Ryan ten Doeschate Leaves India Coaching Staff, Heads Back to KKR

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-07-29

Ryan ten Doeschate has officially stepped away from his role as India's assistant coach, ending his tenure after the white-ball series in England. He informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his decision while the team was still in the UK, where India suffered losses in both the T20I and ODI series. Now, the former all-rounder is set to return to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a coaching capacity. ### Fielding Coach T Dilip Also Exits The coaching shakeup doesn't stop there. T Dilip, India's fielding coach, won't be getting a contract extension either. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed to PTI that ten Doeschate's contract ended on June 10, while Dilip's concluded on June 8. According to Saikia, the board kept both coaches on board until the UK tour wrapped up, but their terms simply won't be renewed. He also clarified that there was no formal resignation to accept—both contracts naturally ran their course. The BCCI is already in talks with two or three candidates for the fielding coach role and expects to finalize a name within a day or two, just ahead of India's tour of Sri Lanka in August. ### A Look Back at Ten Doeschate's Tenure Ten Doeschate joined the Indian setup after Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach from Rahul Dravid, following India's 2024 T20 World Cup victory. Gambhir handpicked him for the job, and he worked across both batting and fielding departments during his stint. It was a period of significant success for the team. India clinched the 2025 Champions Trophy, won the 2025 Asia Cup, and successfully defended their Men's T20 World Cup title in 2026. However, the Test team faced a tougher stretch, going through a transition period. India couldn't win the 2025-26 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, and also suffered home series losses to New Zealand and South Africa, falling 0-3 and 0-2 respectively. ### A Long-Standing Bond With KKR At KKR, ten Doeschate will reunite with Abhishek Nayar, another coach with deep ties to the franchise. The two briefly worked together as assistant coaches in the India setup, and before that, they had coached side by side at KKR as well. Ten Doeschate's history with the Kolkata franchise goes all the way back to his playing days. He won two IPL titles with KKR, in 2012 and 2014, and later returned as fielding coach in 2022. He remained part of the coaching staff until 2024, a stretch that included a title win under Chandrakant Pandit as head coach and Gambhir as mentor. He left that role once Gambhir moved on to coach the national team, but now the reunion is happening. ### Dilip's Second Stint Comes to an End Dilip is exiting after his second spell with the Indian team. He first served as fielding coach from 2021 until the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He returned for a second stint during India's Test tour of the UK in 2025, which lasted about a year. With both coaches now departing, the BCCI faces the task of rebuilding its support staff before the Sri Lanka tour kicks off. The board hasn't set a timeline for naming ten Doeschate's replacement as assistant coach, though the fielding coach decision is expected imminently. > "It's a natural transition point," one cricket insider noted. "Both guys have given a lot, but fresh voices can sometimes bring new energy to a dressing room." ### What's Next for Indian Cricket? The next few weeks will be crucial. The BCCI needs to move quickly to fill these roles, especially with a busy international calendar ahead. For ten Doeschate, returning to KKR feels like coming home. He's been part of the franchise's DNA for over a decade, and his familiarity with the setup should make for a smooth transition. For fans, it's a bittersweet moment. Watching a trusted coach move on is never easy, but the cycle of cricket coaching is always turning. One thing's for sure—the IPL will be more interesting with ten Doeschate back in the dugout.