Winds of change are blowing in Indian cricket. Fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate are no longer part of the set-up. If a report is to be believed, more changes are likely. This time, fingers are likely being pointed at the fitness experts associated with the Indian team. Several players like Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and others have been injured in recent times. In fact, injuries to key players have often affected the team combination. India’s recent losses in England and Ireland have magnified the problems.
A report in TOI has said the team management will provide ‘feedback’ on physiotherapist Kamlesh Jain, who has been with the side since taking over from Nitin Patel in 2022. The report added that several discussions regarding the subject has taken. Captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir are reportedly ‘displeased’ with the frequent breakdowns.
“The role of head physio Kamlesh Jain is under the scanner, as is that of the experts at the CoE. These injury concerns aren’t ideal because both the captain and coach have regularly struggled to field a full-strength Playing XI. How can one think about the right playing combination when even the 15 isn’t their first choice?” the report quoted a source as saying.
“There is so much competition for each spot that a player is expected to push his body. This is where the support staff and the CoE need to step in. They need to raise the red flags and not rush players back into action. The situation is now becoming a bit embarrassing, and every concerned person needs to be held accountable. Was Nitish Reddy 100% fit when he played the third ODI against Afghanistan? Was Harshit rushed back? These are some very valid questions that require explanations.”
Meanwhile, outgoing India fielding coach T Dilip on Monday penned an emotional farewell note as his time with the national men’s team came to an end, saying that the journey meant a lot to him and admitting that he found it difficult to find the right words to sum up his successful five-year tenure.
Dilip, who joined the team in November 2021, has left the Indian set-up after his contract was not renewed following India’s T20I tour of Zimbabwe. In his place, Subhadeep Ghosh has taken charge as the fielding coach and will travel with the team to Sri Lanka for the two-game series starting on August 15.
“Five years. It’s difficult to find the right words for a journey that has meant so much. When I first walked into this setup, I came in with one simple intention: to give everything I had every single day. Fielding has always been my way of contributing to the game I love, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have played a part in this team’s journey,” wrote Dilip on his Instagram account on Monday.
