Ranking top 10 current coaches in world cricket

While cricket remains a team game where individuals steal headlines, the role of coaches behind success of teams can’t be overlooked. It is true that in cricket, coaches are less charismatic as compared to football but that doesn’t reduce their significance whatsoever. If we look at the history of coaching in cricket, there have been names at the international and national levels who have earned respect of the game’s fraternity because of their sharp knowledge, understand and strategising about the game. Be it the Bob Woolmer on the international stage or Ramakant Achrekar in domestic circuit, cricket coaches have always been key for the success of teams and individuals. In the current times, too, there are a number of names in the cricketing world who have earned honour as accomplished coaches. A coach’s work is often thankless as it is the players who mostly get credit for success while failure hurts the coach’s image more. Yet, world cricket currently has many such names who have taken on the challenge of coaching and succeeded despite the hurdles. Here we look at top 10 coaches in world cricket at the moment: 10. Saqlain Mushtaq Saqlain Mushtaq (left) with England spinner Moeen Ali. (Photo by Simon Cooper/PA Images via Getty Images) The man is credited for starting the ‘doosra’ variety in off-spin bowling. Saqlain Mushtaq was one of Pakistan’s major spinners during his playing days and captured nearly 500 international wickets. But the 45-year-old man has earned the reputation of a coach in his post-playing days. He was appointed as Pakistan’s head coach ahead of the T20 World Cup last year after Misbah-ul-Haq quit. He was assisted by Australia’s Mathew Hayden and South Africa’s Vernon Philander and Babar Azam’s boys did well in the tournament by winning all their five groups, including that against India. Pakistan also beat Bangladesh and the West Indies thereafter. While he is continuing in the post for the ongoing home series against Australia, the man is unlikely to serve in the long run because of his business and personal commitments. But whether he works with Pakistan or not, the England-based former cricketer would continue to be a rising star in the realm of coaching. He has worked with most Test-playing nations and has been England’s official spin consultant. For Mushtaq, coaching was the only option he had at one point of time to live the game. After having played international cricket for eight years, he wanted to remain connected to the game but could not continue playing because of injuries. Moreover, he said in an interview that seeing his young-day club coach in Lahore earning respect, he also decided to choose the same. In England, Mushtaq coached sides such as Somerset, Middlesex, Surrey and England Lions. He also started his own academy in Leicester and while he had some opportunities to associate himself with teams, T20 leagues and individuals in Pakistan, nothing substantial materialised till he got the role of Pakistan’s head coach last year. The experience did not make him happy but Mushtaq did not ignore the call when it came to guiding the country he was born in. 9. Mark Boucher: Mark Boucher. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images) Not all good cricketers make good coaches and vice versa but former South Africa vice captain Mark Boucher stands as an exception. The former South Africa wicketkeeper, whose records stand tall in the statisticians’ diaries, is often called as the backroom-in-charge of the Proteas’ camp. It is not that the 45-year-old never embraces controversies but the man certainly motivates his competitive self even today, as the coach. The way South Africa made thumping comebacks against Test series against India and New Zealand recently, Boucher certainly deserves a heavy pat on his back. South Africa lost nine of their first 11 series across all formats after Boucher was appointed as the head coach in December 2019. But ever since, the team has won six of its seven rubbers and almost made it to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last year. Boucher is not another coach who chooses to remain invisible. In May, he will be attending a disciplinary hearing in which Cricket South Africa will seek his dismissal since he has been accused of indulging in racist activities in the dressing room. But keeping the politics aside, one can not deny the fact that Boucher has been a selfless man when it comes to coaching South Africa by giving his fiercely honest inputs. If he saves his job, South Africa will certainly look to gain. 8. Stephen Fleming Stephen Fleming. (Photo Source: Twitter) Stephen Fleming was one of New Zealand’s towering cricketers during his playing days and is in possession of a number of records. However, post his retirement from international cricket, Fleming succeeded in remaining as successful and this time, in the role of the coach. In 2021, Fleming became the most successful coach in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won their fourth title. He has been part of each of the Super Kings’ title-winning squads since 2010 and he pipped Mahela Jayawardena who had three titles to his credit as a coach (for the Mumbai Indians). Fleming’s partnership with CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in orchestrating the success has been phenomenal. Fleming, who played the inaugural edition of the IPL for Chennai in 2008 and joined their coaching bench the next year, has established himself as a coach after all there years in the IPL and his success saw him joining the New Zealand camp ahead of the T20 World Cup last year to help the Black Caps prepare better for the marquee tournament. The former New Zealand captain expressed his pride after the CSK won their fourth title last year with a side which is not too young and said that his coaching doesn’t go deep into analytics and depends more on gut feeling and developing relations with the players. One of the top attributes of CSK has been their deep faith in players who have evolved over time. At 48, Fleming still has a long way to grow as a coach and his golden run in the IPL certainly guarantees that he has an entire horizon to conquer. 7. Trevor Bayliss Trevor Bayliss. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) Trevor Bayliss is one name to which England cricket will remain indebted, particularly in the period between 2015 and 2019. After the disgraceful exit from the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in the group stages, Bayliss took over as the Three Lions’ coach and along with Eoin Morgan, turned things around completely to make them the world champions at home in 2019, the year he left the role. The 59-year-old Bayliss, who never featured in an international match himself, is an extremely successful coach because he understands players well. He helps them to trust their own cricketing abilities and it is Bayliss’s aggressive style which brought big changes in England cricket and the result is the emergence of dashing cricketers such as Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, among others. Under Bayliss, England also reached the final of the T20 World Cup in 2016 but lost to the West Indies who had an incredible win in the last over. Compared to the white-ball format, Bayliss had less success in Tests but yet under his guidance, England registered two memorable away Test victories – against South Africa in 2015-16 and Sri Lanka in 2018. Also, England won the 2015 Ashes and trounced India 4-1 in 2018 at home. Bayliss, who was a stroke-playing middle-order batter and a good cover fielder in his playing days, also had successful coaching stints elsewhere. Before coaching England, Bayliss took over as the coach of New South Wales from Steve Rixon (2004-05) and guided the team to its Sheffield Shield title immediately. Under his mentoring, it also bagged the limited-overs trophy the next summer. He also became the coach of Sri Lanka in August 2007 and was part of the team which faced a deadly terror attack in Pakistan in 2009. Bayliss helped the islanders to become No.2 in Tests and reach the final of the 2011 World Cup. 6. Mickey Arthur Mickey Arthur. (Photo Source: Twitter) Mickey Arthur is a name which is ever popular in the coaching circles in modern-day cricket. The South African never got to play international cricket but yet during his playing days, he commanded universal respect through his dedication and displayed abundant attributes of a decent coach. The man also has had a diverse coaching career, spending time with teams across the world. After retiring from the game in 2001, Arthur coached first-class side Griqualand West followed by Eastern Cape and helped them reach the finals of the Standard Bank Pro20 series. In 2005, Arthur became the Proteas’ national coach succeeding Ray Jennings – a development which had surprised many. Arthur did not have a happy beginning as South Africa were beaten by Australia in Test series both at home and away but since that historic Johannesburg win over the Kangaroos in 2006, Arthur and former captain Graeme Smith managed to run their country’s cricket operations successfully. Besides reaching the semi-finals of the 2007 World Cup, South Africa under Arthur’s coaching won their first series in England (since the end of apartheid) and the maiden series victory Down Under. After completing his South Africa stint in 2010, Arthur became the coach of Western Australia and then took over as the first foreign-born coach of Australia. The journey did not go too well and Arthur got sacked ahead of the 2013 Ashes in England. He continued coaching for various T20 teams (Karachi Kings and Dhaka Dynamites) and in 2016, became the head coach of Pakistan. His stint went till 2019 and in early 2020, Arthur became the coach of Sri Lanka. Recently, Arthur stepped down as the Sri Lankan coach and started coaching English county team Derbyshire. He said that coaching the England national team was something he did not think about, but he is open to returning to international coaching in future. The 53-year-old Arthur’s endurance in coaching has been aided by the fact that he possesses the basic qualities of a coach. The man is passionate about his work and it becomes evident when the nervous energy overwhelms him in the dugouts. The man also attaches the maximum significance to the players’ well-being and believes in the positives that defeats bring. It is no surprise that South Africa has emerged as a hub of successful coaches and people like Arthur should be credited for doing pioneering work. 5. Andy Flower: Andy Flower (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Andy Flower is one of the best batters in the game that Africa has produced but the former Zimbabwe captain has been as successful a coach. After his retirement in the early 2000s, Flower took over as England’s assistant coach under Peter Moores but after he got the head coach’s role following a clash between Kevin Pietersen and Moores, he delivered. England won three Ashes, including in Australia, and thumped India 4-0 at home to become the No.1 Test side. Under Flower’s guidance, England lifted the 2010 T20 World Cup, their first-ever ICC trophy. It was a special win as the Three Lions, who were known more for their traditional approach to the game, started playing a different brand of cricket thereafter. Flower’s special rapport with former England captain Andrew Strauss played a key role in England’s upward journey. The former batter has also adapted well to coaching in franchise cricket. While Flower, 53, was initially not sure about shifting from national/international coaching to franchise coaching, he took to befriending people associated with popular T20 leagues around the world such as the Indian Premier League, Caribbean Premier League and Pakistan Super League and gradually learned about the tricks of the game. In the IPL, Flower has the experience of working as an assistant to former India captain Anil Kumble in Punjab Kings camp and is now all set to serve as the head coach of Lucknow Super Giants, the franchise that will make debut in the upcoming 2022 edition. 4. Rahul Dravid Rahul Dravid (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images) The former India captain was not just an outstanding batter for his captain, he has also been a successful coach post his cricketing days. One of Dravid’s biggest assets has been his ice-cool temperament which he utilises to the fullest extent when it comes to handling budding players. The 49-year-old understands very well that the country’s cricketing foundation lies with the youngsters and has accordingly focused on Under-19 and India ‘A’ teams and guided them to outstanding success. He led the India U-19 team to World Cup glory in 2018. He has also headed the National Cricket Academy and a number of young cricketers in India today credit Dravid for his prized mentoring. Last year, Dravid worked as an Indian side that toured Sri Lanka briefly and won a limited-over series. In November, the man took over as the head coach of the Indian national team and so far, his journey has been good. For somebody like Dravid, the challenge lies in meeting high expectations that the fans expect from him, given his image as a cricketer on the ground. It is also expected that Dravid will help India win their first ICC trophy in years. These are not easy given the immense pressure under which India’s cricketing fraternity operates. But Dravid is someone who has all in him to meet those challenges and emerge a winner as well. 3. Gary Kirsten Gary Kirsten. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images for The Hundred) Gary Kirsten was not one of most gifted batters cricket has seen but yet, his name comes among South Africa’s prime scorers because he was a class Methodist with the bat who knew how to regain form each time he lost it. After retiring from international cricket, the former opener applied the same skills to his coaching and he got rich benefits. After his playing days got over, Kirsten worked with South Africa’s domestic team Warriors as a consultant batting coach for some time and in 2006, he formed his own academy in Cape Town, his home town. In 2007, he became India’s coach and the stint proved to be a life-changing one for him. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side became the No.1 team in Tests and won the 2011 World Cup and Kirsten was praised for his low-profile amid all the success and celebrations. He then moved on to coach South Africa but while the same success could not be replicated, he managed to make the Proteas the No.1 team in the long format. They registered away series wins against England and Australia which catapulted their ranks in Test cricket. Kirsten gave up South Africa’s coaching in 2013 and became the coach of the former Delhi Daredevils (currently Delhi Capitals) in the IPL. It will be incorrect to label Kirsten only as a Test success since he was as accomplished a batter in one-day internationals. A modern-day cricketer who had worked with legendary coach Bob Woolmer and captain Hansie Cronje, it is not surprising to see Kirsten has evolved as a sharp cricketing brain. The man has been a student of Test batting for most of his life and when he took over as the coach of his home country, he put most of the focus on red-ball cricket and it paid off. The 54-year-old will be looking after the Gujarat Titans, the new franchise that will make its debut this year. The Ahmedabad-based franchise roped in Kirsten as the batting coach and mentor besides Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki and the South African’s experience in working with franchises like Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Hobart Hurricanes will come handy during his stint with the Titans. 2. Mike Hesson Mike Hesson (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) Mike Hesson is one of those few coaches in international cricket who never had a player’s career and took up coaching at the age of 22. He was associated with cricket in Otago, the region of New Zealand where he was born, for 15 years before he took over as the coach of the Kenyan cricket team after its poor show in the 2011 World Cup. His stint with Otago was successful as in six years, he transformed a struggling team into a competitive one and ended their two-decade wait for a trophy by winning a tournament in 2007-08. He did not last long as Kenya’s coach, however, and stepped down within a year citing security issues. In July 2012, he became New Zealand’s head coach replacing John Wright. He became the Kiwis’ coach at a time when the chair of the coach had virtually become a musical one but when he stepped down in 2018, he was the country’s longest-serving coach. He was at helm when New Zealand cricket saw one of its most successful eras and he is credited for creating the culture of fair play for which the Black Caps are widely known. His partnership with former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was special and under their guidance, the Kiwis made their first-ever World Cup final in the 50-over format in 2015. Hesson succeeded in transforming successful domestic players into successful international ones. Hesson has also earned name as a coach in franchise cricket. He has worked as the director of cricket operations for the Royal Challenges Bangalore in the IPL, a team featuring heavyweights such as Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. Like a matured coach, Hesson said the likes of Kohli and de Villiers cannot be taught how to bat and one can only add some values to their game. Before his association with Bangalore, Hesson also worked as the head coach of Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) and was reportedly in the race to become India’s head coach. Gary Stead: Gary Stead. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) The 50-year-old former New Zealand Test cricketer is the best thing to have happened to the Black Caps. The man has been a phenomenal coach because he has succeeded in all categories of cricket in New Zealand – men’s, women’s and domestic. Stead took over the New Zealand national women’s team’s responsibility as a coach in July 2008 and guided them to the finals of the 2009 World Cup and 2010 T20 World Cup. He then helped Canterbury to win four domestic titles in as many seasons between 2013 and 2017. In 2018, he took over as the New Zealand’s men’s team head coach and in 2020, he got an extension of three years. During his coaching, the New Zealand side has made the finals of world tournaments in all formats. They reached the finals of the 2019 World Cup, the World Test Championship and also the T20 World Cup 2021. With an able captain in Kane Williamson and a bunch of talented players at his disposal, Stead has made the most of the opportunity and made the Kiwis one of the frontline teams in the world.

Ranking top 10 current coaches in world cricket

They are often the unsung heroes but teams and players around the world cannot ignore the role they play.

Gary Stead: