Top 10 coaches who found India’s biggest cricket icons, featuring Kohli, Dhoni and more

2. MS Dhoni - Keshav Banarjee

Keshav Ranjan Banerjee was the first coach who recognise the legendary Indian skipper MS Dhoni’s potential. During Dhoni’s school days at Jawahar Vidya Mandir, he was more inclined towards football and loved playing as the goalkeeper. But it was Banerjee who encouraged Dhoni to take up wicketkeeping and later helped him grow into a wicketkeeper-batter.

Banerjee trained him during his formative years and supported him through thick and thin. He always felt Dhoni had the fitness and the abilities to play at the highest level. The coach, despite getting media attention after Dhoni became a global star, stayed grounded. Banerjee continues to train young students in Ranchi.

1. Virat Kohli - Rajkumar Sharma

India's modern-day batting great, Virat Kohli, credits his childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, for guiding him during his young days of aspiring to take up cricket as a profession. On May 30, 1998, a young Kohli walked into Sharma’s academy in Delhi with his father and brother. Initially placed in the junior group, Kohli soon requested to play with senior players.

Even though he was smaller in age and size, he believed he would not get out easily. Sharma hesitated at first, but gave him a chance later. Though he once got hit on the chest by a senior bowler, he continued to bat with the pain. His mother noticed the bruise and asked Sharma to keep him in his age group, but Kohli refused. Years later, when Kohli became India’s all-format captain, Sharma was the first person to announce the news.