Cricket in India transcends being merely a sport; it is a profound sentiment coursing through the veins of its billion-plus populace. Indian Cricketers ascend to the status of revered figures and the sport itself is elevated to the stature of a grand celebration. Within the cricketing world, the role of a captain holds a pivotal position. A captain’s leadership’s decision-making prowess and strategic acumen can be the making or breaking of a team.
Over the years, the Indian cricket team has been helmed by various captains, each of whom has left an indelible imprint on the sport. In this article, we will delve into the most successful captains in Indian cricket history, dissecting their achievements and their performance in prestigious ICC tournaments.
Many individuals hold MS Dhoni in high regard as the finest cricket captain, although there are those who favour Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly. The older generation fondly recalls the leadership of Mohammad Azharuddin and Kapil Dev, who guided India to their inaugural World Cup victory in 1983.
Let’s examine a list of the most accomplished cricket captains in India, including their statistics and win rates across ODI, Test Match and T20 formats.
| One Day International Captains & Records | ||||
| S. No. | Player | Span | Match | Overall Win% |
| 1. | Rohit Sharma | 2017-2023 | 26 | 73.07% |
| 2. | Virat Kohli | 2013-2021 | 95 | 70.43% |
| 3. | MS Dhoni | 2007-2018 | 200 | 59.52% |
| 4. | Rahul Dravid | 2000-2007 | 79 | 56 |
| 5. | Mohammad Azharuddin | 1990-1999 | 174 | 54.16% |
| 6. | Kapil Dev | 1982-1987 | 74 | 54.16% |
| 7. | Sourav Ganguly | 1999-2005 | 146 | 53.9% |
| 8. | Sunil Gavaskar | 1980-1985 | 37 | 40% |
| 9. | SR Tendulkar | 1996-2000 | 73 | 35.07% |
| S. No. | Player | Span | Match | Overall Win% |
| 1. | Hardik Pandya | 2022-2023 | 11 | 77.27% |
| 2. | Rohit Sharma | 2017-2022 | 51 | 76.47% |
| 3. | Virat Kohli | 2017-2021 | 50 | 64.58% |
| 4. | MS Dhoni | 2007-2016 | 72 | 59.28% |
| S. No. | Player | Span | Match | Overall Win% |
| 1. | Ajinkya Rahane | 2017-2021 | 6 | 100% |
| 2. | Ravi Shastri | 1988-1988 | 1 | 100% |
| 3. | Rohit Sharma | 2022-2023 | 7 | 80% |
| 4. | Virat Kohli | 2014-2022 | 68 | 70.17% |
| 5. | Sourav Ganguly | 2000-2005 | 49 | 61.76% |
| 6. | MS Dhoni | 2008-2014 | 60 | 60% |
| 7. | Rahul Dravid | 2003-2007 | 25 | 57.14% |
| 8. | Sunil Gavaskar | 1976-1985 | 47 | 52.94% |
| 9. | Mohammad Azharuddin | 1990-1999 | 47 | 50% |
| 10. | Ajit Wadekar | 1971-1974 | 16 | 50% |
| 11. | Nari Contractor | 1960-1962 | 12 | 37.5% |
| 12. | Anil Kumble | 2007-2008 | 14 | 37.5% |
| 13. | BS Bedi | 1976-1978 | 22 | 35.29% |
| 14. | MAK Pataudi | 1962-1975 | 40 | 32.14% |
| 15. | Sachin Tendulkar | 1996-2000 | 25 | 30.76% |
| 16. | Dilip Vengsarkar | 1987-1989 | 10 | 28.57% |
| 17. | Lala Amarnath | 1947-1952 | 15 | 25% |
| 18. | Vijay Hazare | 1951-1953 | 14 | 16.66% |
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