Gautam Gambhir's Trusted Assistant Leaves Coaching Role To Join Ex-Batting Coach Abhishek Nayar At KKR

The Indian coaching staff is set to undergo another change as as assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has ended his stint with team following the conclusion of the white-ball tour of England, bringing to a close a two-year association with the national team. The former Netherlands captain is expected to rejoin Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where he is set to take up a coaching role.

According to an ESPNcricinfo report, ten Doeschate informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his decision while the team was still in the United Kingdom, shortly after India suffered defeats in both the T20I and ODI series against England. His departure comes at the end of his initial contract with the BCCI, which is understood to have concluded earlier this month after running from around July 2024 to mid-July 2026.

Ten Doeschate joined the Indian support staff after Gautam Gambhir succeeded Rahul Dravid as head coach in the aftermath of India's victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. Regarded as one of Gambhir's trusted lieutenants, the former all-rounder worked across multiple areas of the setup, contributing to both the batting and fielding units as part of the team's coaching group.

During his tenure, India enjoyed notable success in white-ball cricket, lifting the 2025 Asia Cup before successfully defending the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2026. The Test side, however, endured a difficult period during the same phase. India relinquished the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on their tour of Australia before suffering successive home series defeats, including a 3-0 loss to New Zealand and a 2-0 defeat against South Africa, as the team navigated a transition in the longest format.

The move marks a return to familiar surroundings for ten Doeschate, whose association with Kolkata Knight Riders stretches back more than a decade. As a player, he was part of the KKR squads that captured IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. He later returned to the franchise as fielding coach in 2022. He remained with the coaching staff until 2024, a period that culminated in another championship-winning campaign under head coach Chandrakant Pandit and mentor Gautam Gambhir.

His expected return to the Kolkata-based franchise will also reunite him with Abhishek Nayar. The duo previously worked together as assistant coaches at KKR before briefly serving on India's coaching staff during Gambhir's tenure with the national team.