2 players who failed as a player but found success as a coach in IPL history

The Indian Premier League poses a different challenge to the cricketer and the coach. The two roles in itself vary in a lot of factors, but it often helps for the coach if he has been a cricketer before. That said, we have also seen successful coaches who have not played the game. Talking about IPL, the coach and the player experience different set of objectives. We have observed that in a few cases, a player has been successful both as a cricketer and as a coach. In some instances, a player could not do well on the field but went on to do well in the backroom. We take a look at two such examples in this article:

1) Darren Lehmann

As a player - Rajasthan Royals

As a coach - Deccan Chargers

Darren Lehmann did not take long before experiencing the two spectrums in IPL. While he did not taste success with his batting skills in IPL 2008 with RR, he made amends by leading Deccan Chargers to the trophy as a Head Coach in 2009. Lehmann was never a popular T20 cricketer but as a coach, he did well for many teams.

2) Ricky Ponting

As a player - Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians

As a coach - Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals

One of the greatest batters of the game, Ponting could not do well in both his IPL stints as a cricketer. He failed at both KKR & MI. There were a lot of expectations but the Aussie could not fulfill them. However, in MI, he won IPL 2013 as a coach and has been doing well with Delhi Capitals in the similar role. He helped the team reach the finals in IPL 2020. Hence, he is a part of this list.