5 Former cricketers who could be Team India's next head coach

In recent years, Team India have proven to be a formidable opponent. While captain Virat Kohli deserves the most of the credit, head coach Ravi Shastri has done an outstanding job behind the scenes in keeping the players motivated and going throughout the years. Under his tenure, India defeated the Aussies in Australia for the first time ever in 2018-19 and then again in 2020-21.

The Men in Blue also registered their first-ever bilateral ODI series win in South Africa in 2018. Moreover, they ended as the semi-finalists and runners-up in the 2019 World Cup and World Test Championship. India last won an ICC tournament in 2013, when MS Dhoni captained them to victory in the Champions Trophy in England.

On that note, as Shastri’s contract is set to come to an end after the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, the BCCI would look to keep a watch on some of the high-profile coaches. Shastri is unlikely to be given a third term, and a new face might be seen.

So let’s look at 5 former cricketers who could be India’s next head coach:

1. Rahul Dravid

The most obvious name and probably the front runner in this race by a mile. Rahul Dravid has been associated with the India U-19 team and is also the head of cricket at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore for a while now.

He has been extremely successful in finding and grooming young talent for the IPL and international level which has led to probably the strongest bench strength in the world. The prime example of this is the Indian team which will be playing against Sri Lanka this July and is looking as strong as many top international teams.

All the youngsters have hailed Dravid for their success at the IPL and international level and are extremely comfortable working with him. It would be interesting to see if he could sprinkle his pixie dust on the senior team as well and help them win ICC events.

2. Mike Hesson

One of the coaches who started to take decisions solely based on data at the earliest, Mike Hesson can be a different yet great option as the head coach of India. Hesson and McCullum established a culture and style of play for the Black Caps that was transformative for New Zealand cricket.

Their plan was simple: to attack in the powerplay with the bat and ball. In 2015, he coached the Kiwis to their first-ever World Cup final which they lost to Australia. His contract was extended in 2016 until the end of the 2019 World Cup, but he resigned in June 2018 in order to spend more time with his family.

He has also coached the Punjab Kings in IPL 2018 and is currently the Director of Cricket Operations at Royal Challengers Bangalore. His great relation and success with Virat Kohli at RCB make him one of the probable candidates.

3. Tom Moody

Moody is another former cricketer who has attentively observed Indian players during his tenure with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. In 2016, SRH won the title under his leadership. For the last five years, SRH has been the only team to qualify for the playoffs, and he has played a key role in the franchise’s success.

Known for his man-management skills, Tom Moody had also helped Sri Lanka reach the World Cup finals in 2007. He has also coached in the BBL and PSL, as well as serving as the Caribbean Premier League’s International Director of Cricket.

Before the start of the IPL 2020 season, Moody was replaced as SRH’s head coach by Trevor Bayliss. He returned to SRH as Director of Cricket ahead of the IPL 2021 season. With the expertise he has regarding domestic Indian players & conditions, he can be an asset for the Indian Cricket Team!

4. Virender Sehwag

A dicey yet good option, Sehwag can formulate his style of play in the Indian team i.e. to attack till the opposition is knocked out! Sehwag joined Kings XI Punjab as a mentor in 2016 before becoming the franchise’s head of operations in 2019.

Despite his resignation, the cricketer-turned-commentator continues to watch Indian cricket and has shared his opinions via his famous one-liners on various social media channels.

Since he knows the senior players quite well personally as all of them have been his juniors, the bonding aspect might not take as much time as his foreign counterparts!

5. Robin Singh

The most surprising pick in this list of outstanding coaches. However, Singh isn’t as inexperienced as it seems. He coached Deccan Chargers in IPL 2008 wherein he had a forgettable year as the team finished last.

After that, he was associated with the Mumbai Indians since 2010 as a head coach for three years and then as their batting coach. He was the fielding coach of India from 2007 to 2009 after a successful India A stint.

Additionally, he was the head coach of Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) who have won and been runners-up in his regime.

This shows the expertise and experience of the former Indian all-rounder. Though a less of a name, he is a man who knows what is he doing and sticks to his plan, and more often than not, he gets the desired result.