Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma’s struggles raise alarm as BCCI likely to bolster Team India’s coaching staff: Report

The BCCI is reportedly considering the addition of a new member to the Team India (men) coaching staff, specifically a dedicated batting coach.

While no official announcement has been made, Cricbuzz has reported that discussions within the board and team management suggest a growing need to strengthen the support staff, especially following India’s recent defeats to Australia (away) and New Zealand (home) in Tests.

The report reveal that the BCCI has been exploring several options for the role, with a few names being considered, including former domestic cricket heavyweights. However, the final decision has yet to be reached.

India faced a disappointing 1-3 series defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this month, despite having won the first Test in Perth. There had been multiple reports of growing tensions between head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma throughout the Australian tour, adding to the side’s on-the-field concerns.

Currently, India’s support staff includes Morne Morkel as the bowling coach, Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches, T Dilip as the fielding coach, and Gambhir as the head coach. However, there has been considerable scrutiny over the role of the coaching staff, particularly in relation to the batting performances of key players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

Both players, who are cornerstones of India’s batting lineup, have struggled with similar patterns of dismissals – Kohli in particular – raising questions about the current coaching methods.

Duo’s form increases pressure

The issue of strengthening the coaching department was discussed in a review meeting held in Mumbai on January 11. While the exact nature of the conversations surrounding the support staff remains unclear, it appears that there have been strong suggestions to consider the addition of a specialist expert, particularly in batting.

While Kohli and Sharma’s underwhelming performances have drawn most of the attention, the underlying issue of India’s overall batting struggles in Tests seems to have pushed the BCCI towards considering this change.

Team India will return to action later this month when the side hosts England for five T20Is and three ODIs. The fifty-over format will remain in focus for the next few months, with the Champions Trophy scheduled in February-March.