Gary Stead led New Zealand to their maiden ICC World Test Championship in 2021.
In the modern era of cricket, you get to see T20 franchise leagues happening all over the world and players travelling to a different country to play in it. But there are a few overseas cricketers who have travelled India, not to play cricket in IPL or any other domestic tournament, instead to coach the state team.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been preferring former India cricketers to coach their national team at the international level since a decade. And its foundation was laid on domestic cricket, including the Indian Premier League (IPL). A coach who does great things with his domestic side in domestic tournaments, including the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and coveted Ranji Trophy, does get the recognition. But the cricket association roping in a successful international coach means improvement more than a marketing stunt.
The list of overseas players who have coached India’s domestic team includes the names of some legendary cricketers, including Michael Bevan, Lance Klusener, Dav Whatmore, Intikhab Alam and Dermot Reeve. And the latest addition to this list is former New Zealand cricketer Gary Stead, who represented the Kiwis in five Tests and scored 278 runs to his name, averaging 34.75.
Stead quitted coaching job for New Zealand Cricket earlier this year. He has now been appointed as Andhra’s head coach for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Stead had a highly successful seven-year stint with New Zealand, helping them to clinch the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) title in 2021, beating India. Under him, New Zealand became no.1 in the Test and ODI format and reached the 2019 ODI World Cup final, where they lost by a boundary margin.
However, the stead’s appointment has allowed us to delve into the topic and bring the list of overseas players who have turned up to coach India’s domestic team.
Former coach and manager of the Pakistan cricket team, Intikhab Alam, was the first overseas coach who served India’s domestic team as head coach. Intikhab, who was the head coach and mentor of Pakistan’s 1992 ODI World Cup and 2009 T20 World Cup lifting teams, had taken over the reins of Punjab in the 2004-05 Ranji Trophy. He also coached the North Zone in the next season. The Undivided India-born cricketer had represented Pakistan in 57 Tests and four ODIs in a career that spanned over 18 overs. Intikhab has 1510 runs and 129 wickets to his name in international cricket.
Michael Bevan, who was once regarded as the best finisher in the world, took his first coaching assignment as Odisha’s head coach in 2011. The former Australian batter, who retired from international cricket in 2007, travelled to India for the pre-season Australian tour and joined the Odisha team as coach in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2011. However, the Odisha players seemed not to like the former Southpaw batter’s working style, managing to win just one game in the tournament. After an underwhelming season, the Aussie batter wanted a five-day break, but the Odisha Cricket Association denied the request and removed him from the helm ahead of the Ranji Trophy season.
Dav Whatmore, who was the man behind Sri Lanka’s 1996 ODI World Cup triumph, was named head coach of the Kerala side in 2017. He easily rejuvenated with the players and led them to their first-ever knockout stage in the Ranji Trophy, where Kerala lost to Vidarbha in the quarterfinals. Under him, Kerala followed it up with a semi-final entry in the 2018-19 season, where they once again lost to Vidarbha. However, the team produced a horror show in the next season, leading to resignation from Whatmore.
The former Aussie cricketer next joined Baroda for the 2021-22 season. But couldn’t change his fortunes, producing yet another underwhelming season as Baroda made the group stage exit across all domestic competitions.
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Lance Klusener, one of the best all-rounders in his time, had joined Tripura in a consultant role in 2023 for 100 days. While he didn’t look after the coaching part, the former South African cricketer spent time with the cricket association and players on their mental aspect and training. Before taking the Tripura role, the all-rounder was involved with various sides, such as Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Durban Super Kings (SA 20), across different roles. He later joined Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL as an Assistant coach.
Dareen Holder was the second overseas coach to ever coach India’s domestic side. Holder was not a professional cricketer, but had worked under Australia’s coach John Buchanan during the 2003 World Cup win. He was appointed Maharashtra’s head coach and director of cricket in 2004, but his stint lasted for just eight months.
After four seasons, Maharashtra were once again seeking a coach and roped in Shaun Williams, who had never represented Australia at the international level, for the 2008-09 season. But this time around, Maharashtra enjoyed success under Williams, who led the side for four years. Maharashtra clinched their first and only Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title win in 2009, where they beat Hyderabad in the final by defending 119.
The Englishman Dermot Reeve replaced Williams for the next season. However, Reeve, who played three Tests and 29 ODIs for England, failed to deliver and was replaced with Surendra Bhave replacing him after the end of the first six rounds of the Ranji Trophy 2012-13.
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