BCCI Set to Remove Abhishek Nayar & T Dilip

Gautam Gambhir, BCCI, Abhishek Nayar, T Dilip, Morne Morkel, Rahul Dravid

March 27, 2025

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BCCI Set to Remove Abhishek Nayar & T Dilip from Gautam Gambir’s Support Staff

As per the latest turn of events, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning to trim the current Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir’s support staff.

Abhishek Nayar and T Dilip may soon be axed as Assistant Coach and Fielding Coach respectively, before the England tour slated to happen in June.

Team India’s duo could soon be asked to pack their bags as the BCCI is seriously considering trimming head coach Gautam Gambhir’s support staff.

According to a report published in Dainik Jagran, BCCI does not want to keep the jumbo support staff of the men’s team going forward. The decision in all likelihood will be finalized in a high-profile meeting. This meeting will take place in Guwahati on March 29 amongst the presence of BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir.

When Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach, he became the first one to bring two assistant coaches and a bowling coach with him. Breaking away from the full-Indian support staff during Ravi Shastri and Dravid’s tenure, India roped in Ryan ten Doeschate and Abhishek Nayar as assistant coaches.

Gautam Gambhir, BCCI, Abhishek Nayar, T Dilip, Morne Morkel, Rahul Dravid

At the same time, Morne Morkel took over the bowing coach’s responsibility from the previous one, Paras Mhambrey.

After India lost at home against New Zealand and were beaten by Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the BCCI appointed NCA and A team coach Sitanshu Kotak as the senior team’s batting coach.

Nayar, ten Doeschate, Morkel, Dilip and Kotak were all part of the coaching staff in India’s Champions Trophy-winning campaign.

Notably, India’s relatively big-sized support staff doesn’t end there.

Apart from the designated coaches, the team also has 3 specialists, two therapists, two physiotherapists, team doctor, security and operations manager and a few logistical and media managers. The team is rather huge.

However, there will be no impact on these positions and are unlikely to be changed. But the same may not be true for Nayar and Dilip. With Kotak already there as the batting coach and Morkel taking over the responsibility of the bowlers, the board feels there is no need of an additional assistant coach and a fielding coach.

Gautam Gambhir, BCCI, Abhishek Nayar, T Dilip, Morne Morkel, Rahul Dravid

In his absence, ten Doeschate can take over the fielding coach’s responsibility.

My Perspective:

Someone like Abhisekh Nayar going might not make big difference in the Indian team setup but T Dilip’s removal could surely impact, as he has been with team since the last 3 years.

Right from Rahul Dravid’s tenure, the concept of ‘fielding medal’ was introduced by him, which is visible in the videos on social media, where the best fielder in every match gets a reward. He has done wonders with the men in blue as their fielding coach.

In the recent months, India has done exceedingly well in white-ball cricket, winning two ICC tournaments one after the other in a relatively short duration. But their Test performance has completely downgraded.

Post the IPL, India’s next assignment is the five-match Test series against England in June. The board wants the entire support staff, selectors and the players to take the A tour rather seriously and turnaround the performance of the past.

By: Tulika Agarwal