The best cricket captain in history is former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting. He not only maintained a high win percentage for his team but also won every ICC trophy available.
Ricky Ponting tops the list of the greatest cricket captains, followed by well-known names like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Allan Border. Let’s take a look at the top 10 captains.
Best Cricket Captains in the World
| Rank | Captain | Period | Matches | Won | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ricky Ponting | 2002-2012 | 324 | 220 | 77 | 67.9 |
| 2 | MS Dhoni | 2007-2018 | 332 | 178 | 120 | 53.61 |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | 2013-2022 | 213 | 135 | 60 | 63.38 |
| 4 | Eoin Morgan | 2011-2022 | 198 | 118 | 67 | 59.59 |
| 5 | Graeme Smith | 2003-2014 | 286 | 163 | 89 | 56.99 |
| 6 | Allan Border | 1984-1994 | 271 | 139 | 89 | 51.29 |
| 7 | Arjuna Ranatunga | 1988-1999 | 249 | 101 | 144 | 40.56 |
| 8 | Sourav Ganguly | 1999-2005 | 196 | 97 | 79 | 49.48 |
| 9 | Mohammad Azharuddin | 1990-1999 | 221 | 104 | 90 | 47.05 |
| 10 | Stephen Fleming | 1997-2007 | 303 | 128 | 135 | 42.24 |
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1. Ricky Ponting – 220 Wins in 324 Matches
Some people doubt Ricky Ponting’s captaincy because of the star players in his team. However, managing a team full of talent and egos for a decade is a significant achievement. Under his leadership, Australia won the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cups and the 2006 and 2009 ICC Champions Trophy. He also led Australia to an incredible unbeaten streak of 22 Test matches from September 2005 to January 2008.
2. MS Dhoni – 178 Wins in 332 Matches
MS Dhoni was a refreshing leader for Indian cricket over the last decade. He guided a young team to victory in the 2007 World T20 and fulfilled the dreams of millions by winning the 2011 ODI World Cup. He followed this with the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, defeating England in their home ground. Known as “Captain Cool” for his calmness in tough situations, Dhoni is considered India’s best captain ever.
3. Virat Kohli – 135 Wins in 213 Matches
Virat Kohli took over the captaincy from MS Dhoni and made a significant impact. He first led India in Tests in 2014, making the team the number one Test side from a previous seventh place, and they never lost a home Test series during his tenure. Although Kohli did not win any ICC trophies, he ranks as the fourth-most successful ODI captain and second-most successful T20I captain for India.
4. Eoin Morgan – 118 Wins in 198 Matches
Eoin Morgan is recognized for changing England’s approach to limited-overs cricket. After taking over as captain, he quickly adapted their strategies despite a poor performance in the 2015 World Cup. His leadership led England to their first World Cup title in 2019 and encouraged the team to frequently score over 400 runs in ODIs.
5. Graeme Smith – 163 Wins in 286 Matches
Graeme Smith led South Africa for 11 years but, unlike Ponting, he never won an ICC trophy. Taking over from Shaun Pollock in 2003, Smith maintained a win percentage of 48.62% in Tests, winning 53 out of 109 matches. He captained South Africa in the 2007 and 2011 ODI World Cups but did not reach the finals, despite having a strong win percentage.
6. Allan Border – 139 Wins in 271 Matches
Allan Border is known for his resilience as a batsman and captain. He took charge of the Australian team from Kim Hughes and led them to the 1987 World Cup victory. Border is celebrated for transforming Australia from a low point in cricket to a dominant force on the world stage.
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7. Arjuna Ranatunga – 101 Wins in 249 Matches
Arjuna Ranatunga was an unconventional leader who famously guided Sri Lanka to their first ODI World Cup win in 1996. He was a vocal leader and supported spinner Muttiah Muralitharan during the early stages of his career, which helped establish him as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket.
8. Sourav Ganguly – 97 Wins in 196 Matches
Sourav Ganguly took over the captaincy during a challenging period for Indian cricket, following the match-fixing scandal in 2000. Rather than just maintaining stability, he built a competitive team that won Test matches abroad—a rare feat for India at that time. Under his leadership, India reached the 2003 World Cup final and Ganguly is often credited for laying the groundwork for MS Dhoni’s success.
9. Stephen Fleming – 128 Wins in 303 Matches
Stephen Fleming is considered one of New Zealand’s best batsmen and the only captain to lead them to an ODI trophy, winning the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy. He served as captain for ten years, winning series against many top teams and was one of the early T20I captains when New Zealand played Australia in 2005.
10. Mohammad Azharuddin – 104 Wins in 221 Matches
Mohammad Azharuddin was known for his stylish batting and significant impact on Indian cricket. He took over as captain in 1989 and utilized home pitches effectively against strong opponents. Leading India in 174 ODIs, he won 90 matches, a record that MS Dhoni later surpassed in 2014.
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