Top 5 Indian cricketers coached by Rahul Dravid

Batting stalwart Rahul Dravid smoothly transitioned from being one of cricket’s most successful cricketers to a respected coach. After retiring as a legend of Indian cricket, earning honours like the Padma Bhushan and induction into the ICC Hall of Fame, Dravid moved to train the next generation. His coaching career began with the Rajasthan Royals, where his approach groomed talented franchise cricketers in the IPL.

Under his guidance, India’s U-19 and A teams consistently performed and thrived. His

ability to bring in values of patience, teamwork, and self-belief helped numerous young cricketers who later excelled at the international level. As India’s head coach, Dravid took the team to multiple ICC finals and ultimately guided them to T20 World Cup glory in 2024.

Here are the top 5 Indian cricketers coached by Rahul Dravid

Abhishek Sharma

Star opener Abhishek Sharma has become one of India’s most destructive T20 batters. Having trained under Rahul Dravid during his India U-19 and India A days, Abhishek often credits the veteran for being by his side during his initial days. A member of the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning team, Abhishek went on to make his international debut in 2024. Over the years, the southpaw has turned into a fearless top-order batter.

His explosive IPL run with Sunrisers Hyderabad, especially alongside Travis Head in 2024, became a turning point in his career. His consistent performances earned him a place in India’s T20I setup, where he quickly made an impact, recently being named Player of the Series in the Asia Cup. Notably, he is currently the No.1 ICC T20I batter.

Arshdeep Singh

A member of the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning team under Dravid’s coaching, Arshdeep Singh has become one of the dependable white-ball bowlers. The left-arm pacer from Punjab impressed many with his ability to swing the new ball and bowl brilliantly at the death. After a solid domestic start, Arshdeep was picked up by Punjab Kings in 2019, where he quickly became a reliable death-overs bowler.

His performances in the IPL earned him an India call-up, and he made his T20I debut in 2022 in England, once again under the eye of Dravid, then India’s head coach. Arshdeep made an instant impact, claiming seven wickets in his first series against West Indies and later emerging as India’s leading wicket-taker in the 2022 T20 World Cup. His career peaked in 2024 when he played a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker. Six years after lifting the U-19 trophy with Dravid, Arshdeep lifted another World Cup, this time the senior T20 title, both under Dravid's presence.

Ishan Kishan

Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan’s cricket career has been closely connected with Rahul Dravid’s coaching tenure, right from his Under-19 days. Kishan led the India U-19 team under Dravid’s stewardship at the 2016 World Cup in Bangladesh, where India finished runners-up. Though his personal run with the bat was decent, the experience of playing under Dravid made him a better cricketer.

Years later, Kishan once again got back with Dravid when the latter took over as India’s head coach. It was during this phase that Ishan found a spot in international cricket, registering fifties across formats and a record-breaking 210 against Bangladesh in 2022. However, for the past two years, he hasn't been able to find a place in the national setup.

Rishabh Pant

India's vice-captain Rishabh Pant is another U19 member who has worked closely with Rahul Dravid. His century in the 2016 U-19 World Cup semi-final run caught national attention, and under Dravid’s mentorship, he became one of India’s most explosive wicketkeeper-batters. Pant’s international career boomed further when Dravid took the responsibility of the senior team.

The duo reunited as coach and player on the international stage as well, and Pant continued to thrive, playing a crucial role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup win under Dravid’s guidance. The southpaw has been a regular member of the ODI and Test team and has shown his brilliance in the shortest format of the game as well.

Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill, who is currently leading India in Tests and ODIs, is another talented cricketer to be trained under Rahul Dravid during his U-19 and India A days. Gill developed as a cricketer under the veteran. It was under Dravid’s guidance that he made his international debut. The 26-year-old recently succeeded Rohit Sharma in both formats. As Test captain, he led India to a 2-2 draw in England, scoring over 700 runs. The opener has been a regular member of all three formats and is seen as the next big then in Indian cricket.