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Team India's hunt for a new bowling coach is underway as the Rahul Dravid era has come to an end, officially. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) formally announced Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach of the side, and it remains to be seen what the new support staff looks like.
Bowling coaches have been part of the coaching staff for a while now, and their importance has risen as time has passed. A specialist coach designated to oversee bowlers is a non-negotiable prospect these days and their recruitment is something that cricket boards take quite seriously.
The Men in Blue have boasted one of the most intimidating bowling attacks across formats recently. Although there are a lot of factors that contribute to the fact, such as the domestic structure and opportunities, having the right bowling coach is also equally important. They make good, raw bowlers into great bowlers or even world-class bowlers if everything comes into place.
On that note, let us revisit the candidates who have served as Team India's bowling coach in the past.
#1 Venkatesh Prasad
Team India's coaching structure saw a major revamp after the 2007 ODI World Cup debacle. Following Greg Chappell's departure, Lalchand Rajput was appointed on an interim basis and was joined by Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh as bowling and fielding coaches, respectively.
The former India right-arm pacer was with the team during the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa. He reportedly made the players practice the bowl out after practice sessions, which came in handy during their famous tied encounter against Pakistan in the group stages.
Prasad was sacked in 2009 by the BCCI after India failed to impress in the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy. He reportedly re-applied for the post when it became vacant after several years, but did not get the role.
#2 Eric Simons
The former South Africa cricketer joined the Indian team in 2010 as a bowling consultant. He was part of Gary Kirsten's coaching staff when Team India won the 2011 ODI World Cup. While Kirsten left the role, Simons stayed on for the tours of England and Australia.
However, after consecutive red-ball whitewashes, he left the role and since then he has been a constant feature in franchise cricket, famously associated with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL.
#3 Joe Dawes
Former Queensland bowler was Team India's bowling coach during Duncan Fletcher's reign as head coach. His reign lasted till 2014 as he parted ways with the BCCI after Ravi Shastri's arrival into the circuit.
He was asked to go on a break by the BCCI following Team India's tame 1-3 defeat to England away from home. He was then offered the chance to work at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), an opportunity which he declined, thereby ending his stint altogether.
#4 Bharat Arun
Bharat Arun has always been right beside Ravi Shastri in the Indian coaching unit. The former pacer shaped a lot of bowlers during his reign as the bowling coach, primarily in red-ball cricket. He brought Shastri and Kohli's vision to life by honing the bowlers and prepping them up for overseas tours in particular.
He left the role when his contract ended alongside Ravi Shastri's tenure after the 2021 T20 World Cup. He is currently the bowling coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
#5 Zaheer Khan
Former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who is currently rumored to be part of Gautam Gambhir's unit, had a brief, confusing stint as India's bowling coach in 2017. The left-arm pacer was expected to be part of Ravi Shastri's entourage.
However, later on, it was clarified that he was only on board as a consultant while Bharat Arun remained the bowling coach of the team.
"All depends on their availability, it depends on individuals, the number of days they want to give but their inputs will be invaluable and they are most welcome," Shastri had said regarding Zaheer Khan's role as a consultant.
Zaheer Khan moved onto the Mumbai Indians' (MI) coaching set up in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
#6 Paras Mhambrey
The most recent holder of the post of Team India bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, worked with Rahul Dravid at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), before heading over in late 2021.
Before his stints at the NCA and with the national team, he served as the coach for Bengal for the 2005-06 season and guided them to the final. He was also associated with the Mumbai Indians (MI) for four years.
