5 World Cup Winners To Become Head Coach Of Indian Men’s Cricket Team – News18

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was officially announced as the new head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team on Tuesday (July 9). The 42-year-old Gambhir, who quit politics earlier this year, replaced Rahul Dravid after his 2.5-year stint came to an end last month.

Gambhir will take charge of the Indian team from the Sri Lanka tour onwards, which starts on July 27. The former opener is the fifth ODI World Cup winner to take charge of the Indian men’s cricket team as head coach, and unlike the previous four, he would like to help India win the ICC title. During Gambhir’s 3.5-year stint, India will play five ICC tournaments.

Ahead of the start of Gambhir’s era, here’s a look at five World Cup winners who’ve served as head coaches of the Indian men’s cricket team:

Sandeep Patil: Sandeep Patil was a member of the Kapil Dev-led side that won the 1983 ODI World Cup in England. The former middle-order batter was appointed as India’s head coach for the England tour (May–July) in 1996, but it turned out to be a forgetful one as India lost both Test and ODI series, and Patil was sacked at the end of it.

Madan Lal: Former pacer Madan Lal succeeded his 1983 World Cup-winning Indian team Patil as head coach in 1996. During his one-year stint, India defeated Australia and South Africa at home across formats but suffered humiliating defeats against the West Indies in the Barbados Test played in March 1997 under Sachin Tendulkar’s leadership.

Kapil Dev: 1983 World Cup-winning team captain and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev became India’s head coach in 1999. During his time in charge, India suffered humiliating defeats against Australia and South Africa in Test series. His tenure will, however, be remembered more for its ending, as match-fixing allegations rocked the cricketing world. He was even accused of throwing matches, and due to pressure, he resigned from his position.

Ravi Shastri: Ravi Shastri was a key member of Kapil Dev’s 1983 World Cup-winning team, and he served as Team India’s director from 2014 to 2016 and as head coach from 2017 to 2021. During his time as head coach, India reached the final of the 2021 World Test Championship, the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup, and also won two back-to-back Test series in Australia.

Gautam Gambhir: Gautam Gambhir was a member of the Indian team that won the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the T20 World Cup in 2007. In both the ICC finals, he was the top scorer for the MS Dhoni-led side. He also served as India’s captain in six ODIs and won all of them. He was appointed as India’s head coach on July 9, 2024, and will remain in charge till December 2027.