BCCI Rings the Changes: Abhishek Nayar, T Dilip, Soham Desai Let Go Ahead of England Tour

In a significant shake-up just weeks before India’s crucial tour of England, the BCCI has parted ways with multiple members of its coaching and support staff. Assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, fielding coach T Dilip, and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai have all been relieved of their duties.

While changes in personnel aren’t unheard of, the timing and the underlying reasons are raising eyebrows. Following India’s series loss to Australia earlier this year, the team’s dressing room dynamics came under an unusual amount of scrutiny. Leaks from within the camp made headlines, including reports about a senior player allegedly pushing to be named interim captain, and claims that head coach Gautam Gambhir blamed batter Sarfaraz Khan for the media leaks. According to a report in Dainik Jagran, the BCCI had recently circulated an internal notice stating that any support staff serving the team for over three years would be evaluated for replacement. Both Dilip and Desai fall into that category, having completed three years with the national setup. 

Interestingly, no direct replacements will be made for Nayar and Dilip. Domestic cricket stalwart Sitanshu Kotak, who recently took over as batting coach, will remain part of the staff, while Ryan ten Doeschate, currently the assistant coach of Team India, is expected to shoulder the fielding duties previously handled by Dilip. Desai’s responsibilities will now be taken over by Adrian Le Roux, a seasoned South African fitness expert who has prior experience with both Kolkata Knight Riders and the Indian national team. Le Roux, currently part of the Punjab Kings setup in the IPL, is expected to link up with the national team once the tournament concludes. 

What’s particularly surprising is Nayar’s exit. The former all-rounder, known for his behind-the-scenes work developing talent during his KKR stint, was brought in due to strong backing from several senior players. His current contract was due to run until August, and there’s been no official word from the board explaining the early termination. 

With a five-Test marathon awaiting the Indian team in English conditions this summer, the shake-up could either be seen as a fresh start or an untimely disruption. Either way, all eyes will be on how the new support setup gels with the squad as they prepare for one of the toughest assignments in the cricket calendar. 

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