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.