India is home to more than a billion people. Cricket is more than just a sport in a nation as big as this. Instead, it is a religion. Indian cricket players are revered like gods and adored like celebrities. The game has become a major festival in the country, thanks to the IPL. Indian cricket has had many captains, each leaving an indelible impression on their fellow citizens. For those wondering which captain has been the best until now, this Fun88 blog post aims to help identify the individual Indians considered the most successful captain in India.
Some of the Most Successful Captains in Indian Cricket
A lot of individuals consider Mahendra Singh Dhoni to be the finest and the best captain in Indian cricket history. Some say that Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly were the best captains the Indian men’s cricket team ever had. According to the older generation, Kapil Dev remains the best cricket team captain because India won its first-ever Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1983 under his captaincy. With so many names being thrown into the gauntlet, deciding who is the best man to have ever captained the nation’s men’s national cricket team can be challenging. Let’s look at a list of India’s most successful cricket captains.
List of Successful Captains in Indian Cricket History
India has had some of the best captains in international cricket. All these captains led the team with their unique styles and abilities.
List of One-Day International Captains and Their Records
S. No. | Player | Span | Matches as Captain | Overall Win% |
1 | Rohit Sharma | 2022-2023 | 26 | 73.07% |
2 | Virat Kohli | 2014-2021 | 95 | 70.43% |
3 | MS Dhoni | 2007-2017 | 200 | 59.52% |
4 | Rahul Dravid | 2000-2007 | 79 | 56 |
5 | Mohammad Azharuddin | 1992-1999 | 174 | 54.16% |
6 | Kapil Dev | 1982-1984 | 74 | 54.16% |
7 | Sourav Ganguly | 2000-2005 | 146 | 53.9% |
8 | Sunil Gavaskar | 1978-1985 | 37 | 40 |
Below Are Some of the Best Captains of Indian Cricket History
1. Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar assumed the role of captain for the Indian cricket team from 1978 to 1985. His leadership approach was all about cultivating a favourable atmosphere among the team members. Gavaskar’s win ratio as captain was at 27%, successfully guiding India to triumph in several international matches.
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw | Win Percentage |
ODI | 37 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 37.83 |
Test | 47 | 8 | 9 | 30 | 19.14 |
Overall | 84 | 29 | 23 | 32 | 27.38 |
2. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev, who was captain of the Indian cricket team from 1982 to 1987, is considered to be one of the greatest leaders in Indian cricket history. He was the captain when India won its first World Cup in 1983. Kapil Dev had an assertive attitude to the game, and this leadership style was marked by his ability to inspire colleagues.
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw | Win Percentage |
ODI | 74 | 33 | 39 | 2 | 52.70 |
Test | 34 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 11.76 |
Overall | 108 | 29 | 43 | 24 | 39.81 |
3. Mohammad Azharuddin
Mohammad Azharuddin was the leader of the Indian cricket team from 1990 to 1992. Azharuddin was a pioneer of Indian cricket. His leadership capabilities, along with his powers to adapt himself towards any situation, became instrumental. One could bear witness during the era when he led India in a superb fashion, perhaps the most notable victory under his leadership being the 1998 Coca Cola Cup when Tendulkar hit the ‘desert storm’ century.
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw | Win Percentage |
ODI | 174 | 76 | 90 | 2 | 51.72 |
Test | 47 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 29.78 |
Overall | 221 | 90 | 104 | 21 | 47.05 |
Also Read: Most Famous Cricket Player in India | Top 5 Players
4. Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly oversaw the Indian cricket squad from 2000 to 2005. Fans liked him because of his bold style of cricket and propensity to win on foreign land. Being one of the most accomplished captains in Indian cricket history, Ganguly holds the second-best record for the country while leading his country abroad.
India achieved the position of runners-up in the World Cup 2003 under the leadership of Ganguly in One Day Internationals (ODIs). They attained victory over England in the final of the Natwest Trophy in 2002. In all, India emerged victorious in 76 out of 146 One Day International matches under the leadership of the left-handed batsman while suffering defeat in 65 matches.
Ganguly achieved a total of 11 One Day International (ODI) centuries while serving as the captain of the Indian cricket team, placing him fourth in the global rankings. Ganguly has the distinction of being the only skipper to achieve the feat of scoring three hundred in a single edition of the World Cup (2003) and three centuries in the Champions Trophy (2004).
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw | Win Percentage |
ODI | 146 | 65 | 76 | 5 | 52.05 |
Test | 49 | 13 | 21 | 15 | 42.85 |
ODI | 146 | 65 | 76 | 5 | 52.05 |
Overall | 195 | 78 | 97 | 20 | 49.74 |
5. Rahul Dravid
From 2000 until 2007, Rahul Dravid led the Indian cricket team. His approach to leadership was more concerned with creating a strong sense of teamwork. Throughout the unfavourable 2007 ODI World Cup campaign, Dravid served as captain.
Dravid’s leadership in ODIs resulted in India securing 42 victories out of 79 matches, a commendable achievement that places him seventh among Indian captains in win records. The lowest point of his tenure as captain in One Day International (ODI) cricket occurred in 2007, when India was eliminated from the World Cup during the group stage. India, who finished as the second-place team in the last edition of the competition, were anticipated to have a far stronger performance than they did.
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw/NR | Win Percentage |
ODI | 79 | 33 | 42 | 4 | 53.16 |
Test | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 32 |
Overall | 104 | 39 | 50 | 15 | 48.07 |
6. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MSD)
Most people agree that Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the finest captain India has ever had. One of the most accomplished captains in cricket history, he guided India to victory in many international tournaments, including the 2011 World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy, and the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Dhoni is considered the most successful captain in India by Indian citizens because of his cool-headed, systematic approach to the game and his aptitude for reading the circumstances of the match.
Dhoni has the finest record of any Indian captain, with 110 victories in 200 ODI games. Dhoni is the only Indian captain to have guided his country to 14 victories in the Cricket World Cup.
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw | Win Percentage |
ODI | 200 | 74 | 110 | 11 | 55 |
Test | 60 | 18 | 27 | 15 | 45 |
T20I | 72 | 28 | 41 | 2 | 56.94 |
Overall | 332 | 120 | 178 | 28 | 53.61 |
Also Read: Most Successful Captain in Cricket World Cup
7. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is perceived to be the biggest cricket star. He became the captain of the Indian cricket team in 2013. Virat Kohli‘s strong disposition throughout the game and his ability to motivate his teammates made him a fan favourite. He is the best captain in Test cricket ever to lead India with a win percentage of 58.82%.
With Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kohli is the fourth most successful Indian captain in One-Day Internationals. India has won bilateral series against South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka in the ODI format under his leadership. Kohli, a batsman and captain, amassed 5449 runs at an average of 72.65 in 91 innings, with 21 centuries to his name. Only Ricky Ponting (22) has the record with more ODI hundreds as captain than Kohli.
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw/NR | Win Percentage |
ODI | 95 | 27 | 65 | 2 | 68.42 |
Test | 68 | 17 | 40 | 11 | 58.82 |
T20I | 50 | 16 | 30 | 2 | 60 |
Overall | 213 | 60 | 135 | 28 | 63.38 |
8. Rohit Sharma
In 2022, Rohit Sharma took over as captain of the Indian team. Even though Rohit Sharma was initially hesitant to become a captain, he has carved a niche for himself in international cricket as an exceptional and inspiring leader.
Rohit Sharma filled in for Virat Kohli quite effectively, winning two titles for India without the involvement of their star batsman. Although initially reluctant to take up the responsibility of captaincy, Rohit Sharma has become a successful and dynamic leader and currently holds 4th position for having the most centuries in ODI cricket.
Captaincy Record | |||||
Format | Matches Captained | Loss | Win | Draw | Win Percentage |
ODI | 43 | 8 | 35 | 1 | 77.27 |
Test | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 55.55 |
T20I | 51 | 12 | 39 | 0 | 76.47 |
Overall | 104 | 23 | 78 | 3 | 76.47 |
Also Read: Online Cricket Betting Tips For Punters To Win Big
Conclusion
In Indian cricket, identifying the supreme captain is a matter of personal interpretation since each leader has had a lasting impact on the team’s heritage. Each captain has distinct attributes, from Dhoni’s composed demeanour to Kohli’s passionate intensity and Ganguly’s strategic genius.
When considering achievements and setbacks, it becomes clear that several aspects characterise greatness. Although statistics provide some insight, the qualitative qualities of leadership, such as motivation, cohesiveness, and flexibility, are as crucial. It is difficult to say who is the most successful captain in India, as everybody has shown their full potential in their captaincy period. Additionally, exploring the legacy of these leaders adds another layer to the discussion of the best Cricketers in the World of All Time.
Star it if you find it helpful.