India's coaching staff to split after third ODI ahead of Test prep

India's coaching staff will separate following the third ODI against New Zealand in Hamilton, as preparations shift toward the Test series that begins on November 19 in Wellington. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule are expected to stay with the ODI squad for the final two matches in Mount Maunganui, while batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel will move to the Test camp.

"[The plan] can still change, but as far as I know, obviously Gautam will have to be here – the one-day World Cup is coming [in 2027], so he will be staying here and probably Sairaj will stay here," Kotak said at a press conference in Hamilton.

Kotak added that three fast bowlers from the ODI side – likely Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Arshdeep Singh – will remain in New Zealand to serve as net bowlers and reserves for the Test squad. The group traveling to Wellington on February 11 is expected to include batters Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, seamers Anshul Kamboj and Mohammed Siraj, and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, all of whom will miss the fourth and fifth ODIs.

Gambhir, Bahutule, Brar, Nabi and Arshdeep are slated to join the Test contingent in Wellington on February 16, after the conclusion of the ODI series. Kotak said his role in the Test camp will involve creating scenario-based simulations to prepare batters for varying match conditions, including toss outcomes, pitch behavior and weather.

The coaching staff emphasized a flexible approach, tailoring preparation to individual player strengths and the specific challenges posed by New Zealand conditions.