India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate is reportedly considering stepping away from the national team setup after the ongoing white-ball tour of England, with uncertainty surrounding his role emerging as the primary reason behind his decision. According to a PTI report, the former Netherlands captain has grown increasingly frustrated by the lack of a clearly defined responsibility within Gautam Gambhir’s coaching staff over the past two years.
Despite the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) being keen to retain the 45-year-old beyond his current contract, ten Doeschate is believed to be exploring a return to franchise cricket. Reports suggest he has already held positive discussions with at least one Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise ahead of the next season.
The development comes at a crucial time, with the BCCI set to review the contracts of Gambhir’s entire support staff following the conclusion of the England tour. While bowling coach Morne Morkel is expected to continue, fielding coach T Dilip’s future remains uncertain after India’s inconsistent fielding performances over the past year. The board had also hoped to extend ten Doeschate’s tenure, considering him an important part of the coaching group.
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However, the report claims that ten Doeschate accepted the India role after being assured that he would eventually become the team’s dedicated fielding coach. That opportunity never materialised, leaving him without a specialist portfolio. “You have Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach, while Gautam Gambhir also works closely with the batters. Morne Morkel oversees the fast bowlers and Sairaj Bahutule handles the spinners. When Tendo joined, he was promised the fielding coach’s role,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Instead, T Dilip received a one-year contract extension after reportedly earning strong backing from a senior Indian player. As a result, ten Doeschate continued as an assistant coach without a clearly defined area of responsibility.
A massive blow to Team India’s coaching staff! 🇮🇳🏏💔
• Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate is set to step down after the ongoing England ODI series, with the July 19 Lord’s match likely being his last. 🛑🏟️
• After wrapping up his 2-year BCCI contract, the former Dutch star… pic.twitter.com/ar74iwci7J
— Cricket Hub (@Anurag9793) July 14, 2026
The source further claimed that Dilip was initially expected to leave alongside assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, strength-and-conditioning coach Soham Desai, and masseur Arun Kanade following the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, Dilip’s extension altered those plans. “Tendo actually didn’t have any specific domain role. He is a fantastic coach who hasn’t been fully utilised because Dilip remained in the setup,” the source added.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir, who worked closely with ten Doeschate during their successful stint together at Kolkata Knight Riders, is now expected to play a key role in convincing him to stay. Since joining the Indian coaching staff, ten Doeschate has largely operated behind the scenes, contributing across multiple departments without leading any one area.
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His potential exit would create another vacancy in India’s support staff, particularly if Dilip also departs after the England tour. India’s fielding standards have attracted heavy criticism over the past year, with several costly lapses in major tournaments and another disappointing display during the recent Ireland and England T20I series, where the team failed to register a single victory.
The BCCI is expected to take a final call on the coaching staff before India’s upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. If ten Doeschate decides to move on, Gambhir and the board may have to restructure the support staff as they prepare for an important phase leading into the 2027 ODI World Cup.
