Winning an ODI World Cup is one of the top priorities for a player. While some achieve it as a cricketer, a few others win the trophy as Head Coach. In recent years, winning an IPL as a coach is also a remarkable feat. This achievement would help secure the career of a coach because of the emergence of various T20 leagues. However, winning an IPL trophy is difficult. The tournament has seen some top coaches but they could not win the elusive trophy. On that note, here, we take a look at four legendary Head Coaches who won ODI World Cup but could not win an IPL Trophy.
1) Dav Whatmore – 1996 ODI World Cup (IPL Coach for KKR)
The 1996 World Cup win happens to be the greatest moment in the history of Sri Lankan cricket. And it was Dav Whatmore who helped them do it. The coach also helped other teams like Bangladesh develop their game later in his career.
However, when it came to IPL, Dav did not enjoy a great stint. At KKR, he could not do well and later, he had to step down from the role. It needs to be seen if any other team would be interested in him in the future.
2) Geoff Marsh – 1999 ODI World Cup (IPL Coach for PWI)
Geoff Marsh is one of the legendary Head Coaches who won the ODI World Cup but could not win an IPL Trophy. A terrific character, Marsh was at the helm when Australia famously won the World Cup back in 1999.
In the IPL, it was for the new franchise Pune Warriors India that Marsh coached. The team did have a good core but could not leave an impact. Marsh’s son Mitchell Marsh also played for PWI. Since then, Marsh has not coached any team in the IPL.
3) John Buchanan – 2003 & 2007 ODI World Cup (IPL Coach for KKR)
One of the greatest coaches that the game has seen, John Buchanan led Australia to victories in both 2003 and 2007. He is credited with creating one of the strongest teams in the game’s history.
As KKR coach, though, Buchanan failed to win trophies. He also found himself at the centre of many controversies. The Aussie did have some innovative ideas but they did not auger well for the franchise at that point.
4) Gary Kirsten – 2011 ODI World Cup (IPL Coach for DD, RCB)
Gary Kirsten is also one of the legendary Head Coaches who won the ODI World Cup but could not win an IPL Trophy. India lifted the ODI World Cup after 28 years under the tutorship of Gary Kirsten. However, interestingly, after winning the biggest event, Kirsten’s coaching career did not lead to further laurels.
At both Delhi and RCB, Kirsten failed to do well as a Head Coach. In fact, it was a forgettable outing for both franchises when both teams when the former opener was at the helm. Nevertheless, as a Mentor at Gujarat Titans, he is finding enormous success. Maybe, this could be the way to go for him!
