Ryan ten Doeschate links up with Team India ahead of Sri Lanka T20Is

Two days before the start of the T20I series against Sri Lanka, the former Netherlands allrounder Ryan ten Doeschate has linked up with Team India in Pallekele.

Ten Doeschate and Abhishek Nayar were recently confirmed as Team India's new assistant coaches. Earlier this month, the BCCI unveiled former opener Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach before appointing the assistant coaches as well.

While Gambhir and Nayar left for Sri Lanka with the rest of the team on Monday (July 22), Ten Doeschate could not as he was busy plying his trade in the ongoing Major League Cricket in the USA. He was the assistant coach of the Los Angeles Knight Riders. Knight Riders' campaign in the second edition of the MLC came to an end last Sunday as they failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Ryan ten Doeschate joins the Men in Blue

And on Thursday (July 25), Ten Doeschate linked up with the Indian team in Pallekele. Apart from serving as the assistant coach of the Los Angeles Knight Riders, the Netherlands great has also worked as a batting coach at Kent.

He also shares a very good bond with Gambhir. The former Netherlands captain had played under Gambhir's captaincy in the IPL. He was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders' title-winning sides in 2012 and 2014. Earlier this year, he also joined Gambhir and Nayar at KKR as a fielding coach. As per reports, Gambhir wanted Ten Doeschate as an assistant coach and BCCI eventually accepted his proposal.

Meanwhile, former South Africa pacer Morne Morkel is reportedly the frontrunner to become Team India's new bowling coach. Morkel also played under Gambhir's captaincy at KKR and also worked as a bowling coach at Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023.

Assistant Coach Ryan ten Doeschate has joined the Indian team. [RevSportz/Rohit Juglan] pic.twitter.com/6nLv1guPRw

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 25, 2024

Hurdle
Oh yes everyone is here pic.twitter.com/gCScMaiWMF

— रोहित जुगलान Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) July 25, 2024

India eye a winning start under new coach and captain:

Team India will be eyeing a winning start under new head coach Gambhir and new T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. The world champions will be starting the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka as firm favorites. The series is scheduled to get underway on July 27.

India have a formidable record against Sri Lanka in T20Is. Of the 29 games played between the two sides so far, the Men in Blue have won 19 while Sri Lanka have won 9. After the T20Is, both teams will also be playing a three-match ODI series against each other.