India’s strength and conditioning coach, Soham Desai, has officially bid farewell to the national team setup, marking the end of a transformative chapter in Indian cricket. Desai, whose influence on the team’s physical evolution was significant, announced his departure on May 31 following India’s disappointing outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, which has led to a broader restructuring of the backroom staff.
Desai joined the national setup during Ravi Shastri’s coaching reign and has since worked seamlessly under Rahul Dravid and briefly with Gautam Gambhir.
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His tenure, especially from 2021 onwards, coincided with India’s increasing emphasis on elite fitness levels, with Desai at the heart of this revolution. His contributions were instrumental in not just setting new benchmarks in player conditioning but also in helping cricketers like Mohammed Siraj evolve into consistent, multi-format performers.
Taking to Instagram, Soham Desai penned a heartfelt farewell, thanking stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Shastri for their initial faith, and praising Dravid and Rohit Sharma for their support. “From day one, the vision was clear — break mental barriers and chase global excellence,” Desai wrote, calling the opportunity to serve India a lifelong honour.
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One of the most emotional reactions came from pacer Mohammed Siraj, who credited Soham Desai as a mentor and brotherly figure. Siraj acknowledged Desai’s pivotal role in guiding him through the challenges of becoming a regular across all formats. “Your impact will stay with me forever,” Siraj wrote, adding that Desai’s absence will be deeply felt in the dressing room and training sessions.
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View this post on Instagram
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce Desai’s successor. However, sources suggest that Adrian le Roux — a former Team India trainer and currently part of the Punjab Kings’ support staff — is the leading candidate to take over the role ahead of the much-anticipated England Test series.
Desai’s departure marks the end of an era, but his legacy will linger through the players he has mentored and the standards he helped set.
