The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly contemplating the inclusion of a dedicated batting coach to bolster Team India’s support staff. While no official confirmation has been given, sources from Cricbuzz suggest that the idea is gaining traction within the board and the team management. The push for this addition follows India’s recent setbacks in Test series against Australia (away) and New Zealand (home), which have highlighted areas for improvement.
According to reports, the BCCI has been exploring various options for the role, with former domestic cricket stalwarts being considered for the position. However, a final decision is yet to be made. The move comes after India’s disappointing 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this month, despite a strong start with a win in the first Test at Perth. There were also reports of rising tensions between head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma during the Australian tour, which added to the concerns about the team’s performance.
Current Coaching Staff Under Scrutiny
Team India’s existing support staff includes Morne Morkel as the bowling coach, Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches, T Dilip as the fielding coach, and Gautam Gambhir as the head coach. However, there has been growing scrutiny, particularly regarding the batting performances of key players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both players, who are pivotal to India’s batting lineup, have struggled with similar patterns of dismissals, with Kohli’s form being especially concerning, leading to questions about the current coaching structure.
Review Meeting Sparks Discussion on Batting Concerns
The need for a stronger coaching setup was discussed during a review meeting held in Mumbai on January 11. While the specifics of the discussions remain unclear, there have been significant suggestions to add a specialist batting coach to the team. While the underperformance of Kohli and Sharma has garnered most of the attention, the overall batting struggles of the team in Tests seem to have pushed the BCCI towards considering this change.
Focus Shifts to Limited-Overs Cricket
As Team India prepares to face England later this month in five T20Is and three ODIs, the focus will shift to limited-overs cricket. The upcoming Champions Trophy, scheduled for February-March, will also keep the fifty-over format in the spotlight for the coming months. The BCCI’s move to strengthen the coaching department could prove crucial as India gears up for these upcoming challenges.
