Being a captain in cricket is not at all easy. Especially when it comes to the Indian cricket team. It takes a lot of courage along with loads of responsibilities to be a leader that can lead the team in various situations. A captain needs to make plans, take responsibilities, analyze the cricket pitch, create a combination of best eleven, take responsibility for all the losses, and still somehow encourage the team to perform their best. We should not forget the captain also contributes with his bat or ball for the team. It’s true that only strong minds can be the captain of a cricket team, especially team India because fans praise the sport as a separate religion. Considering all these we have written this article about the Greatest Captains in The History of Indian Cricket.
After reading this we are sure you might be wondering what all a captain has to go through and what all skills that he needs to possess in order to help his team walk the path of victory. Since it’s all very difficult, we thought of listing some of the best captains that the Indian Cricket team has ever seen.
We have seen a number of captains leading the Indian cricket team but only a few were able to take the mantle from toe to toe. There are some Indian cricketers who have proved themselves successful captains of the Indian cricket team. So we have prepared an updated list of such top five most successful Indian cricket team captains of all time.
1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
MS Dhoni, who was regarded as captain cool by the fans, was one of the most successful captains we have ever seen. He showed incredible determination and grit from time to time, even in extreme circumstances. His calm manner made him a superb captain for the Indian cricket team, and there is no doubt in justifying the fact that he was the most incredible Indian captain ever. Under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, the Indian cricket team was able to win three international tournaments, including two World cups and one Champions trophy.
MS Dhoni is the first-ever captain in the world who has this achievement next to his name. As captain of the test team, he was the team captain to victory and took home the Border-Gavaskar award. Under his guidance and leadership, India ranks top within the ICC test rankings for the first time in 2009. Most successful as a captain for India and was also instrumental in helping the team win at the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup after more than 28 years. Legends of cricket such as Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar always admired MS Dhoni and his skills as captain of India’s Indian Cricket team.
2. Kapil Dev
The first time India won the World Cup was in 1983, as it is still the testimony to the talents and excellence of Kapil Dev. When he started his journey as captain, it was a time when the West Indies were at the top of their game, and Kapil Dev was able to lead the team in winning in his first ODI series in his first year as the captain. The win increased confidence for the Indian team set to take on in the final against West Indies in 1983.
In a game that was a success with Zimbabwe, Kapil Dev scored 126 runs on the 9th wicket, making a century and making a record incomparable for the next 27 years. He was the most successful Indian captain ever; he displayed exceptional performance and ensured they were in a winning team. The winning streak continued after Kapil Dev was appointed as captain in March 1985. He was taking his Indian team from the front. He was even the joint captain of the game in the wildly popular second tie test against England. As the captain with the highest success in India, he led the team to an impressive series win against England in 1986. Kapil Dev, as captain, had an impressive track record of success and helped the Indian team to high levels.
3. Sourav Ganguly
The infamous Dada, Sourav Ganguly, can be considered among India’s most successful captains throughout the past of cricket. He was the man who forged the bond of this cricket squad. Many say that Sourav Ganguly had an excellent sense of spotting talent, and some have become match-winners in the present.
His endurance and ability to build the confidence of his players in their ability to perform in cricket matches are measurable. Sourav Ganguly has consistently led his team with confidence and is, without doubt, the finest Indian captain ever. Sourav Ganguly’s most outstanding achievement was helping his team India get into the semifinals in both the World Cup 2003 and Asia Cup. His contribution to creating and constructing the formidable Indian cricket squad was remarkable.
4. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli does not come across as a stranger for every Indian, regardless of whether you are a cricket fan. As the current leader of the Indian cricket team, he’s regarded as the top modern cricketer. One of the most influential captains in India, Virat Kohli, is the top-ranked ODI batsman. He is also in the 2nd spot in Test Cricket globally by scoring 879 points. Before becoming the Indian cricket team captain, Virat Kohli captained the under-19 World Cup and led their win in Malaysia in 2008.
With numerous awards like the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award under his collection, Virat Kohli is the greatest Indian captain ever. In addition to the national cricket team, Virat Kohli is also a part of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League and was the franchise captain from 2013-2020. His style of batting is fast and aggressive, with excellent technical ability. Virat Kohli bats using an open chest stance and the bottom hand grip. With quick and efficient movements, he is well-known for pacifying an entire inning.
5. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was an example of perseverance to everyone. Even though he lost one eye in an accident, he proved to be the most successful Indian captain ever. He scored an average of 34 during tests and set records by scoring 1216 runs with 55 percent! Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi became Test cricket’s youngest captain when he was just 21. A skilled batsman and an influential director, the man was called ‘Tiger.’ A captain who was the best in India made an intelligent choice to focus on the spin after he realized that India had no bowling speed. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi ended his captaincy with 40 test matches and helped India achieve their first victory on foreign soil in defeating New Zealand 3-1.
Endnotes
This is the list of some of the most successful and greatest captains in the history of Indian cricket. We hope you like this list and as we will be back with some more information very soon. Until next time, Goodbye!