In a colossal development, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is looking to make major changes to Gautam Gambhir-led Team India support staff.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India chief selector Ajit Agarkar is also in the firing line along with his colleague Shiv Sunder Das and could face axing irrespective of the final result of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
Also Read: Shubman Gill surpasses Don Bradman: Full list of records from his historic Manchester Test ton
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Morne Morkel and Ryan ten Doeschate to be sacked by the BCCI soon
According to an explosive report in The Telegraph India, the BCCI will start the review of India’s performance after the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, and the bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate are likely to be sacked.
Gautam Gambhir brought Morne Morkel and Ryan ten Doeschate to the coaching staff when he was appointed as the head coach of Team India.
Despite being the chosen ones, the contributions of Morkel and Ten Doeschate to the team have been questioned as both have failed to deliver, particularly in Test cricket.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is frustrated with Morne Morkel because the bowling coach has failed to “nurture even a single pacer” during his stint, while Ten Doeschate’s “exact function” has come under scrutiny.
One particular decision of Morne Morkel that left the Board of Control for Cricket in India angry and finalized his axing was the inclusion of debutant Anshul Kamboj in the playing XI in Manchester Test over Prasidh Krishna, as many felt that the Haryana pacer was not fully fit, which reflected on his bowling speed.
Morkel and Ten Doeschate might continue with the Indian team till the Asia Cup 2025 because of the time constraints, but they will be sacked before the next Test series against the West Indies because the BCCI is “hell-bent on ringing in the changes”.
“The BCCI brass thinks they have shown enough patience and it’s time to crack the whip,” the report read.
As of now, Gambhir stays – Report
Since becoming the head coach, Gambhir has helped Team India become highly successful in T20I and ODI cricket.
But the same can’t be said about Test cricket. In the longest format of game, India have been absolutely awful as they faced an embarrassing 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand at home and lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 1-3 to Australia.
In the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, Gambhir and his support staff have made some calls, like benching the world-class spinner Kuldeep Yadav in four back-to-back matches, and this has left the BCCI furious.
“The coaches always talk of balance but keeping a world-class wrist spinner like Kuldeep Yadav out has had disastrous consequences,” the source said.
Despite this, Gautam Gambhir is set to escape axing because the Board of Control for Cricket in India doesn’t want to change head coach with the team going through a transition phase.
“Gambhir’s record has been disastrous in the longest format — eight losses and four wins in 13 Tests before the Manchester game. As of now, Gambhir stays, since the BCCI doesn’t want a change at the top, especially in a team which is in transition,” the report added.
Ajit Agarkar could be axed
Not just coaches, the chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and his colleague Shiv Sunder Das are also in the BCCI’s crosshairs because of some shocking decisions, and their roles have “come under introspection.”
Talking further about coaches, there have been differences of opinion between the team management and the players on selection issues. BCCI is shocked to see Gambhir not giving preference to specialists and inclining towards all-rounders.
