NEW DELHI: India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, admitted that the team did not anticipate such a heavy reliance on spin in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy. Speaking to reporters, he acknowledged that the conditions in Dubai have favoured spin more than expected, shaping the team’s approach to matches.
“There are four spinners… so it could be a contest of spin. I think that coming into the competition, we weren’t expecting such an over-reliance on spin, but the guys have bowled nicely, and the pitch has helped a little bit. So I’m sure it’s going to be the same for the next game,” Ryan stated.
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Dubai’s pitches have proven to be less batter-friendly compared to Pakistan’s venues, where 300-plus scores have been more frequent. Instead, a total around 270 has emerged as a competitive figure. Ryan expects this trend to continue and emphasised the need for teams to adapt.
“Look, I won’t say it’s difficult. I think we’ve become used to a standard where you score 320 without thinking too much about it. So, getting to 320 has been difficult. The pitch played slightly differently, in our opinion, in those two games. But there are probably like 280-290 pitches if you bat it really well. So, in the bigger picture, it’s not like playing in Pakistan, where you expect to get 320-330. But you’ve got to adapt yourself and get a score that’s good on these wickets, and we think it’s around about 280-290, judging on the first two pitches,” he explained.
Ryan, who has been part of head coach Gautam Gambhir‘s setup since the start, spoke about the adjustment period within the Indian dressing room and the importance of earning players’ trust.
“Yeah, I think progression is probably the keyword there. You come into a new environment, and you need to earn the players’ respect and the players’ trust. That does take a bit of time. I think it certainly helps when you’re winning as well. Players are a lot more open to listening to you and listening to new ideas. And I think it’s going in the right direction now,” he said.
With experienced players in the squad, Ryan acknowledged the need for precise and well-thought-out communication from the coaching staff.
“I think you’ve got a lot of experienced players there. So you’ve got to choose your words very carefully. You’ve got to know what you’re talking about. And it’s obviously got to be in their interest and the interest of Indian cricket. So it’s a continual work on. You can’t go there with rubbish. Like I said, I think it’s working pretty well, and as a coaching group, we’re getting better at it,” he added.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak joined Gambhir’s coaching team recently. Ryan outlined the structured approach within the management and their focus on delivering a unified message.
“Obviously, with Kotak coming in now, he’s taking care of the batting. So, between the five of us, we’re just trying to disseminate the same message. We’re very clear as a team on how we want to play. It’s just making sure the messaging is consistent and the players are striving towards the same thing all the time. Between the five of us,” he said.
As India progress in the tournament, the role of spin and adapting to the challenges of Dubai’s surfaces will be crucial in shaping their campaign.