India coaching staff split plans are now clear after the third ODI against New Zealand in Hamilton. The team’s coaching group will divide duties right after Tuesday’s match so Test preparations can begin without delay.
Key Highlights
- Strategic coaching staff split
- Early Wellington preparation camp
- Focused match-simulation drills
- Sitanshu Kotak confirmed plans
- Gambhir manages ODI squad
Sitanshu Kotak, the batting coach, confirmed the arrangement on Monday. He and fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel will travel to Wellington to join the Test squad. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule will remain with the ODI side for the final two matches in Mount Maunganui.
Kotak explained the thinking behind the India coaching staff split. “Gautam will have to be here – the one-day World Cup is coming in 2027, so he will be staying here and probably Sairaj will stay here. Me, Morne and some other staff will go to Wellington.” He added that the plan could still change, but this is the most likely path. Gambhir will take the final call.
Three fast bowlers from the current ODI squad are also expected to stay back in New Zealand. Kotak named Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Arshdeep Singh as the probable net bowlers and reserves who will help the Test contingent.
If the schedule holds, Kotak and Morkel will leave for Wellington on February 11. They will travel with Test players Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav. These players will miss the fourth and fifth ODIs. Gambhir, Bahutule and the three retained bowlers will fly from Mount Maunganui on February 16, the day after the fifth ODI, to join the group in Wellington.
The first Test begins on November 19. The India coaching staff split allows the Test unit to settle into camp early and adapt to local conditions.
Kotak spoke in detail about his role once he reaches Wellington. He plans to create match-like situations for the batters. “I’m thinking in different phases. If you lose the toss, if you bat first, there will be different requirements. If you bat second, it will be different. Third and fourth innings will be different.”
He wants the batters ready for every possible scenario – weather, pitch behaviour and the length of New Zealand’s bowling spells. Kotak stressed that each player needs individual attention. Conversations with Yashasvi Jaiswal will differ from those with KL Rahul, Shubman Gill or Rishabh Pant. The focus will stay on each batter’s strengths and the shots that work best in New Zealand conditions.
“They are professional,” Kotak said. “Whatever action they take, eventually they will be responsible.” He also noted that the toss will carry extra weight on these pitches.
The India coaching staff split reflects the tight calendar and the different demands of the two formats. With the ODI World Cup still more than a year away, Gambhir’s continued presence with the limited-overs side makes sense. At the same time, the Test squad gets dedicated coaching support well before the first match.
Fans across the world will watch how this India coaching staff split works in practice. Early preparation in Wellington could give the visitors a valuable edge when the two-Test series begins. The coaching group has made a practical decision that balances both formats without overloading any single staff member.
In short, the India coaching staff split after the third ODI keeps the short-term ODI goals intact while giving the Test team the focused time it needs.
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