Not Morne Morkel! Gautam Gambhir gets Sairaj Bahutule as bowling coach for India tour of Sri Lanka 2024

India National Cricket Team are all set to tour Sri Lanka for the three-match T20I and ODI series. This will be the first assignment for Gautam Gambhir as the head coach of the team after he was recently appointed in the role following Rahul Dravid’s tenure, which ended after the T20 World Cup 2024.

While Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the head coach of the team, his support staff is yet to be finalized. As per the various media reports, it is learned that all the other coaches have almost been confirmed but BCCI is looking out for a bowling coach, in particular.

Gautam Gambhir was given a free hand to pick his support staff and the former India skipper suggested a few names. Cricbuzz recently revealed that he recommended Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches and the Board of Control for Cricket in India has accepted his demands.

The reports also claimed that T Dilip, who was part of the Rahul Dravid-led management, will continue to be the fielding coach. But in a massive development, it was also revealed that Gautam Gambhir has asked BCCI to the role in former South Africa pacer Morne Morkel to be the bowling coach.

Recently it was reported that BCCI is also keen to rope in Morne Morkel as the bowling coach and the two parties have had discussions related to the same. The former South Africa pacer has worked with Gautam Gambhir at the Lucknow Super Giants and the duo gelled well together and enjoyed a decent amount of success.

With the reports related to Morne Morkel being the next India bowling coach hogging the headlines, it is learned that it will take some time for him to get him on the board. The former South Africa pacer won't be part of the Indian team for the Sri Lanka tour and is likely to join after the white-ball series.

Earlier News 18 reported that Morne Morkel and BCCI are yet to finalise the formal work and hence he won't be part of the Sri Lanka tour.

Sairaj Bahutule to be the bowling coach of India for the Sri Lanka tour

With Morne Morkel set to join the India team after the Sri Lanka tour, as per the reports in Cricbuzz, it is learned that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a temporary arrangement for the six white-ball games against the Island nation, set to be played from 27th July.

National Cricket Academy (NCA) bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, will be serving as the interim bowling coach for the T20Is and the ODIs against the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team. The reports also claimed that the rest of the coaching staff will be accompanying the team to the Island nation.

All the coaches Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate, Sairaj Bahutule, and T Dilip will be traveling with the players to Sri Lanka. India will leave on July 22nd (Monday) and the head coach is all set to attend a press conference before boarding the flight.