By Rajan Arora, Co-founder & Lead Trainer, Triumph through Training Pvt. Ltd.
https://trainingsforall.com
Soon after I was born in the 1970s, my fascination for cricket began in the early 80s.
I wasn’t just a casual viewer—I was the kid glued to the Doordarshan telecast, waking up early for overseas matches, and scribbling scorecards in old notebooks. I was an enthusiastic bowler myself—playing cricket with other teenagers in the colony. Over the decades, I’ve watched cricket, but more than that—I’ve observed the leadership and analysed certain lessons I deduced in real time.
From Kapil Dev’s iconic World Cup lift in 1983 to Dhoni’s calm trophy celebrations, from Ganguly waving his shirt at Lord’s to Gill’s record-breaking series today—I’ve seen captains and coaches not just win matches, but rewrite how leadership has evolved, especially under pressure.
At Triumph Through Training Pvt. Ltd. (3T), we coach leaders in boardrooms and classrooms, and I often find myself drawing parallels to the cricketing greats I grew up admiring. Because leadership—on the field or off—is about more than titles. I think, it’s about the 3 C’s: context, collaboration, and character.
Going back to the 80’s cricket which shaped my childhood—Indian cricket’s identity was defined by stalwarts like Sunil Gavaskar, all technique and quiet resolve, brought discipline and professionalism to a team still learning how to win abroad. Then came Kapil Dev, fearless and infectious in optimism, unbelievably leading a team of underdogs to the iconic 1983 World Cup win.Kapil didn’t just lift a trophy—he lifted our nation’s belief.And while he shone on the field, managers like PR Man Singh worked silently behind the scenes, showing us servant leadership long before it became the buzzword in leadership jargon.
Hence, from the 80’s era cricket, I conclude in my sessions on leadership that,sometimes, leadership isn’t about being in the spotlight—it’s about setting the stage for others to shine. Its not always about grabbing the limelight, but sharing the credit with the team. Its not always about playing the blame game in case of failure, but to bear the brunt as a leader—taking full responsibility and being accountable.
The next decade of the 90’s were turbulent—captaincy shuffled between Vengsarkar, Shastri, Srikkanth, and eventually Mohammad Azharuddin. Azhar’s grace made India nearly unbeatable at home—but abroad, the struggle was real.And then we heard of the match-fixing scandal for the first time,and it shattered our trust. Therefore, I assert to my participating corporate leaders that integrity and principle-centred leadership is non-negotiable. If a leader loses integrity, even the strongest brand or legacy that he or she may have established, may crumble like a pack of cards.
The onset of 2000 was most exciting for me. It was the rise of complementary leadership. Sourav Ganguly brought swagger and steel. He backed raw talent like Sehwag, Dhoni, and Yuvraj—and changed India’s attitude.And then entered John Wright, India’s first foreign coach–calm and collaborative. Together, they showed how two contrasting leadership styles—fire and water—can create something transformational. Consequentially, myconclusion regarding leadership was that ‘different does not mean divisive; if aligned well, it means dynamic’.
Next, 2010 onwards, Indian cricket leadership experienced the unimaginable—MS Dhoni! His ice-cool demeanour, unshakable trust in his team, and fearless calls in crunch moments created history—2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy. Of course, Dhoni didn’t do it alone. Coach Gary Kirsten, soft-spoken and player-first, created the environment for Dhoni’s magic to work. Again, the mantra of cool confidence combined with strategic support was what I learned in this phase of my favourite sport. I give a formula to my training participants that ‘empowerment + trust = extraordinary performance’.
Post-Dhoni came Virat Kohli,a very passionate leader I must say. His intensity changed the team’s fitness culture and brought historic Test wins in Australia.We saw leaderhip of charisma, culture, combined with conflict. All was smooth—his disagreement with coach Anil Kumble proved that even great sports leaders need not just health and fitness par excellence (Health Quotient), strategic planning to win the matches (Intelligence Quotient), implementation of it all with the team to achieve the goal (Execution Quotient), but most importantly, self and social awareness to manage strong personalities (Emotional Quotient).
In recent years, I have seen leadership essentials like calm, consistency and culture being re-enforced by Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid who have taken a quieter path—rebuilding, nurturing, stabilizing.Dravid mentors; Rohit manages; together they’ve created a process-driven, sustainable culture. Here came a very significant leadership lesson–building for the future means balancing patience with calculated risks.
And since last year, we can observe a new era of contrasts. It is fascinating to see how Gautam Gambhir as coach—direct, gritty, no-nonsense—and Shubman Gill, the young captain are breaking records and showing composure beyond years.Watching them is like watching a live leadership experiment: vision meets execution. So, the crux is that no one or some leadership principles prove to be always right. In fact, leadership is always evolving in real time. And that’s how it should be.
To summarize, decades of interest in cricket has shown me—and taught India—that success comes when captain and coach align:
- Kapil & Man Singh: Passion + preparation
- Ganguly & Wright: Swagger + structure
- Dhoni & Kirsten: Calm + clarity
- Rohit & Dravid: Maturity + mentorship
When they don’t (Chappell-Ganguly, Kumble-Kohli), friction stalls progress—no matter how talented the individuals. And so is the case with corporates—leaders and team members jointly attain the vision.
At 3T, we take these lessons to heart.We help leaders—whether they’re startup founders, middle managers, or future C-suite aspirants—discover their authentic leadership style, adapt across contexts, and build teams that thrive. Eventually, it will help them jointly work for the organizations benefit. All existing and aspiring leaders must remember that leadership isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being purposeful.Great teams aren’t built on talent alone—they’re built on trust, timing, and temperance. And the right partnership can change everything.
To explore how we help leaders transform their potential into performance, visit trainingsforall.com.
