India coach Gautam Gambhir confirms Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as his assistants ahead of Sri Lanka tour

Gautam Gambhir on Monday confirmed Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate have joined the Indian team’s support staff as assistant coaches ahead of the tour of Sri Lanka.

Newly-appointed India head coach Gambhir added that a final decision on the support staff will be taken after the tour, while denying reports suggesting the BCCI had struck down several of his requests for the same.

Former all-rounders Nayar and ten Doeschate, who represented India and Netherlands respectively, follow Gambhir to the Indian dressing room after parting ways with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The trio, along with head coach Chandrakant Pandit, helped the Shreyas Iyer-led Knight Riders win the Indian Premier League for the third time earlier this year.

“Really happy with the BCCI. They have agreed with most of the things I have asked for. The crux of the support staff will remain what it is right now, but we will finalise it once the Sri Lanka tour is over. Yes, Abhishek (Nayar) is the assistant coach, and Ryan ten Doeschate is the assistant coach.

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“I personally feel there can be assistant coaches who can probably involve themselves more in all three departments rather than just focusing on one, and that is the reason why now we have two assistant coaches as well. And that is the way we go forward, and yes, you will get to know the exact support staff once the Sri Lanka tour is over,” Gambhir said in his first press conference as India head coach alongside chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Monday.

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Gambhir added that T Dilip and former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule will serve as fielding coach and bowling coach respectively for the upcoming tour, the former continuing in the role after having previously been part of the coaching staff led by Rahul Dravid.

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“Abhishek Nayar is there, Sairaj Bahutule is there, Dilip is there, and Ryan ten Doeschate is going to join in Colombo,” Gambhir added.

Former South Africa pacer Morne Morkel is reportedly set to replace Bahutule as India bowling coach on a full-time basis after the Sri Lanka tour. Morkel had worked alongside Gambhir at the Lucknow Super Giants support staff in the IPL and reportedly has the latter’s backing.

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India’s tour of Sri Lanka will be Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach after National Cricket Academy (NCA) Director VVS Laxman had filled in on a temporary basis in the tour of Zimbabwe earlier this month, in which a second-string Indian team led by Shubman Gill defeated the hosts 4-1 in a five-match T20I series.

India play three T20Is and as many ODIs in Sri Lanka between 27 July and 7 August.