Handling the responsibility of India’s batting coach is a significant task, given the country’s rich history of producing world-class batters across all formats. Before 2014, the concept of a specialized batting coach for the national team did not exist. Notably, during India’s title victories in the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, head coaches Gary Kirsten and Duncan Fletcher managed without a batting coach. However, this changed in 2014, leading to the appointment of three former Indian cricketers as batting consultants or coaches. Here, we take a closer look at their tenures and achievements.

Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid played his last match for India in January 2012 against Australia. By 2014, Dravid had transitioned to a mentoring role for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. His expertise was recognized, and he was appointed as the batting consultant for the Indian team for their England Tour in August-September 2014.

During this period, Dravid assisted head coach Duncan Fletcher in the five-match Test series and ODI series against England. Despite India losing the Test series 3-1, Dravid’s influence was felt as India bounced back to win the ODI series 3-1. His tenure, though short, laid the foundation for future appointments of specialized batting coaches.

Sanjay Bangar

Following the England tour, Sanjay Bangar was appointed as the batting coach of the Indian national team. Bangar brought a wealth of experience, having served as the head coach of Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and guiding them to a runner-up finish in the 2014 IPL season.

Bangar’s tenure as batting coach spanned five years, during which he worked under three different head coaches: Duncan Fletcher, Anil Kumble, and Ravi Shastri. Under Bangar’s guidance, the Indian team saw significant success. The team won 30 out of 52 Tests and 82 out of 120 ODIs. One of the most notable achievements during his tenure was India’s dominance in Test cricket, where they remained at the top of the rankings for over three years.

A historic milestone was achieved towards the end of Bangar’s tenure when India secured their first-ever away Test series win in Australia, breaching the Gabba fortress to win the series 2-1 in January 2019. Despite these accomplishments, Bangar’s tenure ended after India’s 2-0 Test series win against the West Indies in September 2019.

Vikram Rathour

Vikram Rathour, who played six Tests and seven ODIs for India in the 1990s, succeeded Sanjay Bangar as the batting coach of the national team. Rathour’s first assignment was the home series against South Africa, where India tied the T20I series 1-1 and secured a 3-0 whitewash in the Test series.

Rathour’s impact as a batting coach has been significant, especially in the context of ICC events. Under his guidance, India reached the World Test Championship (WTC) final twice and made it to the finals of both the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. Most importantly, Rathour played a crucial role in ending India’s 13-year ICC title drought by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Rathour’s tenure has been marked by consistent performances from the Indian batting lineup. His ability to mentor and develop young talent has been instrumental in India’s recent successes. Rathour's contract was renewed in 2021, reflecting the confidence the BCCI has in his abilities to guide the team’s batters.