Abhishek Nayar, T Dilip, Soham Desai likely to be removed from India men’s support staff: Sources

In a major development, Abhishek Nayar, T Dilip, and Soham Desai are likely to be removed from the India men’s cricket team support staff. Sources have also told a news agency that a team masseur, whose identity is yet to be known, has also been removed from the national set-up. 

Nayar had come on board as the Indian team assistant coach in July last year after leaving Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) while Dilip and Desai have been a part of the set-up from November 2021 and October 2020 respectively. The quartet had been a part of India's 2025 Champions Trophy triumph in an unbeaten campaign in Dubai.

“Some people in the Board had been saying about what’s the point of having so many people in men’s team support staff, especially after the debacle of Test series defeat in Australia. They had this view that with so many coaches there, the support staff of the men’s team gave a crowded look.”

“So, this can’t be called sacking, it’s just about giving the support staff a lean look. Also, this can’t make the likes of Nayar, Dilip and Desai as good or bad coaches, because they still have a lot more to offer to Indian cricket and shaping its future players,” said sources.

A lot of batters in the Indian team, including KL Rahul, had credited Nayar for the mindset shift to achieve success in white-ball cricket. The same optimistic response had come for Dilip, under whom the Indian team reached top-notch levels in fielding. The masseur in question is also believed to have been with the Indian team for a couple of years.

Sources have also said  that the responsibilities of Nayar and Dilip will be fully taken up by batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, who was the fielding coach in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the side where head coach Gautam Gambhir was the mentor before making the shift to the Indian team.

In place of Desai, the name of Adrian Le Roux has emerged as his replacement. Le Roux, currently the strength and conditioning coach of IPL side Punjab Kings after having a stint with KKR from 2008 to 2019, had previously been with the Indian team from 2002 to 2003 in the same capacity. India’s immediate international assignment will be a five-match Test tour of England, starting on June 20.

(This story was taken from a syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital team)