India Cricket Team Coaches: Full List, Roles and History

Note (September 2026): Earlier versions of this page listed Ramesh Powar, Paddy Upton, Nick Webb and Nitin Patel as current India staff, which was wrong, and did not show the July-August 2026 staff changes. The corrected, current staff list now appears below the first table.

Gautam Gambhir is the head coach of the India men’s cricket team, appointed by the BCCI in July 2024. As of September 2026, his support staff includes batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, bowling coach Morné Morkel, spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh and strength and conditioning coach Adrian le Roux.

Key Takeaways

• Gautam Gambhir has been India’s all-format men’s head coach since July 2024, on a contract reported to run to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
• Under Gambhir, India won the ICC Champions Trophy (March 2025), the Asia Cup (September 2025) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (March 2026).
• The support staff changed in mid-2026: Sairaj Bahutule became spin bowling coach in June, Ryan ten Doeschate and T. Dilip left in July, and Subhadeep Ghosh became fielding coach in August.
• Ramesh Powar, Paddy Upton, Nick Webb and Nitin Patel, listed as current staff in earlier versions of this page, are former India staff members.
• India has had more than 25 head coaches or managers since 1971, and John Wright (2000–2005) was the first from overseas.

Introduction: Who Is the Coach of the India Cricket Team?

If you’re wondering who is leading Team India, here’s your quick answer: Gautam Gambhir is the Head Coach of India Cricket Team as of September 2026. The BCCI appointed him in July 2024 as the successor to Rahul Dravid, whose tenure ended with India’s title-winning T20 World Cup campaign. But cricket coaching is never a one-man show. Behind every match-winning moment and every game-changing strategy, there’s a full lineup of experts working in sync – the India National Cricket Team Coaches.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll introduce you to the full coaching staff of the Indian cricket team, explain their roles, and share some behind-the-scenes facts that even die-hard fans might not know. If you’re looking for the complete Indian Cricket Team Coach List with details updated as of September 2026 – you’re in the right place.

Overview of the Team India Coaching Staff

As of September 2026, the Team India Coaching Staff is led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, with specialist batting, bowling, spin-bowling and fielding coaches supported by strength and conditioning and medical staff. Several people in the first table below were wrongly listed, and the staff has changed since, so a corrected table follows it.

Here is the original snapshot, as first published in June 2025, of the India cricket coaching staff:

Correction: several rows in the table above were wrong. Ramesh Powar, Paddy Upton and Nitin Patel were not members of Gambhir’s staff, and T. Dilip and Ryan ten Doeschate left in July 2026. The current India men’s support staff, as of September 2026, is:

Let’s break down who these experts are, what they do, and why they matter to India’s cricket journey.

Gautam Gambhir – The Head Coach of India Cricket Team

Appointed in July 2024, Gautam Gambhir India Coach era began with high expectations. A World Cup-winning opener, Gambhir is known for his aggressive mindset, tactical clarity, and no-nonsense leadership.

Why He Was Chosen:

• Mentored Lucknow Super Giants & Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, guiding KKR to the 2024 title as mentor.

• Known for building team unity and fearless cricketing styles.

• Believes in performance over reputation — a message that resonates with both new talent and veterans.

Key Focus Areas:

• Nurturing young talent like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, who became India’s Test captain in May 2025 and also leads the ODI side.

• Managing the transition after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from T20 internationals in 2024 and from Test cricket in May 2025; both remain available for ODIs.

• Developing a stable Test squad while defending the T20 and ODI dominance.

Sitanshu Kotak – The Batting Coach of India

Former Saurashtra cricketer Sitanshu Kotak stepped in as batting coach of India in January 2025, ahead of the home white-ball series against England and the Champions Trophy. While he may not be a household name, Kotak’s domestic cricket credentials are rock solid.

Why He Matters:

• Brings decades of batting insight from Indian conditions.

• Focuses on temperament, footwork, and handling pressure — especially in Tests and ODIs.

Morné Morkel – The Bowling Coach of India

The South African pace legend Morné Morkel is now part of the current cricket coaches of India. His role as bowling coach of India is to bring fast-bowling aggression and control into India’s pace unit.

What He Brings:

• Experience bowling on all kinds of pitches.

• Special emphasis on fitness and workload management.

• Works closely with quicks like Bumrah, Siraj, and Mukesh Kumar.

T. Dilip – India’s Fielding Coach (2021–2026)

A trusted name in India’s backroom staff, T. Dilip served as fielding coach of India from 2021 until his contract ended in July 2026, apart from a short gap in 2025 before he returned for the England Test tour. Subhadeep Ghosh replaced him in August 2026.

Why He Stands Out:

• Known for bringing sharpness and energy to India’s fielding unit.

• Coaches reactive skills, diving drills, and situational awareness.

• India’s fielding was widely rated among the best in the world for much of his tenure, although reports in July 2026 said the BCCI was concerned about a decline in fielding standards.

Specialists in the Team India Coaching Staff

Modern cricket teams go far beyond batting and bowling support. The Indian cricket team support staff includes specialists for fitness, injury prevention and, at times, mental conditioning. The four names below are former India staff members who were wrongly listed as current when this page was first published; each entry now gives their actual India role and dates.

Former Staff Previously Listed Here:

Ramesh Powar – Former India Women’s Head Coach, Not on the Men’s Staff

• Former off-spinner with deep technical insight.

• Powar, who played 2 Tests and 31 ODIs for India, coached the India women’s team in 2018 and again from 2021 to 2022, then moved to the National Cricket Academy as a spin-bowling coach. He has not been a spin consultant to Gambhir’s men’s team; since June 2026 the BCCI’s spin bowling coach for the senior men is Sairaj Bahutule.

Paddy Upton – Former Mental Conditioning Coach

• Famous sports psychologist with past stints in Indian setup.

• Upton was with the Indian team that won the 2011 World Cup and joined the Indian men’s hockey team in June 2023, working with the side that won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He is not named in any BCCI announcement or recent report on Gambhir’s support staff.

Nick Webb – Former Strength & Conditioning Coach

• Internationally certified trainer managing workload and fitness plans.

• Webb held the role from 2019 until the 2021 T20 World Cup, according to ESPNcricinfo. India’s current strength and conditioning coach is South African Adrian le Roux, who returned for a second stint in June 2025.

Nitin Patel – Former Physiotherapist

• Critical for injury rehab and on-tour health support.

• Patel was India’s chief physiotherapist from 2007 and resigned from that role in 2015, according to ESPNcricinfo. The BCCI does not routinely announce the touring physio, so this page does not name a current one.

Full List of India Cricket Team Coaches

Here’s the original Indian cricket team coaches list, as first published in June 2025. The spin, mental conditioning, strength and physio entries were former staff rather than current members, and T. Dilip left in July 2026; the corrected current list is in the table near the top of this page:

• Head Coach – Gautam Gambhir

• Batting Coach – Sitanshu Kotak

• Bowling Coach – Morné Morkel

• Fielding Coach – T. Dilip

• Spin Consultant – Ramesh Powar

• Mental Conditioning – Paddy Upton

• Strength Coach – Nick Webb

• Physiotherapist – Nitin Patel

This Team India coach list covers every area of performance, but support staff change more often than head coaches, so the BCCI’s latest announcement is the final word.

Strategy & Culture Under Gambhir’s Leadership

Under Gambhir, India is building a team culture rooted in:

• Discipline

• Tactical adaptability.

• Performance-first attitude.

• Mental strength in big matches.

Gambhir’s public message has been that current form should outweigh reputation, although team selection is formally the responsibility of the BCCI’s national selection committee.

Websites to Watch Live Cricket TV Online.

Timeline – Evolution of India’s Cricket Coaches Since 1971

The India men’s cricket team coaches have played a huge role in India’s transformation into a global powerhouse.

Why Coaching Staff Matters More Than Ever

In today’s cricket landscape, coaching is about:

• Technology integration (AI-based match analysis).

• Player management over long tours.

• Psychological support.

• Injury prevention and personalized training.

The coaching staff of Indian cricket team are no longer just support – they’re core to team strategy and success.

What Gambhir Has Won as India Head Coach

Gautam Gambhir was appointed head coach by the BCCI on 9 July 2024, and by the middle of 2026 he had become the only Indian head coach to win two major ICC titles.

India won the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025, beating New Zealand in the final in Dubai. India then won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in March 2026, beating New Zealand again in the final, this time by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

That record is the main thing separating his tenure from those of his predecessors, several of whom reached finals without winning one.

Conclusion

The India National Cricket Team Coaches are more than just names – they are the architects of every win, every comeback, and every rising star. Under the sharp eyes of Gautam Gambhir and a squad of elite specialists, Team India is poised to scale even greater heights.

Whether you’re a fan, aspiring player, or cricket analyst – knowing the brains behind the brawn gives you a complete picture of where Indian cricket is headed.

ICC Cricket World Cup Winners List.

Who Is on India’s Coaching Staff Right Now?

As of September 2026, the India men’s coaching staff is headed by Gautam Gambhir, with Sitanshu Kotak (batting), Morné Morkel (bowling), Sairaj Bahutule (spin bowling), Subhadeep Ghosh (fielding) and Adrian le Roux (strength and conditioning). The assistant coach post held by Ryan ten Doeschate has been empty since he stepped down in July 2026, and no replacement had been announced in the reports reviewed for this update.

For the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, the BCCI named VVS Laxman as head coach of the men’s T20 squad, with Sunil Joshi (bowling), Hrishikesh Kanitkar (batting) and Subhadeep Ghosh (fielding). Gambhir stays with the ODI team for the home series against the West Indies that starts on 27 September 2026, according to ESPNcricinfo and Olympics.com.

How Has India’s Support Staff Changed Under Gambhir?

India’s support staff has changed several times under Gambhir. The key moves, in order, were:

• July 2024: The BCCI appointed Gautam Gambhir as head coach on 9 July, succeeding Rahul Dravid. Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate joined as assistant coaches, and T. Dilip was kept on as fielding coach.
• August 2024: Morné Morkel was appointed bowling coach. ESPNcricinfo reported that Gambhir recommended him after they worked together at Lucknow Super Giants.
• January 2025: Sitanshu Kotak, a long-serving National Cricket Academy batting coach, was added as batting coach before the England white-ball series and the Champions Trophy.
• April 2025: The BCCI ended Abhishek Nayar’s contract after a review of India’s Test defeats against New Zealand and Australia.
• June 2025: Adrian le Roux replaced Soham Desai as strength and conditioning coach before the England Test tour, and T. Dilip returned on a one-year contract.
• June 2026: The BCCI appointed former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule, who played 2 Tests and 8 ODIs, as spin bowling coach of the senior men’s team.
• July 2026: Ryan ten Doeschate stepped down after the white-ball tour of England, and T. Dilip’s contract was not extended.
• August 2026: Subhadeep Ghosh, a former Assam and Railways cricketer who had coached the India women’s team’s fielding, replaced Dilip as fielding coach before the Test series in Sri Lanka.

Complete List of India Men’s Head Coaches

India has had head coaches or team managers since 1971. In the early decades the role was often closer to a team manager than a full-time coach. The list below follows the BCCI-era record summarised by Wikipedia’s list of India national cricket coaches.

Four overseas coaches have led India: John Wright, Greg Chappell, Gary Kirsten and Duncan Fletcher. Kirsten’s side won the 2011 ODI World Cup, and Dravid’s side won the 2024 T20 World Cup. The full list of tournament winners is in the ICC Cricket World Cup winners list.

What Is Gautam Gambhir’s Record as India Head Coach?

Gautam Gambhir’s record as India head coach is strong in white-ball cricket and mixed in Tests. In white-ball cricket, India won three major titles in his first two years:

• ICC Champions Trophy, March 2025: India beat New Zealand in the final in Dubai.
• Asia Cup, September 2025: India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final in Dubai on 28 September 2025, the first India-Pakistan Asia Cup final. See the full India vs Pakistan head-to-head record.
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, March 2026: India beat New Zealand by 96 runs in the final in Ahmedabad on 8 March 2026 and became the first team to defend the T20 World Cup. The full list of T20 World Cup winners shows India’s three titles.

In Test cricket, India lost a home series 3-0 to New Zealand in 2024, lost the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 in Australia and lost a home series to South Africa in November 2025. The India vs New Zealand timeline covers the 2024 series in detail. India lost both white-ball series in England in July 2026, then won the two-Test series in Sri Lanka 1-0 in August 2026, according to ESPNcricinfo scorecards.

Before coaching India, Gambhir had no head-coach experience at international level. His IPL roles were as mentor, at Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023 and at Kolkata Knight Riders, who won the 2024 title (see the IPL winners list).

The BCCI appoints the head coach and support staff and announces the appointments on BCCI.tv. Specialists are often recommended by the head coach, as Morkel and ten Doeschate were in 2024.For how the current squad lines up in a major rivalry, see the India vs England squads and head-to-head record.

FAQs

1. Who is the current head coach of the India cricket team?

Gautam Gambhir is the current head coach, appointed in July 2024.

2. Who is the Batting Coach of India?

Sitanshu Kotak serves as the batting coach for Team India.

3. Who is the Bowling Coach of India?

Former South African fast bowler Morné Morkel is the bowling coach.

4. Who handles mental training in Team India?

The BCCI has not named a mental conditioning coach on Gambhir’s staff. Paddy Upton, who held that role around the 2011 World Cup, is no longer with the Indian team.

5. Is Ramesh Powar still with the Indian team?

No. Ramesh Powar is not on the India men’s staff; he coached the India women’s team and later worked at the National Cricket Academy. India’s spin bowling coach since June 2026 is Sairaj Bahutule.

6. What is the role of T. Dilip?

T. Dilip was India’s fielding coach from 2021 until his contract ended in July 2026, apart from a short gap in 2025. Subhadeep Ghosh replaced him in August 2026.

7. Are there foreign coaches in Team India?

Yes. Bowling coach Morné Morkel and strength and conditioning coach Adrian le Roux are both South African. Nick Webb, a New Zealander, left the fitness role in 2021.

8. Where can I find the full list of Indian cricket team coaches?

You can refer to this guide or follow BCCI’s official announcements for updates.

9. Who is the head coach of the India cricket team?

Gautam Gambhir, who was appointed head coach by the BCCI on 9 July 2024. He is the only Indian head coach to have won two major ICC titles, the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup.

10. What has India won under Gautam Gambhir?

The ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in March 2026, both finals won against New Zealand.

11. Are Ramesh Powar, Paddy Upton, Nick Webb and Nitin Patel on India’s current coaching staff?

No. Earlier versions of this page listed them as current staff, which was wrong. Ramesh Powar coached the India women’s team and later worked at the National Cricket Academy; Paddy Upton was India’s mental conditioning coach around the 2011 World Cup; Nick Webb was strength and conditioning coach from 2019 to 2021; and Nitin Patel resigned as India physio in 2015. Morné Morkel (South Africa) and Adrian le Roux (South Africa) are the overseas members of the current staff.

12. Who is India’s fielding coach now?

Subhadeep Ghosh has been India’s fielding coach since August 2026. He replaced T. Dilip, whose contract was not extended after July 2026. Ghosh previously coached fielding for the India women’s team and worked with India A and at the National Cricket Academy.

13. Who is India’s spin bowling coach?

Sairaj Bahutule is India’s spin bowling coach. The BCCI announced his appointment for the senior men’s team on 2 June 2026. He played 2 Tests and 8 ODIs for India and took 630 first-class wickets.

14. Who is India’s assistant coach?

India has no announced assistant coach as of September 2026. Ryan ten Doeschate, assistant coach since July 2024, stepped down after the white-ball tour of England in July 2026, and no replacement had been announced in the reports reviewed for this update.

15. Who is coaching India’s T20 team at the Asian Games?

VVS Laxman is head coach of the India men’s T20 squad at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Subhadeep Ghosh on the staff. Gautam Gambhir stays with the ODI team for the home series against the West Indies.

16. How long is Gautam Gambhir’s contract?

Gautam Gambhir’s contract is reported to run until the 2027 ODI World Cup. The BCCI has not published the contract terms, so the end date comes from media reports and Wikipedia.

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