The newly appointed India head coach Gautam Gambhir is reportedly pushing for the inclusion of former Dutch cricketer Ryan ten Doeschate into the team’s coaching staff. Ryan ten Doeschate recently collaborated with Gambhir at the Kolkata Knight Riders, where he contributed as the team’s fielding coach during their victorious 2024 campaign. Beyond his role with KKR, Ten Doeschate holds multiple positions within the franchise’s subsidiaries, including in the Caribbean Premier League, Major League Cricket, and ILT20.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Gambhir, who has requested a free hand in managing the team, wants the 44-year-old Dutch as one of his key associates. However, the final decision rests with the BCCI, which has recently favoured hiring only Indian personnel for coaching roles.

Earlier, reports claimed that Abhishek Nayar, a former India all-rounder and integral part of the KKR backroom team, is likely to join Gambhir’s team as an assistant coach.

The ongoing deliberation revolves around the role Ryan ten Doeschate could potentially take up if selected but the BCCI wants to retain T Dilip, a member of Rahul Dravid’s existing coaching team, for the position of fielding coach, the report added.

Ten Doeschate, who played under Gambhir’s captaincy between 2011 and 2015, won two IPL titles with KKR during his time with the franchise.

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