NEW DELHI: India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar finds himself in a precarious position as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added Sitanshu Kotak to the support staff as a specialist batting coach. Previously, under head coach Gautam Gambhir, the team did not have an official batting coach, with Nayar informally taking on those responsibilities during recent assignments.
During the BCCI review meeting, the roles of the support staff came under scrutiny. It is understood that Gambhir advocated for a dedicated batting coach in discussions with the board’s top officials.
In Australia, Nayar’s contributions were primarily focused on players outside the Playing XI. He worked extensively with the lower-order and bowlers during net sessions, including helping Mohammed Siraj improve his batting and conducting a detailed session with Shubman Gill, who was not part of the XI, during a lunch break in Melbourne. He continued these efforts in Sydney, handling side-arm duties during the team’s sole practice session before the New Year Test.
However, questions about the effectiveness of the coaching staff gained traction after India’s 3-1 series loss. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar openly criticized the support staff, particularly the batting department.
“What was your coaching staff doing in Australia? Your bowling coach and batting coach, especially the batting coach—there was no punch in the batting lineup,” Gavaskar remarked during a chat with the broadcaster. “Even against New Zealand, when we were bowled out for 46, the performances were below par. Questions need to be asked—what have you guys done, and why aren’t we seeing any improvement?”
With Kotak’s addition to the team, Nayar’s role faces fresh scrutiny, making the upcoming assignments a critical test for the revamped support staff.
