India Women Set to Appoint First Foreign Fitness Coach After Historic World Cup Win
India Women to appoint first-ever foreign fitness coach Nathan Kiely after maiden World Cup win, marking a new training era.
India’s women’s cricket team is set for a major change after their maiden World Cup triumph. For the first time, a foreign strength and conditioning coach is likely to join the setup, marking a bold step in the BCCI’s modernisation plan.
Australian fitness expert Nathan Kiely, currently working with the Bangladesh men’s team, is in advanced talks to take charge at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Kiely has also worked with New South Wales, one of Australia’s top domestic sides, bringing over a decade of experience in elite-level training and recovery.
The move comes after India’s S&C coach Al Harrsha played a key role in the team’s World Cup campaign earlier this year. Under his guidance, India maintained impressive fitness levels through the tournament, finishing fourth in the group stage before stunning Australia in the semifinals and beating South Africa by 52 runs in the final.
While Harrsha is expected to remain with the BCCI setup, sources say he could be reassigned to another role, possibly mentoring upcoming trainers within the CoE system.
If appointed, Kiely will become the first-ever foreign strength and conditioning coach in Indian women’s cricket history. Until now, all fitness staff in the women’s setup have been India-based. Officials believe the inclusion of an overseas expert will help bridge the gap between India and top-tier women’s teams like Australia and England.
The BCCI’s push for enhanced fitness programs extends beyond the women’s team. Two new in-house S&C specialists, Pratyush Agrawal (formerly with Delhi Capitals) and Amit Vengurlekar (ex-Lucknow Super Giants), have joined the CoE to support both senior and age-group players.
Meanwhile, the Indian men’s team continues under Adrian Le Roux, who has been the head S&C coach since 2019.
The appointment of Kiely is seen as part of a broader shift in BCCI’s training philosophy, aiming to bring global best practices into its national and domestic structures. It underlines India’s commitment to long-term athletic development, recovery management, and injury prevention — key factors behind consistent success in modern cricket.
