year after being sacked along with Nayar.