Five active cricketers who could make great coaches

Rahul Dravid, Stephen Fleming, Jacques Kallis and Darren Lehman, to name a few, are cricketers who retired not so long ago and transitioned into top coaches.

Working with players around the globe and across age categories, they are putting to good use their years of experience and passing down invaluable knowledge to younger generations.

Coaches play a massive part in the functioning of a team and here we take a look at few cricketers currently plying their trade who could make great coaches one day.

#5 Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook, England's former captain, ended a five-year tenure that saw him establish himself as a leader with great integrity and empathy, post the humiliating 4-0 series defeat against India.

Cook's leadership was like his record-breaking batting; strong, unyielding and determined, but lacking the explosive nature to win over ultimate approval from fans, players and the board.

However, Andrew Strauss claims his commitment to the cause, high personal standards and match awareness are second to none and deserve respect, given the job Cook has done.

Cook has all the qualities required to be a great coach, coupled with the experience of making hard decisions in difficult situations, automatically qualifying him for the role as soon as he calls time on his playing career.

#4 Kane Williamson

Kiwi constant, good young captain, coach?

New Zealand's current captain Kane Williamson is a key figure on and off the field for the team. Adept at adapting to different conditions and personalities, the Kiwi cricketer has showcased leadership in many forms.

Whether it's leading the team with the bat or pumping players up in the background, Williamson has done it all. He is a cool and collected customer, and has all the skills needed to become a successful coach.

Although that statement is a bit of a stretch, considering he was only recently awarded the captaincy, Williamson still has a lot to learn and will only get better on the job.

In what's only the initial stages of a long and lucrative career, Williamson, in my view, is a possible candidate to become a great coach for future generations.

#3 Gautam Gambhir

Smart captain with an aggressive mindsetA fantastic left-hand opening batsman for India and technical, aggressive and tactical in his captaincy, Gambhir has bags of experience at the highest level.

Also the captain of IPL franchise KKR, Gambhir has led the Kolkata club to two titles and is no stranger to making difficult decisions at crucial moments.

A WC winner with India in 2011, he has dug his nation out of many-a-tough situation in the past and has great insight into the game.

A player who has worked his way through the ranks of Indian cricket, Gambhir has established himself as a team leader with all the attributes to become a great coach if he wishes to.

With sensational batting ability and knowledge, Gambhir could also become a specialist batting coach while he works his way up to the head coach's role.

#2 AB de Villiers

The next Gary Kirsten?

With composure like no other and batting prowess miles ahead of the rest, AB de Villiers is a man overflowing with ability, backed by a great working attitude, making him a perfect coaching candidate in the future.

South Africa's captain and leader, de Villiers is the coolest figure in cricket today and amazes audiences with swash-buckling performances the likes of which have never been seen.

With the backing of de Villiers, players are allowed to freely express themselves while staying true to the fundamentals of crickets and team strategy.

The South African could make for a great coach once he retires from the game, but with his ability to play other sports, he could be setting his sights elsewhere.

#1 MS Dhoni

MSD will make a great coach

India's greatest captain has all the attributes of a great coach and he could possibly become the greatest coach India have ever had.

During his time as captain, India dominated the world of cricket in every format, winning all there was to be won. Under his leadership, India ended a 28-year wait to be crowned ICC World Champions, when they picked up the trophy in 2011. He will also go down in history as the first captain to lift the T20 WC, a feat he achieved with a group of young Indian players who exceeded expectations during the tournament.

A brilliant motivator and decision maker, Dhoni has the experience and skills to become as good a coach as he was a player.