After demands of former India player Abhishek Nayar to be an assistant coach, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir wants an ex-teammate in his coaching staff for the Men in Blue. This teammate is Netherlands all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate who Gambhir wants alongside him as he starts his new role with Team India in the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
With the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024, Rahul Dravid’s coaching stint concluded with the Indian team ending its 11-year ICC trophy drought. After Dravid, Gambhir was slated to replace him and was confirmed as the new coach by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. Here the former Indian opener wanted Abhishek Nayar as his batting coach and now had requested the appointment of Netherlands all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate, as per Cricbuzz. Tendo was Gambhir’s teammate in Kolkata Knight Riders and has worked with various Knight Riders franchises around the world.
Last year, in a video that made the rounds of the internet, where Gambhir talked about the Dutchman’s brilliance as a teammate. He said, “When I talk about selflessness, I have never said this in 42 years of my career. And I wanted to say this. The greatest team man I ever played with, the most selfless human being, someone I can take a bullet for, someone who I can trust for life.”
“I can tell you this because in 2011, my first game as a KKR captain, we only had four overseas (players) available. And this man had a fabulous 50-over World Cup. And we went in that game with only three overseas players. He was carrying drinks in that game with no disappointment on his face. He taught me selflessness. Ryan ten Doeschate (sic).”