Cricket

Gautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach of the Indian men's cricket team has hit a rough patch, with the team suffering a humiliating whitewash in a home Test series against New Zealand. This setback comes after a disappointing ODI series loss to the same opposition.Gambhir, who took over from the highly successful Rahul Dravid in July, was expected to continue the team's winning ways. However, the team's recent performances have raised concerns about his coaching abilities.One of the main challenges facing Gambhir is the lack of experience in coaching at the First Class or international level. Despite this, he was given a long-term contract and allowed to handpick his coaching staff.The team's poor performance has led to murmurs of discontent within the squad, with some players reportedly unhappy with the coaching staff's methods. However, captain Rohit Sharma has defended Gambhir and his team, emphasizing the need for players to support the coaching staff."The coaching staff have been good. They have just come in. It's not been a lot of time for them. They are also understanding how this team operates, and how the player operates," Sharma said after India's loss in the third Test."It's the players' responsibility to make their job or make their life easier because it's never easy for anyone to come in and start doing what they are doing because there are a lot of different individuals here and they operate slightly differently."Gambhir has admitted that the team's recent losses are a setback, but he remains confident in his ability to turn things around."I never expected a very easy run for me because international cricket is never easy and I believe that. I know that we lost in Sri Lanka, we have lost at home as well against New Zealand. It's not a great place to be in but all we can do is be honest to ourselves and keep working hard."Gambhir's coaching staff includes Paras Mhambrey, who was an integral member of Dravid's coaching team. Mhambrey has said that it took him and his colleagues almost a year to get used to the methods of the various individuals in the Indian team.With the team set to tour Australia for a two-month Test series, Gambhir will be under immense pressure to deliver results. The Border Gavaskar Trophy will be followed by a limited overs leg culminating with the ICC Champions Trophy.

Former Indian batsman Pravin Amre is set to part ways with the Delhi Capitals (DC) after a nine-year stint as assistant coach. The franchise has recently revamped its coaching staff, appointing Hemang Badani as head coach and Venugopal Rao as director of cricket.Amre's departure is said to be mutual, with the franchise owners appreciating his contributions to the team's development. His four-year contract has come to an end, and while GMR, the company running the team for the next two years, may offer him a new role, it is unlikely to be directly with the Delhi Capitals.Amre joined DC in 2015 as an assistant coach and domestic talent scout. He played a key role in identifying and nurturing several Indian players, including Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Khaleel Ahmed, and Prithvi Shaw. He served as a bridge between domestic players and former head coach Ricky Ponting, helping them adapt to the IPL environment.Since July 2023, Amre has been the head coach of the Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket in the USA. He has also coached Mumbai to three Ranji Trophy titles, served as India A coach, and was the chief selector for India Under-19s.Amre's departure marks the end of an era for the Delhi Capitals. His contributions to the team's success and the development of young Indian players will be remembered.

Ryan ten Doeschate, the former Netherlands allrounder, has joined the Indian coaching staff as an assistant coach. He will be working alongside Abhishek Nayar under the leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir. Ten Doeschate's primary focus will be on improving India's batting against spin bowling, an area that has been a concern for the team in recent times.India lost 27 wickets to spin in the recently concluded three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka, the most any team has lost to this variety of bowling in a three-match series. Captain Rohit Sharma admitted that this was an area that needed to be addressed.Ten Doeschate believes that India's focus on performing well overseas has led to a decline in their ability to play spin, which was once a strength of the team. He aims to help India regain their status as the best players of spin in the world.The 44-year-old ten Doeschate has been active in the coaching circuit since his retirement in 2021. He has worked with Kent, Kolkata Knight Riders, and LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Indian team.Ten Doeschate emphasizes that his focus will be on preparation and mindset rather than technical aspects. He believes that the Indian players have the technical skills but need to improve their situational awareness and mental approach to playing spin.Ten Doeschate is excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Indian team. He is confident that he can make a positive contribution to the team's success in the upcoming home season and beyond.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is actively seeking new support staff for the senior men's team, following the appointment of Gautam Gambhir as head coach. Gambhir has expressed his eagerness to finalize his coaching team promptly, but his proposed candidates have reportedly faced resistance from the board.Gambhir had suggested R Vinay Kumar, Morne Morkel, Abhishek Nayar, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Jonty Rhodes, and Laxmipathy Balaji for various roles. However, the BCCI has reportedly rejected all of these suggestions except for Abhishek Nayar, who currently serves as assistant coach for the Kolkata Knight Riders.The board's reluctance to accept Gambhir's recommendations stems from a departure from past practices. Previously, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid were granted autonomy in selecting their coaching staff. However, the BCCI appears to be taking a more hands-on approach with Gambhir.Sources indicate that the BCCI is keen on appointing Zaheer Khan as the next bowling coach. Khan, a legendary left-arm pacer, boasts an impressive record of 311 Test wickets and 610 international wickets across all formats. His vast experience and expertise make him a highly sought-after candidate.Balaji's name was also reportedly considered, but the board ultimately decided against his appointment. The former Indian pacer has represented the country in eight Test matches and 30 ODIs, claiming 27 and 34 wickets respectively.Paras Mahambrey's tenure as bowling coach under Rahul Dravid has concluded. As for the fielding coach position, T Dilip's contract may be extended.The BCCI's decision to reject Gambhir's proposed coaching staff has raised questions about the level of autonomy granted to the new head coach. It remains to be seen how this will impact Gambhir's ability to shape the team's future and achieve success on the international stage.

Delhi Capitals Eye Former World Cup Winners for Coaching StaffAfter parting ways with Ricky Ponting, the Delhi Capitals (DC) are reportedly seeking to bolster their coaching and support staff with two former World Cup winners. The franchise is aiming to revamp its team ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.Sources close to DC have indicated that Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly is unlikely to assume the coaching role. Instead, the team is searching for an individual who actively follows the cricket circuit, similar to Gautam Gambhir."Ganguly has numerous responsibilities as Director of Cricket. The team requires a hands-on coach who closely monitors the circuit, like Gautam Gambhir," said an anonymous source to News 18. "His success as a mentor is not surprising."DC is determined to avoid a stop-gap arrangement for the head coach position, especially after the mega auction that will initiate a new cycle. A meeting between DC's higher-ups is scheduled after the conclusion of the ongoing Major League Cricket season in the USA.Despite reaching the IPL final in 2020, the Capitals have struggled to qualify for the playoffs since then. They finished sixth among 10 teams in IPL 2024.However, three DC players played key roles in India's victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign: Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel. All three are likely to be retained by DC ahead of the mega auction, along with Australian star Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Gautam Gambhir's Coaching Staff: BCCI Considers Ryan ten DoeschateFollowing his appointment as India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir has reportedly requested the inclusion of former Netherlands international Ryan ten Doeschate in his support staff. This move would mark a slight deviation from the BCCI's recent emphasis on Indian coaches.Ten Doeschate has been a vocal supporter of Gambhir, describing him as a "thorough professional" dedicated to team goals. The Dutchman previously served as Gambhir's assistant during the latter's tenure as mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where they won the 2024 Indian Premier League title. Ten Doeschate held the role of fielding coach for KKR and is also involved with the franchise's teams in the Caribbean Premier League and Major League Cricket.According to Cricbuzz, the BCCI is currently discussing ten Doeschate's potential appointment. However, the board is keen to retain T Dilip as the fielding coach. This could lead to ten Doeschate being considered for a different role within the coaching setup.Another member of Gambhir's KKR coaching staff, Abhishek Nayar, is also being considered for the role of India's assistant coach. Nayar served as KKR's batting coach during the 2024 IPL season.If Gambhir and the BCCI are successful in securing both Nayar and ten Doeschate, it would create a significant void in KKR's coaching setup. Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as India's head coach last week after Dravid's tenure ended with India's victory in the T20 World Cup.