BCCI cracks whip, Abhishek Nayar, fielding coach, sacked after disappointing Australia Tour

MUMBAI: Following a disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 against Australia, India has decided to remove assistant coach Abhishek Nayar and fielding coach T Dilip.

BCCI sources said that assistant batting coach Abhishek Nayar, fielding coach T Dilip, and Strength and Conditioning coach Soham Desai have been removed following India’s poor performance in the BGT series and alleged dressing room leaks.

India conceded a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and lost the opportunity to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s. Skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli were criticised for an underwhelming Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign and a very disappointing 2024/25 season of Test cricket overall.

Sharma (31 runs in three matches and five innings at an average of 6.20) and Virat Kohli (190 runs in five matches and nine innings at an average of 23.75 with a century) lacked big time with the bat. Virat fell for the outside-off-stump trap throughout the series, most notably by pacer Scott Boland, who dismissed him four times.

India began the series with a historic win in Perth, but failed to sustain their momentum and lost the series 1-3. Abhishek Nayar’s role was scrutinised as the Board was not happy with the apparent ‘Kolkata Knight Riders touch’ in the team management.

Former Indian all-rounder Abhishek Nayar and former Netherlands star Ryan Ten Doeschate joined Team India’s support staff as assistant coaches during the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. Nayar and Doeschate were also assistant coaches at KKR and worked with Gambhir.

In January, BCCI also issued strict guidelines for the Senior Men’s Cricket Team, aiming to enhance discipline, streamline logistics, and promote team unity during domestic and international tours.

The new guidelines include travel, baggage limits, family visits, and team dynamics. Players are expected to travel with the team for all matches and practice sessions. Separate travel arrangements with families are discouraged to maintain discipline and team cohesion. Any exceptions must be pre-approved by the head coach and chairman of the selection committee. (ANI)