Gambhir is the only Indian head coach to win two ICC titles, the 2025 Champions Trophy and 2026 T20 World Cup
Morkel took 544 international wickets across a 12-year South Africa career
T Dilip is the only Dravid-era coach retained under Gambhir
Indian cricket has always been as much about the men in the dugout as the ones in the middle. Behind every boundary celebrated and wicket taken, there is a support structure that shapes strategy, smooths technique, and builds team culture.
Under the BCCI's current setup, that structure is more deliberately assembled than ever, a group of specialists chosen by head coach Gautam Gambhir, many of whom share a history with him from the IPL trenches. And with the appointment of Sairaj Bahutule as Spin Bowling Coach, the puzzle is now complete.
The coaching group currently comprises Gambhir as head coach, Morne Morkel as bowling coach, Sitanshu Kotak as batting coach, Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coach, and T Dilip as fielding coach, a mix of Indian domestic experience and international coaching pedigree.
Here is a closer look at each of them.
Gautam Gambhir - Head Coach
The former India batter was appointed Head Coach in July 2024, succeeding Rahul Dravid after the ICC T20 World Cup. It was a high-profile appointment backed by remarkable franchise credentials: in his role as mentor with KKR in 2024, Gambhir had helped the team secure its third IPL title.
As a player, he was a cornerstone of Indian cricket's two greatest white-ball triumphs, he scored more than 10,000 international runs and played a key role in India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup victories.
His coaching tenure has been defined by both turbulence and triumph. While his record as a Test coach has been underwhelming, India suffered a clean sweep in their home series against New Zealand, his white-ball record has been impressive, including eight consecutive wins culminating in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Gambhir made history by becoming the only Indian head coach to win two major ICC titles, guiding India to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. His three-year contract runs until the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Morne Morkel - Bowling Coach
The former South African fast bowler was appointed as the bowling coach for the Indian men's cricket team, with his name recommended for the role by Gambhir himself, who had previously worked with Morkel during his two-season tenure at the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL as well as at Durban Super Giants in the SA20 league.
Morkel arrives with an exceptional playing CV. He enjoyed a distinguished international career, playing in 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is over 12 years, during which he took 544 wickets. Since his retirement, he has served as a bowling consultant for various teams globally, including stints with Pakistan and New Zealand.
He was the bowling coach of the Indian team that won the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and 2025 Asia Cup. The pairing of Morkel with India's pace battery, led by Jasprit Bumrah, has been one of the most compelling subplots of the Gambhir era.
Sitanshu Kotak - Batting Coach
Kotak's appointment was a direct response to India's batting struggles following their Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss in Australia. Gambhir made a new demand during a meeting with the board, requesting a batting coach who could work closely with the senior batsmen and ensure their return to form, and the board agreed.
A former Saurashtra captain, Kotak played domestic cricket from 1992-93 to 2013-14, making 8,061 first-class runs at an average of 41.76 with 15 hundreds and 55 fifties. His coaching pedigree is deeply rooted in India's development ecosystem. He has been the batting coach at the National Cricket Academy since 2019, has coached India A, and served as assistant coach of the men's team when VVS Laxman stepped in as interim head coach. His calm, communicative style has earned him respect within the dressing room.
Ryan ten Doeschate - Assistant Coach
Ten Doeschate is the most internationally travelled member of the support staff and brings a cosmopolitan coaching perspective. Born in South Africa, he played for the Netherlands national cricket team and was named ICC Associate Player of the Year on a record three occasions, in 2008, 2010, and 2011. He reunited with Gambhir as assistant coach having recently served alongside him during KKR's run to the IPL 2024 title, and has also served as Kent's batting coach and worked with Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major League Cricket.
Gambhir has described ten Doeschate as someone he can "take a bullet for," a testament to the trust the head coach places in his assistant. Ten Doeschate has been the face of the coaching staff at press conferences during tours, articulate in defending team decisions and communicating the team's aggressive philosophy.
T Dilip - Fielding Coach
The only member of the Rahul Dravid-era coaching staff to be retained, T Dilip's continuation was a statement in itself. The BCCI retained Dilip as the fielding coach following India's exceptional performance on the field at the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, making him the only coach retained after Dravid's contract expired.
His fielding medal incentive programme has become something of a cultural institution within the team, credited with driving the sharp improvement in India's ground fielding standards over recent years.
Sairaj Bahutule - Spin Bowling Coach (Newly Appointed)
The freshest face in the setup, Bahutule's appointment completes what Gambhir had long wanted: a dedicated spin specialist who understands the Indian conditions and can develop the next wave of tweakers.
A man who claimed 630 wickets in first-class cricket across nearly two decades, Bahutule has built his coaching reputation through the BCCI's development system, serving at the NCA from 2021 to 2024, coaching India A, and most notably guiding India's Under-19 side to the ICC World Cup title in 2022. He has also worked as spin bowling coach with Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings in the IPL.
"It is a tremendous honour to be appointed as the Spin Bowling Coach of the Indian Men's Cricket Team," Bahutule said on his appointment. "I look forward to working with the players and supporting the team's pursuit of excellence across formats."
His appointment comes at a fitting moment. India host Afghanistan from June 6, beginning with a Test in New Chandigarh, followed by three ODIs in Dharamsala, Lucknow and Chennai through June 20, a series in which Afghanistan's formidable spin arsenal, led by Rashid Khan, will test Bahutule's impact on India's own spinners from day one.
