The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly sacked assistant coach Abhishek Nayar following India’s disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The national side lost the Test series 3-1 to Australia and missed out on qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 final at Lord’s.
As per reports, the BCCI has also released fielding coach T Dilip and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai after the end of their three-year contracts with the national team. The decision marks a significant shake-up in the coaching setup under head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Varun Chakravarthy Backs Abhishek Nayar
Among all Indian cricketers, only star spinner Varun Chakravarthy publicly showed support for Nayar. He posted a photo with the outgoing assistant coach on his Instagram Story, highlighting the respect and admiration Nayar commands within the cricketing fraternity.
Dressing Room Tensions?
Reports suggest that tensions grew within the dressing room after India’s poor showing in the fourth Test in Melbourne. Gambhir, known for his no-nonsense approach, reportedly addressed the team firmly. At a press conference before the Sydney Test, Gambhir stated:
“Those are just reports, that’s not the truth. There were some honest words, and honesty is extremely important if you want to achieve great things.”
KKR Connection Under Scrutiny
According to sources, both Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, another assistant coach, came under BCCI scrutiny earlier this year. The board was reportedly concerned about the growing “KKR influence” in the Indian team management, as both coaches were part of the Kolkata Knight Riders setup, where Gambhir served as mentor.
Notably, KKR won the IPL 2024 title under Gambhir’s mentorship.
BCCI’s Policy on Support Staff Tenure
The BCCI has reiterated that support staff members will be rotated after completing a three-year tenure with the Indian cricket team. While Dilip and Desai were let go for completing their terms, Nayar’s removal comes just eight months after joining the setup during the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.
What’s Next?
With several positions in the coaching staff now vacant, the BCCI is expected to bring in fresh names ahead of the next international series. As India eyes key tournaments like the 2025 WTC Final and ICC events, the focus will now be on rebuilding a strong backroom unit.
Stay tuned for official updates from the BCCI on the appointments and future changes in the Indian team’s support staff.
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