Ryan ten Doeschate steps down as assistant coach of India
Ryan ten Doeschate has stepped down as India men’s assistant coach, ending his two-year stint with the national team, India Today has learnt.
Ten Doeschate’s last assignment was India’s white-ball tour of England, where he informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his decision to quit, despite being offered an extension until 2027 by the BCCI, impressed by his contribution to the team’s success.
Although the BCCI wanted to retain him, the former Dutch all-rounder declined the offer citing personal reasons. With a young family, Ten Doeschate decided to step back from the demands of international cricket and his relentless travel schedule to spend more time with his loved ones.
The Indian coaching staff also underwent another change, with fielding coach T Dilip parting ways with the national team after his tenure ended. As a result, he will not be traveling with the team for the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Ten Doeschate’s departure comes ahead of India’s next task, three-Test series against Sri Lanka starting on August 15. BCCI is now expected to finalize Gautam Gambhir’s support staff before the team leaves for the tour.
Ten Doeschate joined the Indian coaching staff in July 2024 after Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as head coach following India’s T20 World Cup triumph. After working closely with Gambhir during their successful stint with Kolkata Knight Riders, the former Dutch all-rounder has been brought into the national set-up alongside bowling coach Morne Morkel.
During his tenure, Ten Doeschate worked in several departments, assisting with batting practice, fielding and tactical planning, despite not having a dedicated coach. India won the 2025 Asia Cup and successfully defended the Men’s T20 World Cup during his tenure in 2026, although the Test side had a tough time, losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia before suffering series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa.
India have since completed their T20I tour of Zimbabwe under interim head coach VVS Laxman leading the second string to a 3-0 series lead. Gambhir is set to return for the Tests in Sri Lanka, with the departure of Ten Doeschate leaving a vacancy in the coaching group ahead of the August 15 opener.
WHY DID THE DOESCHATE RESIGN?
An earlier report by PTI said that Tjw.org en Doschate was increasingly frustrated by the lack of clarity around his duties within the Indian coaching set-up. He is believed to have accepted the role after receiving assurances that he would eventually become India’s specialist fielding coach, a position previously held by T Dilip.
Instead, Ten Doeschate remained a versatile assistant coach without a clearly defined portfolio. Although the BCCI wanted to keep him beyond his current contract, he is believed to have decided that the England tour will be his last assignment with the Indian team.
His exit also comes at a time when the make-up of Gambhir’s support staff remains under review, with the futures of Dilip and bowling coach Morne Morkel yet to be finalised.
WHAT’S NEXT AFTER THAT DOESCHATE?
The 45-year-old is expected to return to the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders, where he enjoyed a long association as both a player and a coach.
That Doeschate was part of the KKR team that won the title in 2012 and 2014 before returning as the fielding coach in 2022. He remained in the Kolkata outfit until joining the Indian team in 2024 following Gambhir’s appointment as head coach.
A return to the franchise would also reunite him with Abhishek Nayar, with whom he previously worked at KKR and briefly in the Indian setup. Meanwhile, the BCCI is expected to replenish its coaching staff ahead of the Test series in Sri Lanka, India’s first red-ball assignment since the England tour.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
28 Jul 2026 17:34 IST