Gambhir Proposes Ryan Ten Doeschate For Indian Cricket Team's Coaching Staff

Gautam Gambhir, the newly appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, has made an unexpected request to include Ryan ten Doeschate in his support staff. This move is notable as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently favoured Indian personnel for coaching roles, according to Cricbuzz.

A video featuring Gambhir praising ten Doeschate has gone viral on social media. In it, Gambhir describes ten Doeschate as "the most selfless human being" he has ever met and someone he would even be willing to take a bullet for. "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. 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 into that game with only three overseas players. He was carrying drinks in that game with no disappointment on his face. He taught me selflessness. Ryan ten Doeschate," Gambhir says in the video, shot at a KKR function last season.

Gambhir's request includes giving him autonomy in managing the team and appointing the 44-year-old former Dutch international as one of his associates. Ten Doeschate has previously worked with Gambhir at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), serving as the fielding coach during their championship-winning 2024 season. He also holds various roles within KKR's subsidiaries in the Caribbean Premier League, Major League Cricket, and ILT20.

The current discussion revolves around what position ten Doeschate might fill if considered by the BCCI. The board reportedly wants to keep T Dilip from Rahul Dravid's outgoing staff as the fielding coach. In this case, ten Doeschate could be brought on as an assistant coach.

However, there is a complication: Abhishek Nayar is also expected to join Team Gambhir and is being considered for a similar assistant coach role rather than a specialised batting coach position. Some adjustments may be necessary if the BCCI decides to bring ten Doeschate on board.

If ten Doeschate joins the Indian team, KKR will lose at least three members of its coaching staff that contributed to their IPL victory this year.

Those familiar with Gambhir say he prefers to work closely with people he trusts implicitly. This preference is evident from his praise for ten Doeschate and his desire to include him in his coaching team.

The decision by BCCI regarding ten Doeschate's inclusion will significantly impact both the Indian cricket team's coaching dynamics and KKR's future strategies.