Former Saurashtra cricketer Sitanshu Kotak is all set to become the Indian cricket team's batting coach, though the BCCI is yet to confirm it.
The 52-year-old is a resident of Kotak Rajkot. He has been associated with the coaching staff of NCA and India A team for a long time. Cricket website Cricinfo wrote on Thursday that he is almost certain to become the batting coach of the Indian team. According to the report, Kotak may join Team India before the T-20 series against England starting on January 22.
Kotak has been the head coach of India A on several tours. He also coached the Indian senior team on the tour of Ireland in 2023. His first-class career spanned 20 years. He retired in 2013.
This is India's coaching staff Apart from head coach Gautam Gambhir, India's coaching staff includes Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Abhishek Nair (assistant coach), Ryan ten Douchet (assistant coach) and T Dilip (fielding coach).
Another member has been added to the Indian team's coaching staff in the form of Kotak.
The batting coach was discussed in the BCCI review meeting The BCCI's review meeting in Mumbai last week considered the inclusion of a batting coach in the Indian team's coaching staff. After India's Test series defeat on the tour of Australia, the coaching staff has come under heavy criticism. Former opener Sunil Gavaskar questioned the coaching of Team India.
Especially after a player like Virat Kohli got out in one go, questions were raised on the coaching staff. In the 5-match series, Kohli was dismissed outside the off-stump in eight innings. At the same time, captain Rohit Sharma managed to score only 31 runs in three matches.
Rohit-Kohli failed against Australia
BCCI is considering bringing back the Yo-Yo Test According to a TOI report, the BCCI is considering bringing back the yo-yo test to improve the team's fitness. The yo-yo test was eliminated to reduce the number of injuries.
What is the yo-yo test?
- The yo-yo test is similar to the beep test. This is a running test where you have to run between two sets.
- The distance between the two sets is 20 meters. This is roughly the length of a cricket pitch.
- Meanwhile the players have to run from one set to another and then back to the first set from the second set.
- Once this distance is covered a shuttle is complete.
- The test starts from the fifth level. This continues until level 23.
- The running time decreases after each shuttle, but the distance does not.
- Indian players have to score 16.5 out of 23 in the yo-yo test.
- Shankar Basu, the former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian cricket team, introduced the yo-yo test to the national team before India's tour of Sri Lanka in 2017.
Image Credit: Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).