The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a notable change to the senior men’s cricket team’s backroom staff just before the start of the Asia Cup on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates. The Indian Express reports that the board has parted ways with team masseur Rajeev Kumar, a familiar and respected figure who had served the team for nearly 15 years, including during the recent tour of England where India drew the five-match series 2-2.
Sources confirmed that Rajeev Kumar was not offered a new contract, as the BCCI continues to restructure the support staff, moving away from the pre-Gautam Gambhir era. This decision follows similar moves where the BCCI did not renew the contracts of former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar and strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai.
A source cited by the Indian Express stated, “The Indian board has decided to discontinue with Rajeev’s services. The Indian team had already appointed a masseur, which was recommended by team management before.”
The decision to let go of long-serving members of the support staff seems to be a strategic one. A key member of the Indian think tank reportedly believes that keeping the same support staff for an extended period can lead to diminishing returns.
Rajeev Kumar was known to share an excellent rapport with the players, particularly the fast bowlers. He gained popularity on social media after a picture of him celebrating his birthday with Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar was shared on X (formerly Twitter).
It’s not the first time the BCCI has made such changes to the backroom staff. They had previously parted ways with team masseur Arun Kanade. Fielding coach T. Dilip was also asked to leave but was later re-appointed by the board in a surprising U-turn. Soham Desai, despite being given the option to continue, chose to move on.
The ongoing changes in the team’s backroom staff are part of a larger plan under head coach Gautam Gambhir, who took over the role in July 2024. Gambhir brought in his own set of trusted professionals, including Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches and Morne Morkel as the bowling coach. While Nayar has since been let go, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel remain part of the support staff. The BCCI also brought in Sitanshu Kotak as the batting coach after India’s loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
BCCI Parts Ways With Long-Serving Team Masseur Rajeev Kumar Ahead Of Asia Cup
