Written by: Ankit Yadav
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Are you curious about who helps the Indian cricket team play so well? Let’s talk about the coaches of the Indian national cricket team!

We all know that cricket is a big deal in India. Millions of people love to watch and cheer for the Indian team. But have you ever wondered who teaches and guides these cricket stars? That’s where coaches come in.

They help the team get better, make plans to win games, and solve problems. In this article, you’ll learn about all the coaches who have helped the Indian cricket team from 1971 until now.

Historical Overview

Here’s a quick look at all the coaches of the Indian cricket team from 1971 to 2024:

Coach NameYears As CoachNotable Achievements
Raj Singh Dungarpur1971-1974Helped young players improve
Hemu Adhikari1979-1980Focused on team play
Bishen Singh Bedi1990-1991Tried to improve India’s bowling
Abbas Ali Baig1991-1992Worked on developing young players
Ajit Wadekar1992-1996More wins at home 
Madan Lal1996-1997Tried to improve all parts of cricket
Anshuman Gaekwad1997-1999, 2000Helped team become more united
Kapil Dev1999-2000Tried to bring more energy to team play
John Wright2000-2005Reached 2003 World Cup final, won matches abroad
Greg Chappell2005-2007Brought in many young players
Lalchand Rajput2007Won the first T20 World Cup
Gary Kirsten2008-2011Won the 2011 World Cup, became the top Test team
Duncan Fletcher2011-2015Won 2013 Champions Trophy
Ravi Shastri2014-2016, 2017-2021Won first Test series in Australia
Anil Kumble2016-2017Won many home Test matches
Rahul Dravid2021-2024Played the 2023 WC final and won the 2024 t20WC trophy 
Gautam Gambhir2024Just started, and results are yet to come

List Of Indian National Cricket Team Coaches

Here’s a list of all the coaches who have led the Indian cricket team from 1971 to 2024:

1. Raj Singh Dungarpur (1971-1974)

Raj Singh Dungarpur
Source: Cricket Rediff

Raj Singh Dungarpur was one of India’s first cricket team coaches. He worked with the team from 1971 to 1974. During his time, he helped young players improve their skills. He stopped being the coach in 1974 to take on other roles in Indian cricket.

2. Hemu Adhikari (1979-1980)

Hemu Adhikari
Source: Hscicdn

Hemu Adhikari, a former Indian cricketer, coached the team for a short time from 1979 to 1980. He focused on making the team play better together. His time as coach ended after about a year.

3. Bishen Singh Bedi (1990-1991)

Bishen Singh Bedi
Source: India Today

Bishen Singh Bedi, a famous Indian spinner, became a coach in 1990. He was a coach for about a year. During this time, he tried to improve India’s bowling. He left the position in 1991 to return to other cricket jobs.

4. Abbas Ali Baig (1991-1992)

Abbas Ali Baig
Source: Getty Images

Abbas Ali Baig, who used to play for India, coached the team from 1991 to 1992. He worked on helping new, young players get better. His time as coach ended after one year.

5. Ajit Wadekar (1992-1996)

Ajit Wadekar
Source: Times now news

Ajit Wadekar, a former Indian captain, was the coach from 1992 to 1996. Under him, India started winning more matches at home. He left his job in 1996 after India had a bad time at the World Cup.

6. Madan Lal (1996-1997)

Madan Lal
Source: Onmanorama

Madan Lal, who helped India win the 1983 World Cup, became coach in 1996. He was a coach for about a year. He tried to make the team better at all parts of cricket. He stopped being a coach in 1997.

7. Anshuman Gaekwad (1997-1999, 2000)

 Anshuman Gaekwad
Source: Starsfact

Anshuman Gaekwad coached India twice: once from 1997 to 1999 and again for a short time in 2000. He helped the team become more united each time, but he left when his contract ended.

8. Kapil Dev (1999-2000)

Kapil Dev
Source: Telegraph India

Kapil Dev, who led India to its first World Cup win, was coach from 1999 to 2000. He tried to make the team play with more energy. He quit in 2000 when people said he might have cheated in cricket.

9. John Wright (2000-2005)

John Wright
Source: Cricket Country

John Wright, a former New Zealand captain, was India’s first foreign coach. He coached from 2000 to 2005. Under him, India won matches in other countries and reached the 2003 World Cup final. He left in 2005 when his contract ended.

10. Greg Chappell (2005-2007)

Greg Chappell
Source: Celebrity speakers

Greg Chappell, a famous Australian cricketer, was coach from 2005 to 2007. He tried to bring in many young players. But many people didn’t like his ideas. He quit after India did badly in the 2007 World Cup.

11.  Lalchand Rajput (2007)

 Lalchand Rajput
Source: Wikimedia

Lalchand Rajput was coach for a short time in 2007. Even though he was a coach for only a few months, India won the first T20 World Cup under him. He stopped being the main coach when they hired a new one.

12. Gary Kirsten (2008-2011)

Gary Kirsten
Source: Sportzcrazy

Gary Kirsten, from South Africa, coached India from 2008 to 2011. He was very successful. India won the 2011 World Cup and became the top Test team with him. He left after the World Cup win to spend time with his family.

13. Duncan Fletcher (2011-2015)

Duncan Fletcher
Source: Alchetron

Duncan Fletcher, from Zimbabwe, was coach from 2011 to 2015. India won the Champions Trophy in 2013 with him. But the team also lost many Test matches in other countries. He left when his contract ended in 2015.

14. Ravi Shastri (2014-2016, 2017-2021)

India National Cricket Team Coach-Ravi Shastri
Source: The Quint

Ravi Shastri, a former Indian player, was coach two times. He first worked from 2014 to 2016, and then from 2017 to 2021. Under him, India won its first Test series in Australia. He stepped down after the 2021 T20 World Cup.

15. Anil Kumble (2016-2017)

 Anil Kumble
Source: Cricfit

Anil Kumble, one of India’s best bowlers, was coach for a year from 2016 to 2017. He helped the team win many Test matches at home. He left because he and the captain had different ideas about running the team.

16. Rahul Dravid (2021-2024)

Rahul Dravid
Source: StaticIndia

Rahul Dravid, known as a great batsman for India, became a coach in 2021. He focused on preparing many players for the national team. India won the 2024 T20 World Cup under his coaching after a long 17-year gap. His time as coach ended in 2024 when his contract was up.

17. Gautam Gambhir (2024)

 Gautam Gambhir
Source: Blogspot

Gautam Gambhir, who helped India win two World Cups, became a coach in 2024. He has just started his job. People are waiting to see how the team does with him as coach.

Coaching Achievements And Challenges

Let’s look at what Indian cricket team coaches have achieved and what problems they faced:

Big Wins Under Different Coaches

Indian coaches have helped the team win many important matches and tournaments:

1. World Cup Victories: In 2011, under Gary Kirsten, India won the ODI World Cup after 28 years. In 2007, with Lalchand Rajput as coach, India won the first T20 World Cup. In 2024, India won the T20 World Cup under Rahul Dravid. 

2. Test Cricket Success: Under Ravi Shastri in 2018-19, India won its first Test series in Australia. John Wright helped India draw a Test series in Australia in 2003-04, which was a big deal back then.

3. Other Big Wins: India won the 2013 Champions Trophy with Duncan Fletcher as coach. Under Rahul Dravid, India started winning more matches in all types of cricket.

Helping Players Get Better

Coaches have helped many Indian players become stars. 

John Wright helped players like Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan become world-class. Gary Kirsten worked closely with young players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Ravi Shastri helped Jasprit Bumrah become one of the best fast bowlers in the world.

Big Problems Coaches Had To Solve

Indian coaches have faced many challenges:

1. Injuries and Poor Form: Coaches often had to find new players when the main players got hurt. They had to help players who weren’t playing well to get back in form.

2. Team Arguments and Outside Pressure: Sometimes, players didn’t get along, and coaches had to fix these problems. Indian cricket gets a lot of attention, and coaches have to handle pressure from fans and media.

3. Different Types of Cricket: Coaches had to help players switch between Test, ODI, and T20 cricket. They had to make plans to play in different countries and under different conditions.

4. Changing Times: As cricket changed over the years, coaches had to learn new ways of training and planning. They had to use new technology and data to help the team get better.

These achievements and challenges show how important coaches are for the Indian cricket team. They not only help win matches but also deal with many off-field issues to keep the team strong.

Future Of Indian Cricket Coaching

The future of Indian cricket coaching looks bright, with new talent and fresh ideas coming up. Let’s look at a few key areas.

Emerging Coaching Talents

Many young and upcoming coaches in India are eager to bring fresh approaches to the game. They understand modern cricket and can relate well with today’s players. These new coaches will play a big part in shaping the future of Indian cricket.

Potential Future Head Coaches: Profiles And Achievements

Some former players could become the head coaches of the Indian team in the future. These are players who have already achieved a lot in their careers and have a deep understanding of the game. 

Their knowledge and experience could make them excellent coaches. For example, players like Rahul Dravid, who has already worked with younger teams, or others like VVS Laxman and Zaheer Khan have strong cricket backgrounds that could help the team grow.

Related Posts:

Conclusion: The Indian National Cricket Team Is In Good Hands

Since 1971, India has had many coaches, some from India and others from different countries. These coaches have been key in helping the team win major tournaments, including the World Cup. They face many challenges, such as helping players get along and handle pressure.

In the future, we might see more former players becoming coaches, and new technology is already helping coaches do their jobs better. As cricket moves forward, coaches will have to keep learning and finding new ways to help the team improve. 

So, the next time you watch an Indian cricket match, remember that behind every great team, there’s a hardworking coach making a big difference. Even though they aren’t on the field, they play a huge part in India’s cricket success.

FAQs

About the Author

Meet Ankit Yadav, a dedicated cricket analyst at The Cricket Panda. Growing up playing street leagues and college tournaments, Ankit's love for cricket has been a lifelong journey. With a knack for numbers and a talent for data analysis, he brings a unique perspective to cricket reporting. At The Cricket Panda, Ankit combines his passion for cricket with his expertise in data analysis to provide fans with in-depth insights and comprehensive coverage of the sport.

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