The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is currently navigating the selection of new support staff following Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as the senior men’s team’s new head coach. Gambhir has been proactive in proposing several names for various coaching roles, but the board has reportedly approved only one of his suggestions so far, which is Abhishek Nayar, currently serving as Kolkata Knight Riders’ assistant coach.
However, Gambhir’s suggestions for other roles, including R Vinay Kumar, Morne Morkel, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Jonty Rhodes, and Laxmipathy Balaji, have not met with the board’s agreement. Specifically, the BCCI is reportedly keen on appointing Zaheer Khan as the next bowling coach, recognizing his stellar career and experience as one of India’s premier pacers.
Regarding Laxmipathy Balaji, discussions have occurred due to his prior experience representing India in Tests and ODIs. Meanwhile, Paras Mhambrey’s tenure as the bowling coach has ended with Rahul Dravid’s term as head coach, leaving the position open for a new appointment. T Dilip, the current fielding coach, may see his tenure extended as discussions continue.
As Gambhir and the BCCI work through these decisions, the focus remains on assembling a cohesive coaching staff to support the Indian team across formats effectively.