Following the request from former India player Abhishek Nayar to be appointed as an assistant coach, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir is now seeking to include another ex-teammate in his coaching staff for the Men in Blue. Gambhir has expressed a desire for Netherlands all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate to join him as he begins his tenure with Team India during the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
This decision follows the conclusion of Rahul Dravid’s coaching period, which ended after the T20 World Cup 2024 where India secured an ICC trophy after an 11-year drought. With Dravid’s departure, Gambhir was chosen as the new coach by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah.
Gambhir had initially wanted Abhishek Nayar to serve as his batting coach and has now requested Ryan Ten Doeschate’s appointment, according to Cricbuzz. Ten Doeschate, who played alongside Gambhir at Kolkata Knight Riders, has experience working with various Knight Riders franchises globally. Last year, a video circulated online where Gambhir praised ten Doeschate’s qualities as a teammate, highlighting his selflessness and reliability.
Gautam Gambhir named as Team India head coach
Gambhir stated, “When I talk about selflessness, I have never said this in 42 years of my career. And I wanted to say this. The greatest team man I ever played with, the most selfless human being, someone I can take a bullet for, someone who I can trust for life.”
He added: “I can tell you this because in 2011, my first game as a KKR captain, we only had four overseas (players) available. And this man had a fabulous 50-over World Cup. And we went in that game with only three overseas players. He was carrying drinks in that game with no disappointment on his face. He taught me selflessness.”
This strong endorsement underscores Gambhir’s respect and admiration for ten Doeschate, reflecting his desire to build a coaching team based on trust and camaraderie. As Gambhir embarks on his new role, his strategic choices in selecting his coaching staff will be crucial in shaping the future performance and dynamics of the Indian cricket team.
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