India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has come under sharp criticism from former Indian cricketer Priyank Panchal for his remarks on senior batter Rohit Sharma and young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy following India’s defeat to New Zealand in the second ODI.

Panchal strongly objected to Ten Doeschate’s post-match comments, calling them insensitive and poorly judged. He argued that such public assessments reflect a lack of understanding of the dynamics and relationships within the Indian team setup. “Terrible comments by Ten Doeschate. There’s a reason foreign coaches don’t succeed in India,” Panchal was quoted as saying, questioning the approach taken by overseas coaching staff in handling senior players.

The controversy stems from ten Doeschate’s remarks after the Rajkot ODI, where he noted that Rohit Sharma “had not been as fluent as he has been” while batting on what he described as a tough wicket. Rohit has scored 26 and 24 in the first two ODIs against New Zealand, following a Vijay Hazare Trophy stint with Mumbai in December where he registered scores of 155 not out and 0.

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Ten Doeschate also commented on Nitish Kumar Reddy’s role in the side, stating that while the young all-rounder gets opportunities, he has “often ended up not doing a heck of a lot.” Reddy scored 20 runs and bowled two overs for 13 runs in the match, performances that Ten Doeschate appeared to suggest did not significantly impact the game.

Panchal, however, defended both players, emphasising that public criticism from coaching staff can be counterproductive, especially in a high-pressure international environment. He stressed that senior players like Rohit Sharma bring immense experience and leadership value beyond individual scores.

India’s loss in the second ODI has already put the team under scrutiny, and the comments from the coaching camp have added to the debate around communication and man-management within the squad. As the series progresses, attention will remain on how the team responds on the field and how internal matters are handled off it.

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