Cricket is a much larger part of the Indian identity than just a sport; it is a passion that billions share. Behind every successful Indian cricket team has been a coach whose strategic genius, leadership and mentoring built the team’s success and created its culture. This article looks at 17 coaches who took charge of the Indian national cricket teams (men’s and women’s) from 1971 to 2026, which we have looked at in terms of their input, the time in which they worked, and how they left an impact on the growth of the game in India.
Raj Singh D in 1971 1974
Raj Singh Dungarpur was one of the early coaches to work with the Indian team out of the coaching block in the early 1970’s. What he did was put the fundamentals in place for the young players, instil discipline and put in a structure for training and player development. Though at that time the coaching frameworks were very much informal, Dungarpur’s role was that of a founder, which in turn set the stage for the more professional coaching we see in Indian cricket today.
Hemu Adhikary (1979 1980)
Hemu Adhikari, who had a brief term as captain at the end of the 1970s, brought in a change. With an emphasis on team unity and discipline, he worked to instil a different playing style across formats. Although his time at the helm was short, his efforts did play a role in that transition from the old style of leadership to the modern coaching methods.
Bishen Singh in 1990, 1991
In the early 1990s, Bishen Singh Bedi came in as coach. What he brought was a great deal of tactical knowledge to the table, which he applied in terms of bowling discipline and team play. What Bedi also did was to see through a period of transition for the team, which he did very well, and at the same time, he managed to include the elements of the traditional spin bowling into what we see in the coaching methods today.
In 1991 1992, Abbas Ali
A past Indian cricketer, Abbas Ali Baig, put in work for youth development and technique refinement. His time as a coach was spent on finding talent at young ages and improving batting consistency, which in turn helped future stars to do well in international competition.
Ajit Wadekar 1992 – 1996.
Ajit Wadekar was the coach during the first half of the ‘90s. As a former captain, he instilled a competitive spirit and tactical knowledge in the players, which was very much evident at home. Under his watch, Indian cricket saw better organised pre-season prep, which in turn saw more dominant performances in Asia and on the international stage.
From 1996 to 1997, Madan Lal served.
Madan Lal brought to coaching what he had learned from India’s 1983 World Cup victory. His short time in the role saw him work at putting together a balance between attack and defence in all formats, and also putting in place the base for all-round skill development and resilience against powerful teams.
From 1997 to 1999 and 2000, Anshuman Gaekwad
Anshuman Gaekwad had two terms as coach, which saw him focus on team unity and discipline. He took the team through the challenges of the late 90’s, which included greater global competition and stressed fitness, patience and consistency.
Kapil Dev 1999- 2000.
World Cup star Kapil Dev brought to the coaching role a great deal of energy and charisma. He put into practice that which he knew from experience, improving team morale and instilling a more aggressive approach to the game. Although his time as a coach was brief, what he did had a very positive impact during a critical turnaround in the team’s performance.
John, from 2000 to 2005
John Wright was the first foreign head coach for India, which is a big deal. He brought a level head to the team, which in turn produced historic results in away matches, took us to the 2003 Cricket World Cup final, and also put in place the basics of what we see as modern professional cricket.
Greg Chappell 2005 – 2007.
Australian coach Greg Chappell introduced what were, at the time, new fitness and analytical techniques. Also, he put in place a system for young talent to grow within the national program, although he had issues with team chemistry. Although controversial at the time, his focus on these modern strategies did, in fact, set the bar high for future coaches.
Lalchand Rajput in 2007.
Lalchand Rajput saw that India won the first T20 World Cup in 2007, a key milestone in India’s limited-overs history. He laid the early foundations for T20 success.
From 2008 to 2011, Gary Kirsten
In 2011, Gary Kirsten led India to their first-ever World Cup, which came after a 28-year drought. He did this by building batting confidence and team unity, which in turn secured him a place as a great Indian coach.
From 2011 to 2015, Duncan
Zimbabwean coach Duncan Fletcher took India to the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, which saw in-depth use of analysis and mental health issues in preparation, which in turn made the coaching methods more professional.
Ravi Shastri 2014 – 2021.
Ravi Shastri brought to the team his wealth of experience and motivation, which in turn saw India record that first Test series victory in Australia and a string of successes in many formats. He was a force in developing India’s Test and ODI plans.
From 2016 to 2017, Anil Kumble did.
Anil Kumble, in his coaching approach, put stress on aggressive bowling and disciplined performance, which was also seen in home Test matches, which he mixed with tactics of aggression and technical excellence.
Rahul Dravid 2021 – 2024.
As a head coach, Rahul Dravid put in effort to develop young talent and achieve balance in the team, which paid off in 2024 when we saw India win the T20 World Cup and also improve in other formats.
Gautam Gambhir (to 2026).
In 2024, former India player Gautam Gambhir took up the coaching role. With a new perspective and background in leadership, he is out to expand on recent success and put Indian cricket forward.
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