BCCI Sacked Assistant Coach Abhishek Nayar Without Consulting With Captain Rohit Sharma

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] April 22: Following the disastrous results in the Test format, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently sacked assistant coach Abhishek Nayar from the team management. The domestic cricket stalwart has now returned to the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), to join the support staff as an assistant coach. However, it has now emerged that India’s Test and ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, wasn’t consulted in the decision to show Abhishek Nayar the door.

Rohit Sharma, who was struggling in the ongoing 18th edition of the IPL, returned to form against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as he played an unbeaten knock of 76 runs. Following his match-winning innings, Rohit took to Instagram to thank Abhishek Nayar. Sharing a photo of himself, Rohit wrote, “Thank you @abhisheknayar.”

According to a report in Jagran, Rohit Sharma was consulted before bringing Abhishek Nayar on board as an assistant coach; however, his feedback wasn’t taken before sacking him.

“Abhishek’s entry into the Indian team’s support staff was done with Rohit’s consent, but Rohit was not consulted before removing him,” the report states.

The report further states that Rohit Sharma’s public crediting of Abhishek Nayar following his knock against CSK provides enough evidence that there is no “consensus in the Indian team management" regarding Abhishek Nayar.

For the uninitiated, a big review meeting was held at the BCCI headquarters following India’s 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Before this defeat, India were also whitewashed at home by New Zealand in the three-match Test series.

During the review meeting, a member of the team management complained about dressing room conversations being leaked to the media. However, the support staff for the Champions Trophy, which India won, remained the same. Sitanshu Kotak was added as the newest backroom staff member and batting coach.

According to the report in Jagran, a member of the Indian team management raised questions on Nayar, asking if he was so good then why the management added Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach for the England series in January. He also said that even Rohit Sharma agreed to have Kotak on board.

Earlier, sources confirmed to Hindustan Times that head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had a big role in appointing Nayar as the assistant coach, did not oppose his sacking as he was unsatisfied with his performance.

The partnership between Gambhir and Nayar didn’t click in the Indian dressing room despite the duo’s successful stint with KKR during the IPL 2024 season, which saw the team lift the title after 10 years.

Nayar was also unsuccessful in forming a strong bond with some of the senior members of the team.

“The board officials took feedback from senior cricketers, and some were not happy with Nayar’s role inside the dressing room,” a BCCI source told Hindustan Times.

“Gambhir didn’t oppose (to Nayar’s sacking). He had to go through a lot of negotiations to bring ten Doechate and Morkel on board. There was no way he was going to let them go this early,” the source added.

Sitanshu Kotak will continue as the batting coach, while the designation of assistant coach is likely to be dissolved, as Ryan ten Doeschate will shift to the fielding coach’s role, as T Dilip’s contract has come to an end.