Ravi Bishnoi to work with Sunil Joshi to fix back-foot no-ball issue ahead of Zimbabwe tour

Ravi Bishnoi will receive guidance from spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence to address his recurring back-foot no-ball problem, a technical flaw that derailed India's second T20I against England at Old Trafford on Saturday, July 4. Bishnoi's 29-run 17th over, featuring three no-balls, proved decisive in India's loss. The leg-spinner was not selected for the next three matches in England but has been recalled for India's three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe beginning July 23.

Bishnoi featured in only eight of Rajasthan Royals' 16 matches in the 2026 IPL edition, deepening concerns about his form before the England tour. England required 49 runs from the final four overs with five wickets standing when the right-arm spinner was called into the attack for what turned out to be his last over. The damage was immediate and severe, shifting the match beyond India's reach.

Former India spinner Murali Kartik identified Bishnoi's exaggerated run-up as the core issue, believing the problem stems from how his semicircular approach to the crease has thrown off his alignment and forced him to cut across the return crease. Kartik advocated for Bishnoi to revert to the more compact C-shaped run-up that previously served him well, arguing this adjustment could resolve the issue without requiring a complete technical overhaul.

VVS Laxman, head of the Centre of Excellence, will take charge as head coach for the Zimbabwe tour alongside assistant coaches Sunil Joshi and Hrishikesh Kanitkar. With Joshi expected to travel to Zimbabwe with the squad, Bishnoi could begin working with the former India spinner during the series. The original plan was to send Bishnoi to the academy in Bengaluru after the England tour, but that arrangement was cancelled after Varun Chakravarthy's injury made the leg-spinner unavailable for immediate rest.

India's Zimbabwe T20I tour runs from July 23 to July 26, with all three matches scheduled at Harare Sports Club. The pairing of Bishnoi with Joshi offers a critical window for technical refinement before the Men in Blue attempt to rebuild their T20I fortunes following recent setbacks against Ireland and England.