Being a captain is like an art. It needs skill, courage, and smart thinking. The captain leads the team, plans for victories, takes responsibility for losses, and inspires the team to win. In cricket, the role of a captain is very important.
Let’s look the top 5 captains who have led India.
1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
While some may disagree, it’s undeniable that Dhoni has shown great resilience and determination over the years to be considered the best Indian cricket captain, surpassing Sourav Ganguly. Under Dhoni’s leadership, India won the first ICC World Twenty20 in 2007 in South Africa. When he took over as test captain, he immediately led India to victory in the Border-Gavaskar trophy. His leadership also saw India rise to the top spot in the ICC test rankings.
Dhoni’s calm demeanor and perseverance helped him achieve unprecedented success in Indian cricket. Under his captaincy, India transformed from underachievers to formidable competitors on the global stage. In 2011, India even won the ICC Cricket World Cup after 28 years, with Dhoni playing a crucial role by scoring 91 runs in the final against Sri Lanka. Both Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar have praised Dhoni’s captaincy, with Ganguly acknowledging Dhoni as a better captain than himself. With his achievements and relatively young age, Dhoni’s future contributions to Indian cricket remain a topic of speculation.
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2. Sourav Ganguly
He was the man who brought the Indian team together. Many credit him with discovering talented new players, some of whom are now key players. However, Sourav Ganguly had a big issue – his temper. He showed strong emotions and lacked the calmness of Dhoni. When happy, he famously took off his shirt and waved it to the crowd after India won the Natwest series final against England in 2003. He struggled with bouncy deliveries in cricket, especially from Australian bowlers, which affected his batting.
But Ganguly’s determination, never-give-up attitude, and ability to boost the team’s confidence, especially in overseas matches, are what made him a respected captain. His major achievements include leading India to the finals of the 2003 World Cup and Asia Cup, and drawing a series against Australia in their own turf. Despite not winning these finals, his contributions to Indian cricket were immense. Many believe he was one of India’s greatest captains, despite the challenges he faced in major tournaments.
3. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev made his debut for India in the 1982-83 season. This was the same season before he led India to its first World Cup win in 1983. At that time, the powerful West Indies team dominated cricket worldwide. Despite this, Kapil Dev and his team won a match in his first series as captain. Many players from the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian team said this victory boosted their confidence to face the West Indies in the final.
Before the World Cup, Kapil Dev wasn’t well-known internationally, with statistics of 2 matches, 608 runs (average: 21), and 34 wickets. India faced challenges in the 1983 tournament, but Kapil Dev emerged as their key player.
In a crucial match against Zimbabwe, Kapil Dev scored 126 runs in partnership for the 9th wicket, including a century. This record stood for 27 years. His all-round performance guided India to victory and boosted team morale.
As captain, Kapil Dev excelled even more than he did as a player. When he was reappointed captain in March 1985, he continued to lead from the front. He was even named joint man of the match in the famous tied Test against England. Leading India to a series win over England in 1986 was a remarkable achievement for Indian cricket, made possible by Kapil Dev’s leadership.
Despite occasional disagreements with Gavaskar, Kapil Dev had a strong record of success during his time as captain. He helped the Indian team reach new heights in international cricket.
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4. Mohammed Azharuddin
Azharuddin was a skilled cricketer known for his batting and leadership. He was captain of the Indian team and known for his smooth batting style, often compared to David Gower. Azharuddin was also a great fielder and his captaincy was highly regarded. He could change the course of a game by himself and was tough for bowlers to deal with. His batting skills were widely admired. As captain, he achieved 103 wins, with a high success rate. He won the Arjuna Award in 1986 and was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1991. However, his career took a downturn when he was implicated in match fixing, tarnishing his once great reputation both on and off the field.
5. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi didn’t let losing an eye in a car crash stop him from achieving his dream of playing cricket for India. Even with one eye, he maintained a test average of 34, showing incredible determination. Before the accident, he was excelling at Oxford University, poised to break records with an impressive average of 55 and 1216 runs.
He became the youngest captain in Test cricket history at just 21 years and 77 days old. Pataudi was not only a skilled batsman but also a leader who inspired his team. Known as ‘Tiger’, he believed in leading from the front and brought out the best in his players. One of his strategic moves was focusing on spin bowling when India lacked fast bowlers, which led to the famous spin quartet of Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar, and Venkatraghavan.
In his career, Pataudi captained India in over 40 Test matches, guiding them to their first-ever victory on foreign soil with a 3-1 win over New Zealand. Despite his challenges, he was a fierce competitor throughout his life. Pataudi passed away recently at the age of 70 due to a severe lung infection.
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