Concerns over Nehra’s tenure as GT’s head coach

Beyond the organisation of the Gujarat Titans, there is also a great deal of concern around their coach, Ashish Nehra. If the Indian Premier League (IPL) team’s current owner, CVC Capital, decided to change the coaching staff in front of the massive auction later this year, it wouldn’t be shocking.

According to IPL sources, the GT management—which has some personnel in Singapore and Mumbai and its administrative head headquartered in the UK—is thinking about switching up their coaching staff for the upcoming campaign. During the team’s first three years, Gary Kirsten served as both the batting coach and mentor, while Vikram Solanki served as the director of cricket.

Ashish Nehra is the head coach. It’s highly possible that the coach structure will change in some way.

The anticipated changes could be the result of several circumstances, even if the squad performed well under the Nehra-Solanki-Kirsten combo. The team performed admirably in its first few years together, winning the championship in 2022 and placing second in 2023. Gary Kirsten, one of the three, has already departed to play for Pakistan.

While there are signs that Solanki might be able to weather the revamp, it is less certain who will be the head coach. Some people claim that Nehra may have unnerved them. The former bowler for India was a familiar sight in previous seasons; during the 2023 final, he was observed giving Mohit Sharma advice following each delivery. However, the fact that the TV cameras didn’t see him as often throughout the 2024 season suggests that this isn’t a coincidence.

In reference to the conjecture about a possible managerial transition for the Gujarat Titans, from CVC to Torrent Pharma or the Adani Group, it is probable that any such deal will need to wait until February of the next year. This is because franchise shares are subject to a mandatory three-year lock-in term. This implies that the present CVC management will probably be in charge for at least one more season, and the auction is almost certain to happen in December.

Sanga to make way for Dravid?

There might also be adjustments made elsewhere in the IPL. The head coach position at Rajasthan Royals may become available as a result of reports that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is considering Kumar Sangakkara for their white-ball team. This might make the handoff between legends easier, with Rahul Dravid emerging as the front-runner to succeed the Sri Lankan icon. Before joining the BCCI, Dravid was the head coach of the Jaipur team.

In response to questions from the English media, Sangakkara stated that he feels at ease with the Royals but did not totally dismiss the notion. “Well, I know that for whatever reason, my name has been brought up, but no real approach has occurred. Although there are a lot of deserving applicants, I believe that working with England white-ball is an exciting opportunity for anyone. I’m feeling really content right now. I have truly liked my employment over the previous four years with the Rajasthan Royals, and it has been a very gratifying experience,” Sangakkara was recently reported in the English media.

Rob Key, the all-powerful managing director of the England men’s team, is thought to be close to Sangakkara. Furthermore, it is well known that the Sri Lankan has a solid rapport with England’s white ball captain, having worked alongside Jos Buttler throughout their time together at the Royals.

When questioned about it, the ECB stated that since former coach Matthew Mott had resigned, the selection process has not begun. “There will be an interview process at some point but there is no shortlist as of now,” a spokesperson for the ECB stated. Marcus Trescothick has been named by the England board to lead the country’s five-match home ODI series against Australia starting next month.