NEW DELHI: Despite rumours of a potential ownership change and anticipated coaching shake-up, Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki are set to continue leading the Gujarat Titans coaching staff, according to a report from Cricbuzz.
Torrent Pharma, based in Ahmedabad, is reportedly in talks to acquire a majority stake in the IPL franchise from current owners CVC Capital.
While this potential acquisition has fueled speculation about significant changes within the franchise, the coaching staff appears to have weathered the storm.
Nehra and Solanki, who were instrumental in the Titans’ impressive debut season victory and subsequent finals appearance, are expected to see out their existing three-year contracts.
Both received lucrative contract extensions after the team’s initial success, with their combined salaries estimated to be among the highest in the league.
The Titans’ recent performance dip, finishing eighth in the latest season, prompted a review by the franchise board.
However, the CVC Capital executives, including Nick Clarry, Siddharth Patel, and Amit Soni, have reportedly decided to retain the coaching duo.
The decision ensures the continuation of the existing support staff, including assistant coaches Aashish Kapoor, Mithun Manhas, Narendra Negi, and Naeem Amin, along with performance analyst Sandeep Raju.
The only vacancy remains the batting coach position, left open after Gary Kirsten‘s departure to join the Pakistan national team.
While the ownership situation remains unclear, with no official communication to the BCCI from either Torrent Pharma or CVC Capital, any change in ownership can only occur after February 2025 due to a mandatory lock-in period.
Meanwhile, the BCCI is expected to announce player retention rules for the upcoming IPL season shortly.
While the IPL Governing Council is yet to formally approve the guidelines, the BCCI office-bearers are empowered to finalize and announce them, with subsequent ratification at a later date.