India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on 26 September 2026 underscored the critical mentoring role of senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in shaping the next generation, saying their collective wisdom is proving indispensable as India ramps up preparation for next year's ODI World Cup. Kotak's remarks came at a pre-match press conference in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of the first game of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies at the Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday.

Experience Shared in the Dressing Room

Kotak was emphatic that the team's internal environment is built on knowledge-sharing, with senior players routinely pulling younger teammates aside. 'See, it is all about sharing experience. They always do that. Whenever I have seen all the experienced players, even Gautam, because he has played at that level, whatever they have experienced, when they see that some player is going in a similar condition or similar situation, they always talk to them,' Kotak told reporters.

He added that this dynamic extends across the entire support staff. 'I always see them talking to senior players or Gautam. They do talk to me, and also to Morne [Morkel] and Sairaj [Bahutule],' he said. Kotak noted that the team atmosphere was 'feeling brilliant' from the inside, with every player acutely aware that the World Cup is twelve months away and that each series carries weight.

India's World Cup Blueprint: 30-Plus ODIs Ahead

Shubman Gill-led India have approximately 30 to 31 one-day internationals scheduled before the global showpiece, according to Kotak. The coaching staff is approaching the build-up series by series, studying specific conditions — overcast skies, moist pitches in New Zealand, pace-friendly tracks in South Africa — to ensure the squad is battle-hardened across formats of play.

'For example, it is South Africa, so what kind of wickets can we get? Here, with overcast skies, what can be the challenges... the last 10 overs may not be as many runs as we used to get,' Kotak explained, highlighting how India are already modelling match scenarios against varying conditions. Series against West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and New Zealand are all being treated as equally important preparation windows.

Balancing Youth and Results — The England Lesson

Addressing India's recent series defeat in England, Kotak acknowledged the tightrope walk between blooding new talent and chasing results. 'It is very difficult. There is a very thin line between trying new players and trying to get the results also,' he said candidly.

He cited the Lord's Test as a case in point, where India fielded several young fast bowlers and conceded a heavy total. 'Sometimes you do suffer setbacks like that. But eventually, again, it's obviously the captain and head coach; they plan, and they try to give opportunities,' Kotak added. The admission reflects an emerging tension within Indian cricket — accelerating the transition while protecting results — that will only intensify as the World Cup nears.

New Fielding Coach Subhadeep Ghosh Settles In

Kotak also welcomed new fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh, who has taken over from T. Dilip. He described Ghosh as 'a very quiet but very hardworking guy' who has already brought fresh drills to training. 'Every coach has their own ideas, drills, and plans. Obviously, when the new guy comes, there is a variety for players also,' Kotak said, adding that the previous day's session was 'quite busy and good.'

He was careful to credit Dilip's contribution, noting that 'all of us know someday, there will be a change' — framing the transition as a natural cycle rather than a commentary on performance.

Making Every Session Count

With players rarely afforded an extended off-season — the IPL now occupying much of the calendar — Kotak said the coaching staff treats every available training block as a mini-camp. Even an optional session on a hot day in Thiruvananthapuram saw pacer Auqib Nabi voluntarily show up to bat, underscoring the squad's appetite ahead of what promises to be a consequential year. 'We just try and utilise as much as we can,' Kotak concluded.