Mumbai: BCCI has removed two key members of Team India’s coaching staff — assistant coach Abhishek Nayar and fielding coach T Dilip. The BCCI has also decided to part ways with strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai, who will be replaced by Adrian Le Roux, who is set for his second stint with the Indian team.
Le Roux is currently part of the Punjab Kings’ support staff in IPL 2025. TOI has learnt that BCCI made the call following a review meeting held on Jan 11 in Mumbai in the aftermath of India’s Test series defeats — a 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand and a 1-3 loss in Australia.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India’s Champions Trophy triumph in March in the UAE wasn’t enough to save the ousted support staff. Nayar, a former India and Mumbai allrounder, was brought into the setup last year at the behest of head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had been impressed with Nayar’s work at Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL 2024 champions. Dilip, India’s long-serving fielding coach from Rahul Dravid’s tenure, was the only member of the previous staff retained after Gambhir took over.
Le Roux, a South African, was the strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team during John Wright’s tenure in the early 2000s, before he joined the South African men’s side.
From 2008 to 2019, he was with the Kolkata Knight Riders, before moving to the Punjab Kings.
“Le Roux’s appointment could have been at the behest of chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who was part of the Indian team when the South African served as the trainer. Nayar’s contract runs till May 31. He, Dilip and Desai will not be with the Indian team from the England tour onwards. All three have been informed of the decision by BCCI,” a source told TOI.
Nayar’s position appeared to be in jeopardy after the debacle in the Australia series, especially with BCCI appointing Sitanshu Kotak as the new batting coach.
Still, the board’s decision to sack Nayar is surprising as he hasn’t even completed a year in the role. Notably, India’s white-ball wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul has credited Nayar for the resurgence in his limitedovers game and continues to train with him in Mumbai.
Nayar also shares a close rapport with India’s Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma. He was brought into the national setup after earning widespread praise for his work with young Indian players as assistant coach of KKR, a franchise that has recently produced several national team players.
Dilip gained attention during his tenure for initiating the post-match “fielding medal” ceremony in the Indian dressing room. His duties will now be handled by assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of India’s coaching structure following the loss in Australia.
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar had publicly questioned the role of the coaching staff after the series.
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