Gambhir has not signed off on Ryan Ten Doeschate’s exit request because he rates the assistant too highly to let him go without a fight. The support has been consistent for two years, rooted in a relationship that started during their KKR stint. That weight is holding up a decision the BCCI expected to be simple. Ten Doeschate’s two year contract ran its course around mid July, and he has not pushed for an extension. Talks with an IPL franchise, a family in London, and questions over his role fed into that call.
Two-Year Deal Set To Expire Mid-July
Ten Doeschate joined India’s coaching staff in July 2024, brought in on Gambhir’s personal recommendation to the BCCI as assistant coach, not the fielding coach role many expected. His two year contract has now run its course, with the expiry placed between July 12 and July 14, 2026.
He has not sought a renewal. His last outing, should the board ask him to stay that long, would be the third ODI at Lord’s on July 19. Nothing has been made official, and the BCCI has kept its options open rather than confirm a departure.
Ryan ten Doeschate & Gambhir India Coaching 2026
Two separate explanations are doing the rounds for why the Dutchman wants out. He is in talks with an IPL franchise, believed to be Kolkata Knight Riders, while also drawing interest from other T20 outfits. An IPL stint asks for two to three months against an almost year-round international calendar.
That trade-off matters because his family lives in London, he has three young sons, and his wife works. He wants to be home more, and a near constant travel schedule makes that difficult.
The second explanation concerns the job itself. He was promised the fielding coach’s role in 2024, but Dilip kept that position after the 2025 Champions Trophy on a senior recommendation, leaving Ten Doeschate without a clear domain. Dilip had been due to leave with Nayar, Soham Desai and Arun Kanade, but that recommendation earned him a one-year extension.
The Man Who Must Sign Off
Nothing about ten Doeschate’s exit has been confirmed by the BCCI or the coach himself, and as of July 14, with the England series still running, both sides have stayed quiet. He is understood to be unsure about carrying on, having flagged the toll of travelling with the team all year, while Morkel weighs a similar call.
The final word rests with Gambhir, and he has not given his approval. Those close to the setup describe a coach he rates highly and has defended privately more than once, a bond that goes back to their years together at KKR.
Ten Doeschate touched on adaptation in a press conference after the fourth T20I on July 10, saying the group had discussed it at length and that calling for a team to adapt is easier said than actually done.
A Second Departure BCCI Cannot Ignore
Morkel is in almost the same spot, also handpicked by Gambhir in July 2024. His contract ends at the same point, once the England ODI series concludes, and he has neither resigned nor agreed to stay. The same travel concerns apply, and the board is trying to persuade him.
| Coach | Role | Appointed | Contract Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ten Doeschate | Assistant coach | July 2024 | Expired mid-July 2026, no renewal sought |
| Morkel | Fast bowling coach | July 2024 | Expires after England ODIs, decision pending |
If Morkel leaves, Balaji could travel to Sri Lanka for the two-Test series in August, while Laxman leads the rest of the support staff to Zimbabwe regardless. Dilip faces separate pressure over fielding standards, and Nayar’s earlier exit, replaced by Kotak, is a precedent this staff cannot ignore.
This support staff has delivered the T20 Asia Cup, the Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup within a year, yet a 2-0 loss to Ireland and a 0-4 defeat to England, six losses in a row, have added pressure at the worst time. The Ryan ten Doeschate & Gambhir India coaching 2026 stand-off is a test of how much patience a winning staff gets when results dip, and Gambhir’s reluctance to sign off suggests he still believes the answer should be plenty.