How does India's current national coach Ravi Shastri compare with the other men who have coached the Indian cricket team this century?
How does India's current national coach Ravi Shastri compare with the other men who have coached the Indian cricket team this century?
Rajneesh Gupta gives us the numbers to decide.
New Zealander John Wright -- the first overseas coach of the Indian team -- was an immediate success because of his man-management skills and his low-profile. Under him the Indian team improved immensely.
Some of his high points were winning a home Test series 2-1 against Australia after India had lost the first Test in Mumbai and made to follow on in the next at Kolkata, drawing a Test series against Australia in Australia, winning a series against arch-rivals Pakistan in Pakistan, and reaching the final of the 2003 cricket World Cup.
The following months saw the team lose form, and series to Australia and Pakistan.
In May 2005, Australian great Greg Chappell took over the reins of the Indian cricket team from Wright.
Summary of Test results
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 24 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 45.83 |
| Away | 27 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 33.33 |
| Total | 51 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 39.22 |
Summary of series results
| Series | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 66.67 |
| Away | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 22.22 |
| Total | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 44.44 |
Greg Chappell's tenure was marred by his sour relationship with the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, his unorthodox coaching methods, his comments to the media, and his alleged attempts to form groups within the team, making him a dark figure in the history of Indian cricket.
After India made a first round exit in the 2007 World Cup, Chappell resigned after reports that none of the senior players, including Sachin Tendulkar, were happy with him and his coaching methods.
Summary of Test results
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 50.00 |
| Away | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 33.33 |
| Total | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 38.89 |
Summary of series results
| Series | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50.00 |
| Away | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 50.00 |
Gary Kirsten was picked as India's coach in December 2007. He started his tenure as coach in March 2008.
His first full series in charge was against his home country, South Africa, in March-April 2008 which was drawn 1-1. Kirsten's tenure was for two years, which was later extended.
During Kirsten's tenure India had many remarkable successes, which included series wins against Australia and England at home, beating New Zealand in New Zealand and drawing a series against South Africa in South Africa.
Prior to the start of India's tour of South Africa in 2010, then Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni described Kirsten as 'The best thing to happen to Indian cricket.'
Kirsten ended his tenure as coach after India won the 2011 cricket World Cup, saying he wanted to spend time with his family.
Summary of Test results
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 19 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 52.63 |
| Away | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 42.86 |
| Total | 33 | 16 | 6 | 11 | 48.48 |
Summary of series results
| Series | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 71.43 |
| Away | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 40.00 |
| Total | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 58.33 |
Duncan Fletcher was appointed coach in April 2011, with a two-year contract.
Fletcher bagged the assignment ahead of former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming and former Zimbabwe skipper Andy Flower.
Under Fletcher, India had good successes at home, but were hammered in away series, particularly in England and Australia. Fletcher's contract ended after the 2015 World Cup and was not renewed.
Summary of Test results
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 73.33 |
| Away | 24 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 8.33 |
| Total | 39 | 13 | 17 | 9 | 33.33 |
Summary of series results
| Series | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Away | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14.29 |
| Total | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 41.67 |
Anil Kumble became India's coach amid much fanfare in 2016, but stepped down after just a year following a widely speculated feud with Captain Virat Kohli.
Kohli told the decision-makers in Indian cricket that his relationship with the coach had reached a dead end.
During Kumble's short tenure, India were unbeaten in Tests mostly played at home, including a sensational comeback against Australia.
Series result under Anil Kumble
| Series | Venue | Season | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v West Indies | West Indies | 2016 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Won |
| v New Zealand | India | 2016/17 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Won |
| v England | India | 2016/17 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Won |
| v Bangladesh | India | 2016/17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Won |
| v Australia | India | 2016/17 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Won |
Summary of Test results
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 76.92 |
| Away | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50.00 |
| Total | 17 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 70.59 |
Summary of series results
| Series | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Away | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Total | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
The first time Ravi Shastri coached India was in a two-Test series against Bangladesh in Bangladesh in 2007 as an interim coach. It was after Greg Chappell had resigned. Shastri's designation at that time was Cricket Manager.
Between June 2015 and March 2016 Shastri again filled the gap after Duncan Fletcher's resignation and before Anil Kumble was given the post of head coach. Shastri was appointed as Team Director after India lost the series in England in 2014.
In July 2017 Shastri was appointed as Head Coach for the national side. The decision was taken by a Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Sourav Ganguly, V V S Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar.
As per his contract Shastri is paid Rs 8 crore (Rs 80 million) a year.
Series result under Ravi Shastri
| Series | Venue | Season | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v Bangladesh | Bangladesh | 2006/07 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Won |
| v Bangladesh | Bangladesh | 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Drawn |
| v Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | 2015 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Won |
| v South Africa | India | 2015/16 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | Won |
| v Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | 2017 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Won |
| v Sri Lanka | India | 2017/18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Won |
| v South Africa | South Africa | 2017/18 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Lost |
| v Afghanistan | India | 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Won |
| v England | England | 2018 | 4* | 1 | 3 | 0 | Lost |
Summary of Test results
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 62.50 |
| Away | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 50.00 |
| Total | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 54.17 |
Summary of series results
| Series | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Away | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 50.00 |
| Total | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 66.67 |
