Ryan ten Doeschate to Leave India Coach Role After England ODI Series

Assistant Coach Ryan ten Doeschate Seeks Exit From Indian Cricket Setup

LONDON, England — The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) faces another high-profile vacancy in its backroom staff as national team assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has formally requested to step down from his position. The former Netherlands captain has communicated his desire to vacate the role upon the conclusion of India’s ongoing One-Day International (ODI) series against England, which concludes at Lord's on July 19.

The impending departure marks the end of ten Doeschate’s initial two-year agreement with the national board, which concluded in mid-July. According to details reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI) and Cricbuzz, the 45-year-old tactician has expressed a preference to transition back toward franchise cricket and domestic arrangements, citing the intense travel demands associated with the international circuit.

Ten Doeschate’s decision is heavily influenced by domestic commitments, as his family remains permanently based in London. With three young sons at home and a working spouse, the grueling ten-month annual travel itinerary required by the Indian men's national team has prompted him to seek a more stable, less demanding scheduling environment.

Beyond personal factors, institutional insiders indicate that organizational friction regarding his portfolio played a significant role in his decision. Ten Doeschate was initially brought into the national setup under the impression that he would eventually transition into the role of specialist fielding coach. However, structural adjustments within the backroom staff stalled this progression.

While multiple members of the support staff were scheduled for departure following the 2025 Champions Trophy, incumbent fielding coach T. Dilip secured a one-year contract extension, reportedly backed by strong recommendations from a senior member of the playing squad. This extension left ten Doeschate functioning as an all-round assistant coach without a distinct, clearly defined domain or technical portfolio to oversee.

A senior BCCI source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, provided clarity on the administrative overlap to PTI:

"You have Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach, and there's Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) himself to look after the batters. Morne Morkel is in charge of pacers, and Sairaj Bahutule looks after the spinners. When 'Tendo' was brought on board, he was promised the fielding coach's job. Dilip was supposed to be removed. However, a strong recommendation came from a senior player and Dilip got a one-year extension. Tendo actually didn't have any specific domain role. He is a fantastic coach, who hasn't been used because Dilip is there."

The final administrative authorization to accept or decline the resignation rests with head coach Gautam Gambhir. Given the deep personal and professional history between the two, having won multiple Indian Premier League (IPL) championships together at the Kolkata Knight Riders—cricket analysts consider it highly unlikely that Gambhir will block his colleague's request to return to his family.

Gambhir has frequently lauded the former Dutch international's character in past statements, previously describing him as "the most selfless human being" and "the greatest team man" he had ever played alongside during their shared competitive careers.

The structural vacancy arrives at a demanding juncture for the Indian men's national squad. Following the previous exit of batting coach Abhishek Nayar after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, ten Doeschate’s departure represents the second major alteration to Gambhir’s primary backroom unit inside a year.

Furthermore, the coaching transition coincides with heightened scrutiny surrounding India's defensive standards. The national team’s fielding performance has faced mounting criticism from commentators and administrators alike, following a difficult tour of the United Kingdom where the team suffered consecutive setbacks.

The BCCI is expected to review the broader structure of its coaching assembly before finalising travel arrangements for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. While the board remains highly interested in retaining elite international talent, ten Doeschate is reportedly well advanced in positive discussions with at least one IPL franchise regarding a domestic coaching appointment ahead of the next T20 cycle.