IPL 2016: Foreign exchange rules IPL

The numbers say it all. In the eight editions of the Indian Premier League so far, there have been five winners. Three sides - Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians - have won the title twice. Six men - Shane Warne, Darren Lehmann, Stephen Fleming, Trevor Bayliss, John Wright and Ricky Ponting - have been applauded as the force behind the champion teams. All proven names in the business, each of who fall in the 'foreign' coach bracket.

The IPL - a colourful circus, a money spinner, a combination of cricket and excesses - is a mix of Indian talent and international superstars. It's also a lifeline for the country's fringe players, who've gained experience and swelled bank balances. It's a whole different story for Indian coaches. In the ninth edition of the IPL, beginning Saturday, Kings XI Punjab's Sanjay Bangar is the lone Indian in the chief coaches' roster.

The home-grown guides of the game - who've powered many a domestic team - haven't inspired the same confidence as their overseas counterparts. Fittingly, there are no takers for the 'no good Indian coaches' argument. India's bowling coach Bharat Arun (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Robin Singh (Mumbai Indians) and Pravin Amre lend fair weight to the exchange in their varied roles for national sides. There's apprehension though among players, who say they fear 'favouritism' and 'bias' with local gurus. The relatively new position of 'mentor' has had Indian heavyweights like Anil Kumble for Mumbai Indians (in the not too distant past), Rahul Dravid (Rajasthan Royals and now Delhi Daredevils) and VVS Laxman (Sunrisers Hyderabad) register their presence.

The weight of international players in the side is believed to be one of the reasons why coaching jobs have veered away from domestic aspirants.

Shishir Hattangadi, the former Head of Cricket with the now defunct Deccan Chargers before taking up the same position with defending champions Mumbai Indians in the 2009 season, said, "The coach is usually picked in consultation with the captain, based on comfort levels of the leader and key players. This is perhaps why Mahendra Singh Dhoni went with Stephen Fleming for the new Pune franchise. The success they enjoyed with Chennai Super Kings is a pointer to the comfort level they share."

The 54-year-old former Mumbai batsman explained, "The advantage of foreign coaches is their ability to deal with international players. It's not only about coaching at this level, it is also about managing."

PLAYER-TURNED COACHES

Teams have often turned to players to fill the coaching slot. Aussie Ricky Ponting took over from John Wright for Mumbai Indians, Fleming, who joined Chennai as a player, turned a trophy-winning coach upon succeeding Kepler Wessels. Likewise, former RCB skipper Daniel Vettori is now the team's coach. Jacques Kallis is with Kolkata Knight Riders in a new role, as are Shane Bond (Mumbai Indians bowling coach) and Brad Hodge (head coach, Gujarat Lions). Most in the player-turned-coach bracket aren't qualified coaches, some not even big achievers as players, but all of them have learnt on the job, thriving on the confidence the teams place on them.

Vettori, the former New Zealand spin ace, believes his playing stint with the Bengaluru side facilitated his transition. "I had played for RCB prior to coaching and hence had a very good understanding of the team and infrastructure. This made the transition easier. I was also lucky to have a good relationship with the captain (Virat Kohli)."

A fringe India player said it wasn't easy for a local player, especially one who didn't speak fluent English, to fit into an IPL team. "When you play in other domestic competitions, you can get by without speaking English. But it's a different matter when you're dealing with a foreign coach," he said. "You're always wondering whether you're saying the right thing, whether he understands what you're saying. Once you're over that phase, it becomes easier. One advantage a foreign coach enjoys, I feel, is that he doesn't come with biases or favouritism, which I sometimes see with Indian coaches."

INDIAN ANGLE

Ironically majority of the Indian coaches feel they've been short-changed by the very system that has proved advantageous to local players.

Sujith Somasunder, former India cricketer and now a reputed mind coach, says, "In IPL, it makes sense because there are foreign players and there needs to be a binding factor culturally. Foreign coaches are trained and sensitized in leadership coaching, especially on how to inspire and collaborate with people," Somasunder said.