India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate believes a shift in mindset towards excelling in high-quality fast bowling may have inadvertently led to the nation’s dwindling performance against spin. Historically known for their prowess against spin bowling, the Indian cricket team found themselves undone by spin during the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka, losing as many as 27 wickets. Ten Doeschate is keen to tackle this issue head-on and restore India’s forte in playing spin.
In a candid interview with TalkSport Cricket, ten Doeschate shared his perspective on the evolving mindset of Indian cricketers. “The Indian mindset has become so driven to excel overseas that the focus has shifted from what was once their 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.”
Reflecting on the recent tour in Sri Lanka, he noted, “[We] were undone in Sri Lanka, and I think 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.”
Ten Doeschate’s role is part of a broader strategy with him being one of the three assistant coaches now under new head coach Gautam Gambhir. While Morne Morkel is expected to play a pivotal role in refining the team’s bowling techniques, the responsibility of honing batting skills will be shared between Abhishek Nayar and ten Doeschate. The Dutchman emphasized that the approach would be more about mental fortitude than technical adjustments. “I don’t think much of what we’re going to bring is technical knowledge to these guys,” he said.
“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, debriefing, and keeping the mental space really good.
. That’s going to be really important.”
The transition of the new coaching staff occurs at a compelling moment for Indian cricket. The team recently secured the T20 World Cup and faces imminent challenges including the World Test Championship (WTC) and the Champions Trophy. “It’s exciting and kind of daunting at the same time,” ten Doeschate admitted. “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.”
“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. 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. In terms of timing, it’s quite difficult to walk into a team that’s just come back with the World Cup, 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.”
Clearly, the road ahead for Indian cricket is filled with opportunities and competitions that will test their mettle across all formats. The insights provided by ten Doeschate underline the thoughtfulness and strategic planning involved in preparing the team for these challenges while also addressing specific areas, such as spin play, that have lagged behind. As India prepares for a series of high-stakes encounters, the focus will be on balancing their historical strengths and newfound aspirations, ensuring a holistic approach to their game.
As fans and analysts alike keep a close watch on the team’s performance, one thing is certain: the coming months will be pivotal in shaping India’s cricketing narrative and reinstating their dominance against spin, an area they once undisputedly ruled.