Top 5 captain-coach combos in cricket of all-time

It is absolutely paramount for a captain to have a good working relationship with the coach, be it in any sport.Due to the jammed cricketing schedule these days, they probably end up spending more time with each other than, say, even their wives, and, consequently, have no option but to get along provided they wish to last long enough in their respective jobs. The ramifications of the captain constantly disagreeing with the coach are clear to see with what happened to England when Kevin Pietersen as captain and Peter Moores as coach were in charge, in 2008. I’m not, however, suggesting that the captain and coach should never have contrasting opinions and should nod in agreement at all times. They are, after all, individuals and are bound to have different points of view. And that is not necessarily harmful, either. There have been many successful captain-coach combos in the past who have actually argued with each other fiercely on several matters. But what is ultimately essential is that both should have respect for each other’s capabilities and think for the betterment of the team rather than having any vendetta or personal motives.Here are 5 successful captain-coach combos:

#1 MS Dhoni and Gary Kirsten

Sourav Ganguly and John Wright, undoubtedly, did a terrific job when they were in charge of the Indian team from 2000 to 2004. But MS Dhoni and Gary Kirsten, arguably, outdid their predecessors by achieving remarkable success till the latter’s resignation post the 2011 ICC World Cup.

Apart from presiding over India’s Test series victory in New Zealand after a gap of 41 years, they also oversaw India drawing a Test series, 1-1, against a strong Proteas outfit in South Africa for the first time in their history. Also, not to forget their unblemished record at home of not having lost a single series during their tenure.

And then there is, of course, India’s historic ICC World Cup win in 2011, which will remain etched on every Indian fan’s mind for a very long time to come. In fact, the celebrations post that World Cup victory aptly illustrates why the two were so successful together. Despite being absolutely critical to the side having a successful World Cup campaign, they didn’t go overboard while rejoicing and preferred staying in the background, a quality that deeply endeared them to the players.

#2 Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower

Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower were given the reins of the England team, in January 2009, when English cricket was at an all-time low after the long drawn-out saga surrounding Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores. And they got off to a worst possible start as England were bowled out for an appalling 51 in the 2nd innings of the first Test, at Jamaica in February 2009, thereby suffering an innings defeat against a pretty weak West Indies side. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), however, placed their faith in Strauss and Flower and, deservedly, reaped huge rewards for their decision.

During their time together, from 2009 to 2012, England scaled heights that they had never done before. Apart from winning the Ashes Down Under in 2010-11 for the first time in 24 years, they also achieved the No.1 ranking in Test cricket for the first time ever, by demolishing India – the No.1 side at the time – 4-0 at home, overseeing a period of unprecedented dominance.

#3 Sourav Ganguly and John Wright

Sourav Ganguly and John Wright deserve endless credit for playing pivotal roles in establishing India as a powerhouse in world cricket. They took over in the year 2000 after the match-fixing scandal, one of the toughest times in Indian cricket history, and went about restoring the faith of the Indian cricket fan in an earnest fashion. What made the pair so successful, in my opinion, was the fact that they complemented each other as individuals almost perfectly. While Ganguly was aggressive by nature and wanted to be at the forefront of public attention, Wright was inherently unassuming and content in staying behind the scenes.

Apart from ensuring that India started competing away from home on a consistent basis, they also managed to bring on young players like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan, who have gone on to serve Indian cricket with distinction for more than a decade.

#4 Nasser Hussain and Duncan Fletcher

Duncan Fletcher, along with captain Nasser Hussain, took charge of England in 1999, and they were entrusted with the difficult task of resurrecting the fortunes of English cricket. They certainly did a magnificent job as they not only presided over famous series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2000-01 but also championed the cause of central contracts, which made the England environment more professional than earlier, and laid the platform for England’s Ashes victory in 2005.

Even though it’s been ten years since their captain-coach relationship came to an end as a result of Hussain’s retirement, the fact that they are still in regular touch and have tremendous respect for each other goes to show how strong their bond was. Talking about Fletcher’s strengths when he was appointed coach of India in 2011, Hussain said: “Top players might know they are doing something wrong but Duncan will know instantly exactly what, whether it is stance, grip or trigger movements, and immediately come up with a solution.”

#5 Arjuna Ranatunga and Dav Whatmore

Arjuna Ranatunga and Dav Whatmore are probably an exception in the sense that they were quite successful despite, by all accounts, not getting along during their time as captain and coach, respectively, of the Sri Lankan team. They worked together for a period of 2-3 years and, in that time, masterminded Sri Lanka’s ICC World Cup win in 1996 – their only ICC World Cup triumph till date – which went on to change Sri Lankan cricket for the better forever.

They also played a significant part in moulding a young Muttiah Muralitharan into the champion bowler that he became. In 1995, after all, Murali was just 23 when he was no-balled for chucking, by Australian umpire Darrell Hair, in the Boxing Day Test against Australia. The incident would have, undoubtedly, shattered Murali’s confidence and could have curtailed his career, but both Whatmore and Ranatunga provided complete backing to the bowler. What followed that was there for everyone to see.