5 Indian cricketers who have been great mentors/coaches

A coach's job in cricket is as tough as they come. Not only do they have to ensure the players are on the right track, but they must also possess the best player-management skills to keep the team united.

The job description isn't as straightforward as what the five-letter word suggests. It just isn't about coaching alone - it's about assisting and guiding a player with regard to a particular skillset, while also ensuring he or she is in the right frame of mind.

It traverses the technical know-how and textbook knowledge and goes well beyond the obvious. It's a vast role that he/she has to exhibit and the sport of cricket has seen a number of accomplished players go on to succeed in that capacity as well.

Here, we look at five Indian players who have made excellent mentors or coaches.

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#5 Sandeep Patil

One of the heroes of India's 1983 World Cup triumph, Sandeep Patil made a name for himself as a coach at the international level. He has coached India at the top level as well as the 'A' team.

It was as head coach of Kenya, though, that he scaled the peak of his coaching career. Patil was at the helm of affairs when Asif Karim and Co. defied the odds to make the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003.

It happened to be Kenya's only appearance in a Cricket World Cup semi-final and Patil's guidance went a long way in the team realizing the same.

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#4 Pravin Amre

Pravin Amre had a memorable Test debut in 1992, scoring a century against South Africa in Durban. While his playing days at the top level were limited in number, he would go on to carve a niche for himself as a reputed batting coach.

Credited with the technical know-how of batting, Amre has worked personally with multiple Indian batters such as Ajinkya Rahane, Robin Uthappa and Suresh Raina to name a few, aiding them in tweaking their technical flaws to great effect. Amre was also highly credited with reviving the batting technique of Prithvi Shaw post a forgettable tour of Australia in 2020-21.

Amre remains involved with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL as an assistant coach and carries a burgeoning reputation with him.

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#3 Bharat Arun

Since joining the Indian men's cricket team in 2014, Bharat Arun has been a pivotal force in turning the bowling fortunes of the country on its head.

From a land that had minimal fast-bowling resources to fall back on, India today boasts of arguably the most complete fast-bowling attack in the world.

Arun has been credited as a major driving force behind it, with his colleague and former Indian fielding coach R Sridhar terming him the 'Zen' of cricket coaching in the country.

Arun may have played just six international games back in the day but has left behind an enviable legacy via his work behind the scenes.

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#2 Rahul Dravid

It's been less than a year since Rahul Dravid took charge of the Indian men's cricket team. However, his experience goes back to the time when he was at the helm of the U-19 and A teams for a good period of time.

After hanging up his boots, 'The Wall' became a mentor for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) first and later the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He also oversaw India making it to the final of both the 2016 and 2018 U-19 World Cup, with the team winning the second of those in New Zealand.

With a rich vein of experience accumulated since his playing days, Dravid has been the go-to mentor for many youngsters.

A good lot of them continue to play under his tutelage at the senior level, with the veteran having paid witness to their swift rise up the ranks. One can only expect this association to continue even longer, especially with a transition set to beckon Indian cricket sooner rather than later.

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#1 Ravi Shastri

The 'Champion of Champions' has often been the go-to man in times of crisis in Indian cricket. Called upon as the Director of Cricket in 2014, Ravi Shastri was replaced by Anil Kumble in 2016, only to be brought back as the head coach the year after.

It is imperative for the ideologies of the captain and the coach of the team to remain in sync. With Virat Kohli and Shastri, that was exactly what was on display.

Setting off with the motto of becoming the best traveling Test team, the duo oversaw a period of excellence where India conquered Australia twice while also leading the series 2-1 in England.

Their performances in white-ball cricket were no less outstanding, despite the absence of a major ICC trophy during that period. Shastri's confident nature rubbed off on the team, making it arguably the best-ever era of Indian Test cricket.

Along with his fellow lieutenants Bharat Arun and R Sridhar, Shastri stepped down from his post in 2021, making a return to the commentary box thereafter.

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