Kevin Pietersen puts his hand up as India's batting coach to help out struggling Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and others
Pietersen, who is currently in South Africa as part of the SA20 broadcasting team, said he was "available" to take on the role of India's batting coach.
Hours after reports that BCCI was considering adding an additional support staff member, preferably a batting coach, to India's support staff started appearing on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, former England captain Kevin Pietersen put his hand up for the role. It all started when Cricbuzz, on Wednesday night, reported that BCCI are considering adding a new member to head coach Gautam Gambhir's support staff.
"...a few names are being considered, including former domestic cricket heavyweights. However, no final decision has been made," the report claimed, giving rise to further speculations.
Pietersen, who is currently in South Africa as part of the SA20 broadcasting team, said he was "available" to take on the role of India's batting coach.
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Kevin Pietersen an ideal fit as batting coach?
The stylish former England batter has been a regular commentator in the IPL and boasts an outstanding CV regarding batting credentials.
In 104 Tests, Pietersen scored 8181 runs at an average of 47.28. His 23 centuries place him third on England's all-time list for most Test hundreds, led by Joe Root (36) and Alastair Cook (33). Regarded as one of England's best white-ball batters ever, the South Africa-born cricketer scored 4440 runs in 136 ODIs at an average of 40.73. He also has an impressive record in the 37 T20Is that he played for England, scoring 1176 runs at a strike of 140.
Pietersen, however, does not have any experience coaching a top-level cricket team.
Notably, the current Indian coaching staff does not have a designated batting coach. Unlike his predecessors, Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri, and Rahul Dravid, current head coach Gautam Gambhir decided not to keep an official batting coach in his team. The former India opener, instead, picked two assistant coaches, Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate. Both Nayar and Ten Doeschate were accomplished batters during their playing days, and Nayar, in fact, has a good reputation as a batting coach in domestic cricket and the IPL.
Why India need a batting coach
Following India's recent Test losses against New Zealand (0-3 at home) and Australia (1-3), significant criticism has been directed at the coaching staff, particularly regarding the repeated dismissals of players like Virat Kohli in similar ways.
The concerns related to the support staff were addressed in a review meeting held in Mumbai on January 11. While the specifics of the discussion surrounding the support staff remain unclear, there are indications that the possibility of bringing in a new expert might have been considered.
While much of the focus has been on the poor show from stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, it has contributed to the perception that changes within the coaching setup could be beneficial. Although it remains uncertain whether the BCCI will proceed with such an appointment, the suggestion to enhance the coaching team, particularly in batting, appears to have been strongly emphasized.
