The Indian cricket team has always been one of the most significant teams in the world. Each win comes because of the hard work, team coordination, players conscious and most importantly, the correct guidance. This brings the India national cricket team coaches into the frame, who strategise and shapes the team.
From 1971 to the present, the Indian cricket team has not only been through a number of ups and downs but has also evolved over the period of time. The team has had numerous coaches, amazing players, and experts, where each one of them has contributed in their own way and played an important role in this journey of trophies and learnings.
It is important to look in depth at the all coach of indian cricket team from 1971 to 2026. Let us dive into the list of all the coaches who have served the Indian cricket team.
Men’s India National Cricket Team Coaches List
People in India go crazy when it comes to one of the most popular sport in the World
S.no. Coach name Years as Coach 1. Keki Tarapore 1971 2. Hemu Adhikari 1971-1974 3. Gulabrai Ramchand 1975 4. Datta Gaekwad 1978 5. Salim Durrani 1980-1981 6. Ashok Mankad 1982 7. PR Man Singh 1983-1987 8. Chandu Borde 1988 9. Bishan Singh Bedi 1990-1991 10. Abbas Ali Baig 1991-1992 11. Ajit Wadekar 1992-1996 12. Sandeep Patil 1996 13. Madan Lal 1996-1997 14. Anshuman Gaekwad 1997-1999 15. Kapil Dev 1999-2000 16. John Wright 2000-2005 17. Greg Chappell 2005-2007 18. Ravi Shastri 2007, 2014-2016, 2017-2021 19. Lalchand Rajput 2007-2008 20. Gary Kirsten 2008-2011 21. Duncan Fletcher 2011-2015 22. Sanjay Bangar 2016 23. Anil Kumble 2016-2017 24. Sanjay Bangar 2017 (interim) 25. Rahul Dravid 2021-2024 26. VVS Laxman 2024 27. Gautam Gambhir 2024 – present
While most of the Indian coaches were Indian, a few of them were foreigners. The list includes John Wright (New Zealand), Greg Chappell (Australia), Gary Kirsten (South Africa), and Duncan Fletcher (Zimbabwe).
Popular Indian National Cricket Team Coaches and Their Contribution
Be it an Indian coach or a foreign coach, every accomplished coach has left a lasting mark on the team’s progress. Let us now dive into some of the important indian coach list tenures in depth:
1. Hemu Adhikari (1971-1974)
Hemu Adhikari was a talented batsman and an occasional leg-spin bowler who later led the country’s team as a coach. He guided the Indian cricket team to their first series win in England in 1971. People often recognise Adhikari as a disciplined man who rose to his full potential and managed the Indian team. His guidance is often marked as the reason behind the excellent performance of players like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri for the country.
2. PR Man Singh (1983-1987)
PR Man Singh is one of the renowned coaches of the Indian Cricket Team. He is often recognised as an integral part of the World Cup victory in 1983. Further, he also managed the Indian team, which reached the semi-finals at the 1987 Cricket World Cup. Singh also served as a secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association after the 1987 match.
3. Bishen Singh Bedi (1990-1991)
Bishen Singh Bedi, who played test cricket for India from 1966 to 1979, was a legendary spinner who later became a coach and focused on strengthening the Indian team’s bowling. There are different controversies associated with him, one of which is that in 1990, after the team played a poor game, he threatened to dump the entire team in the sea. It is considered to be the reason behind his resignation.
4. Ajit Wadekar (1992-1996)
Ajit Wadekar is one of the few Indians to represent the country as a Test player, captain, coach/manager, and chairman of selectors. Under his guidance, the Indian Cricket Team instilled confidence in the players. Wadekar resigned after the team’s poor performance in the 1996 World Cup.
5. Madan Lal (1996-1997)
Madan Lal worked towards improving India’s overall game. Though his tenure lasted only a year, his emphasis on the overall development of the team was praised. Later, he became a member of the Selection Committee from 2000 to 2001.
6. Anshuman Gaekwad (1997-1999, 2000)
Anshuman Gaekwad was the Indian national cricket coach twice. During his first tenure, the team performed poorly in the World Cup and achieved limited success. But in his second tenure, his guidance led the team to finish as joint-winners at the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy.
7. Kapil Dev (1999-2000)
Kapil Dev is one of the most celebrated cricketers in the world. Apart from Dev’s game, his guidance has been equally important, as he has focused on aggression and team discipline. He was appointed as the Indian cricket national coach in 1999. The team saw success in its first series match at home, but did not play well later. Further, Dev resigned in 2000 due to the match-fixing controversy.
8. John Wright (2000-2005)
John Wright contributed to the Indian national cricket team’s dual wins in the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy and also led them to the 2003 Cricket World Cup final. He was the first foreign coach of the Indian Cricket team and served in the position from 2000 to 2005.
9. Greg Chappell (2005-2007)
Greg Chappell focused on fostering young talent and modern training techniques with bold moves, and his tenure forced Indian cricket to rethink how change is managed and introduced. His tenure ended early because of the controversy and internal disagreement in 2007.
10. Ravi Shastri (2007, 2014-2016, 2017-2021)
Ravi Shastri is a courageous and inspiring coach, but the man is also known as an aggressive one. Under his guidance, the Indian team won two consecutive test series in Australia, developed a dominant test team, and reached the knockout stages of several ICC tournaments.
11. Duncan Fletcher (2011-2015)
Duncan Fletcher served as a coach in the Indian team for 5 years and helped the team in its transformation after the retirement of great players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Laxman. Under his leadership, the Indian cricket team won the 2013 Champions Trophy.
12. Rahul Dravid (2021-2024)
Rahul Dravid not only served the nation as a cricketer, but later on he guided the team as a coach. Under Dravid’s leadership, the team reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, won the 2024 T20 World Cup, and he was also the reason behind nurturing young players like Gill, Ishan, Jaiswal, and Ruturaj.
13. Gautam Gambhir (2024-present)
Gautam Gambhir was appointed as an Indian team coach in July 2024. He led the team to victory in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. So far, his tenure is known for aggression, tactical excellence, and support for young talent.
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Women’s Indian National Cricket Team Coaches List
While the men’s cricket team has gained popularity and fame for years, the women’s cricket team has made a significant impact on world cricket in recent years. The team has been led by some of the amazing coaches. The India women’s national cricket team coach list includes:
Coach Tenure Sudha Shah 2003-2007, 2008-2010, 2014 Shantha Rangaswamy 2003-2007 K. V. P. Rao 2010 Anju Jain 2011-2013 Tushar Arothe 2013-2014, 2017-2018 Purnima Rau 2014, 2015-2017 Ramesh Powar 2018, 2021-2022 WV Raman 2018-2021 Amol Muzumdar 2023-present
Conclusion
Over the years, the Indian cricket team has really worked hard and gained its popularity worldwide. The team had/has very disciplined players who were always guided by great coaches. The team has won several World Cups, Test Cricket, and Champions’ trophies.
Whether it was John Wright, Rahul Dravid, or any other India national cricket team coaches, they added more discipline, calm demeanor, and guided the team in the right direction in their unique style.
FAQs
1. Who is the current coach of the Indian Men’s cricket team?
Ans: Gautam Gambhir is the current coach of the Indian Men’s cricket team. He was appointed as a coach in 2024.
2. Who is the current coach of the Indian Women’s cricket team?
Ans: The current coach of the Indian Women’s cricket team is Amol Muzumdar. He was appointed as a coach in 2023.
3. Who was the Indian cricket team coach 2023?
Ans: Rahul Dravid led the Indian cricket team in 2023.
4. Provide the list of India’s foreign coaches.
Ans: The foreign indian cricket coach list who have led the Indian cricket team includes John Wright (New Zealand), Greg Chappell (Australia), Gary Kirsten (South Africa), and Duncan Fletcher (Zimbabwe).
5. Who was the 2011 Indian cricket team coach?
Ans: Gary Kirsten was the Indian cricket team coach in 2011.
