Ryan ten Doeschate was reportedly promised the role of fielding coach when he joined the setup.
Ryan ten Doeschate is planning to step down as India’s assistant coach, with reports claiming that his decision stems from a breach of promise regarding his specific role.
According to PTI, ten Doeschate was explicitly promised the role of fielding coach when head coach Gautam Gambhir originally brought him into the setup.
Incumbent fielding coach T Dilip was originally slated to exit after the 2025 Champions Trophy, alongside other members of the previous regime. However, Dilip was given a one-year extension, leaving the Dutchman without a specialized domain and his world-class fielding expertise remained underutilized.
"You have Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach, and there's Gauti (Gambhir) himself to look after the batters. Morne (Morkel) is in charge of pacers, and Sairaj (Bahutule) looks after the spinners. When Tendo (his nickname) was brought on board, he was promised the fielding coach's job," a senior BCCI source told the news agency.
"Dilip was supposed to be removed along with Abhishek Nayar (assistant coach), Soham Desai (S&C coach) and Arun Kanade (masseur) after the 2025 Champions Trophy. However for Dilip, a strong recommendation came from a senior player and Dilip got a one year extension and Tendo actually didn't have any specific domain role. He is a fantastic coach, who hasn't been used because Dilip is there," the source added.
While the Ryan ten Doeschate has formally requested to be relieved, the final decision lies with Gambhir, who has the authority to veto the resignation.
While the BCCI prefers to retain ten Doeschate over Dilip, the former is reportedly exploring his options. Should his exit be formalized, the former Netherlands cricketer will most probably return to the IPL, having already held positive discussions with a franchise.
Ryan ten Doeschate has previously served Kolkata Knight Riders as the fielding coach. If he departs, the BCCI will likely be forced to retain Dilip on an interim basis due to impending tour schedules.