India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has expressed concerns about the current state of India’s batting against spin, a strength traditionally attributed to Indian cricket. Recent performances, particularly in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, have seen the Indian team lose as many as 27 wickets to spin, highlighting a worrying trend. Ten Doeschate believes this issue stems from a shift in priorities, with Indian batsmen focusing more on improving against high-quality fast bowling, especially for overseas tours.
In an interview with TalkSport Cricket, Ten Doeschate discussed this unexpected challenge. “The Indian mindset has become so driven to do well overseas that the focus has moved away from what was once our strength—playing spin,” he remarked. “I guess one of the challenges that I wasn’t expecting and kind of overlooked is the playing of spin.”
Ten Doeschate emphasized that the ambition to succeed in countries like Australia and England might have inadvertently caused the team to neglect their prowess against spin, an area in which they have historically dominated. “The mindset of the Indians has been such that they are so driven to do well overseas. I think the focus has moved to doing well in Australia and doing well in England, and we’ve kind of let playing spin, which was always the strength of the Indian team, fall back a little bit. So that’s one thing I’m looking forward to, helping get to that position where Indians are the best players of spin in the world again,” he stated emphatically.
The coaching team under the leadership of new head coach Gautam Gambhir features three assistant coaches, forming a trio poised to rejuvenate the squad. Morne Morkel, another crucial figure in the coaching setup, is expected to bolster the bowling department, while Abhishek Nayar and Ten Doeschate share the responsibility of enhancing the batting unit. According to Ten Doeschate, the approach to revitalizing India’s spin play will be more psychological than technical.
“I don’t think much of what we’re going to bring is technical knowledge to these guys,” said Ten Doeschate. “It’s more about mindsets, situational awareness, how we think they can control certain phases of the game. It’s about throwing ideas out there, de-briefing, and keeping the mental space really good. That’s going to be really important.
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This new coaching tenure begins at a pivotal moment for the Indian cricket team. Having recently claimed the T20 World Cup, the team now sets its sights on the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) and the Champions Trophy. Ten Doeschate described this period as both exhilarating and daunting. “It’s exciting and kind of daunting at the same time,” he noted. “In terms of what we’re looking forward to, qualifying for the WTC final. There’s a great opportunity with 10 Tests left, five in India [over the next couple of months] and then going to Australia [for five more at the end of 2024] is going to be great.”
Ten Doeschate also acknowledged the challenges that come with preparing for different formats, given the limited time available. “Then in the medium term there’s the Champions Trophy. With only three ODIs left in the prep phase, it’s going to be really challenging to switch between the formats and get the team ready for that, which again is something they’re desperate to win,” he explained.
Looking further ahead, another WTC cycle is on the horizon with an alluring tour of England slated for the summer of 2025. “Then in the next [WTC] cycle, the tour to England [summer of 2025] is going to be fantastic and then prepping the team for the [2026] T20 World Cup,” said Ten Doeschate, reflecting on the array of challenges and opportunities.
For Ten Doeschate and the rest of the coaching team, the timing of their appointment couldn’t be more crucial. “In terms of timing, it’s quite difficult to walk into a team that’s just come back with the World Cup,” he admitted, “but in terms of what’s ahead for the next 18 months, it’s mouth-watering as a coach. It’s all the series you want to be involved in and all the challenges you want to come up against.”
With significant tournaments and tours on the agenda, Ten Doeschate’s mission to restore India’s dominance against spin will be closely watched. Only time will tell if his psychological approach can help re-establish the Indian team’s historical strength in playing spin, blending it with their newly acquired prowess against fast bowling.