5 coaches who were successful at multiple international teams

Bob Woolmer

A decorated coach, Woolmer mysteriously passed away during the 2007 World Cup

The late Woolmer was perhaps one of the first coaches to use computers and technology in cricket and use more technical analysis.

He had a lot of coaching experience before he was appointed the head coach of South Africa in 1994. After a slow start, South Africa won most of their Test (10 out of 15 series) and One Day International matches. The biggest blip of his tenure with South Africa was the fact that they failed to win either of the 1996 or 1999 World Cups, despite the fact that South Africa was the most successful ODI team during that period.

After this stint, he took a break and then returned to International fold as the head coach of Pakistan in 2004 replacing the enigmatic Javed Miandad. Here too, the start was not entirely promising as Pakistan lost the home series against India (3-2 in ODIs, and 2-1 in Test Matches).

The results were reversed when Pakistan toured India as the won the ODI series 4-2 and drew the Test Series 1-1.

Pakistan then defeated a touring England side after they had beaten Australia in the 2005 Ashes. The winning run continued as Pakistan then beat Sri Lanka 2–0 in a 3-match ODI series and achieved a 3rd consecutive Test series win with a 1–0 win in a 2 test series with Sri Lanka.

Woolmer led his side to the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup held in the West Indies, but it proved to be a nightmare tournament for Pakistan and eventually was the last tour for Woolmer. After Pakistan lost their match to unheralded Ireland, Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica on March 18, 2007.

Due to lack of evidence the case was eventually closed, even as many former cricketers cried foul.