It’s now common knowledge that Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate wants to leave his role and has informed the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) about the same. However, a new detail has now emerged: the former Netherlands all-rounder has decided to leave due to unfulfilled promises. The Indian board prefers to retain ten Doeschate over fielding coach T Dilip, but still, the former is exploring his options. Dilip’s performances have reportedly come under scrutiny during the past year.
According to a report by news agency PTI, no formal decision has been taken on ten Doeschate’s future, but it is believed that he is interested in returning to the Indian Premier League (IPL). The news agency also quoted sources to state that the current Team India assistant coach has already held positive discussions with an IPL franchise regarding a potential coaching role
Ten Doeschate joined India’s coaching setup on the recommendation of head coach Gautam Gambhir, having previously worked alongside him at Kolkata Knight Riders. According to sources, ten Doeschate accepted the role after being assured he would eventually take charge as the team’s specialist fielding coach. Nearly two years later, that transition has yet to materialise.
“You have Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach, and there’s Gauti (Gambhir) himself to look after the batters. Morne (Morkel) is in charge of pacers, and Sairaj (Bahutule) looks after the spinners. When Tendo (his nickname) was brought on board, he was promised the fielding coach’s job,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“Dilip was supposed to be removed along with Abhishek Nayar (assistant coach), Soham Desai (S&C coach) and Arun Kanade (masseur) after the 2025 Champions Trophy. However for Dilip, a strong recommendation came from a senior player and Dilip got a one year extension and Tendo actually didn’t have any specific domain role. He is a fantastic coach, who hasn’t been used because Dilip is there,” the senior source added.
Lack of clarity
The same PTI report stated that Dilip was initially expected to leave the support staff after the 2025 Champions Trophy, alongside assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai and masseur Arun Kanade. However, Dilip reportedly secured a one-year extension after receiving backing from a senior member of the Indian squad.
As a result, ten Doeschate has continued in his role without a clearly defined area of responsibility.
“He is an outstanding coach, but his expertise hasn’t been fully utilised because the fielding coach’s position remains occupied,” the source added.
The situation now appears to rest on whether Gambhir can persuade ten Doeschate to continue with the national team. Dilip was not part of Gambhir’s original coaching plans, making the issue more significant ahead of India’s upcoming assignments.
Should ten Doeschate eventually leave the setup, however, the BCCI may have little choice but to retain Dilip on an interim basis until a long-term solution is finalised.