Coaches India team has had in the past

The hunt for a coach of the India cricket team is turning into one of the biggest events in Indian cricket these days. Never before has the appointment of a coach been as widespread as it is currently. With 57 candidates at their disposal, the BCCI is set to ponder on the available coaches and match them with their respective credentials. However, we take a quick look to see some of the names from the past with an aim to establish a trend of appointment over the years. That said, here is a list of the past coaches of the Indian cricket team.

1. Ajit Wadekar (1992-1996)

Former Indian skipper Ajit Wadekar served as Indian coach from 1992 to 1996. Having served as the first official coach of the Indian cricket team, Wadekar instilled a winning mentality in the squad. He worked extremely well with then skipper Mohammad Azharuddin as the Indians became one of the most fearsome sides in the world. They whitewashed a strong England side at home 3-0 and went unbeaten in 14 Test matches from 1992 to 1994. He also oversaw the Indian side’s ODI renaissance as they won several tournaments including the Hero Cup and the Titan Cup. He also holds the unique distinction to represent the country as Test player, captain, coach/manager and the chairman of selectors. Lala Amarnath and Chandu Borde are the only other players to achieve this distinction.

2. Sandeep Patil (1996)

Sandeep Patil was one of the most loved cricketers of his time. The innings he played against England at Lords in the 1983 World Cup semifinal is something of a folklore story. Patil was appointed as Indian coach shortly after Ajit Wadekar stepped down from his position. However, his stint was short-lived as he was replaced with former teammate Madan Lal a few months later. He then served as the coach of the Kenya cricket team and impressed by guiding them to the semifinal of the 2003 World Cup. However, he returned to India and went on to become the chairman of the selection committee. He has also reapplied for the role once again. At the moment, he is one of the favorites to reprise the role he served almost 20 years back.

Also, check out – 5 Front runners to be appointed the coach of the Indian team

3. Madan Lal (1996-1997)

A crucial part of the 1983 World Cup winning squad, Madan Lal was succeeded his teammate Sandeep Pail in 1996. Having coached UAE in the 1996 World Cup, Lal seemingly had the experience he needed to become the coach of the Indian side. Madan Lal had a stint as India’s national cricket coach between September 1996 and September 1997. Since then, he has served in several positions in either coaching or cricket administration.

4. Anshuman Gaekwad (1997-1999, 2000)

Anshuman Gaekwad is still considered one of India’s best coaches of Indian origin. Gaekwad took over from Madan Lal with the Indian side struggling to come to terms with the ever-changing pace of cricket. However, Gaekwad led the Indian side through the tough transition and led them into some decent success. The rollercoaster ride saw some disastrous performances. However, Gaekwad’s reign saw the 10-for Anil Kumble took at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. He shared a good rapport with the then skipper Sachin Tendulkar but didn’t have a good association with the board and was removed in a quick and sudden turn of events. However, he took up the job once again for a brief stint when Kapil Dev quit this job in 2000.

5. Kapil Dev (1999-2000)

One of the most anticipated coaches for the Indian cricket team, Kapil Dev was chosen to replace Anshuman Gaekwad in 1999. This was the time Sachin Tendulkar also had been named as the skipper of the Indian side. Kapil’s side under Tendulkar saw the heaviest Test defeat inflicted on the Indians as they were comprehensively beaten in Australia and the subsequent home series against South Africa. Kapil’s side also boasted of the new generation of stars including Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman. However, a match-fixing scandal involving Manoj Prabhakar saw Dev resign from his position, handing over to Anshuman Gaekwad who came in on an interim basis.

6. John Wright (2000-2005)

When former Kiwi batsman John Wright took over from Anshuman Gaekwad in the fall of 2000, Indian cricket was in disarray. However, the state of the cricketing trend in the subcontinent took a turn for the better as Wright soon began to instill the killer instinct that was dormant in the Indians. One of his most glorious achievements as coach saw him lead the Indians to a win in the 2001 edition of the Border-Gavaskar series, especially with history made at Kolkata. Wright also led the Indians to the final of the 2003 World Cup, their best performance since the 1983 World Cup final.

7. Greg Chappell (2005-2007)

To this day, the trauma of Greg Chappell’s stint as Indian coach haunts some cricketers. Having taken over from John Wright in 2005, Chappell began the Indian overhaul by removing players such as Sourav Ganguly from the side. The southpaw was restored to the side later as the Indian side suffered. Even Sachin Tendulkar later went on to state that Chappell’s era as Indian coach set cricket in India back by several years. The Indians crashed out of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean after being knocked out by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

8. Gary Kirsten (2007-2011)

South African batsman Gary Kirsten wasn’t even in the reckoning to become Indian coach until that fateful email from Sunil Gavaskar. However, what followed under the reign of Gary Kirsten was something unexpected. He invested in younger players such as Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina and worked extremely well with Indian skipper MS Dhoni. Under Kirsten, the Indians hammered almost all sides that came visiting as well as guided the Indian side to the top spot in the Test rankings. Towards the end, Kirsten left the role having won a thrilling World Cup 2011 final in Mumbai. One of the lasting memories for most players is the fact that the Indian players began playing with a smile on their face under Kirsten.

9. Duncan Fletcher (2011-2015)

Zimbabwean by birth, Duncan Fletcher had served as the coach before taking the reins of the Indian coach from Gary Kirsten. 2011 saw Fletcher start his job on a low after whitewashes at the hands of England and Australia. However, his lowest point as coach came when England won their first series. However, despite this, Duncan Fletcher saved some face by winning the 2013 edition of the Champions Trophy in England. Following a 3-1 thumping in their tour of England saw Duncan Fletcher relieved from his duties.

10. Ravi Shastri (Team Director; 2015-2016)

Ravi Shastri initially joined the Indian side as the Team director following the England tour debacle. For the BCCI, Shastri sometimes proves to be the crisis man. In 2007, he served as the interim coach of the Indian side following the World Cup debacle. This time, he was back. However, his assignment went into the 2014 edition of the World Cup, a tournament that the Indians performed extremely well. They reached the semifinals of the World Cup with some scintillating performances only to be dumped out in the semifinal. Shastri extended his contract up to the World T20 in India. The Indians performed well yet again as they eventually bowed out of the semifinal against the Windies. Having applied for the job of the chief coach, Shastri is the frontrunner to be appointed despite the 57 applications that have been filed.

11. Anil Kumble (2016 – present)

Anil Kumble was named the head coach after 57 applicants applied for the vacant position. Clearly being the popular choice, Kumble has been handed a one-year contract by the BCCI and will be hoping to make an impact in the time that he is given.