List of Indian Cricket Captains in ODI’s with Statistics

As of October 2023, you will find Team India in the top 3 ranks across all cricket formats. This phenomenal feat was not achieved in a day, month, or year but after decades of hardship under the leadership of every resolute Indian cricket captain. But do you know about all the names in the list of captains of the Indian cricket team? Well, it’s a lengthy list. So we’ll recall the stories of each captain of the Indian cricket team only in the ODI format. Let’s know what it takes to become the Indian cricket team captain. The list is sorted based on a win percentage with the top 5 being an exception. Let’s explore the list of Indian cricket captains in ODI. The list is arranged in descending order, sorted by year along with its statistics. We have tried to provide you with fresh content, the article is being updated. Apart from this, if you wish to move to a particular section just click on the buttons below.

Here is a list of Indian cricket team captains sorted by year with statistics: 

Sr. No.	Captains
25.	Syed Kirmani
24.	Mohinder Amarnath
23.	Gundappa Viswanath
22.	Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan
21.	Ajit Wadekar
20.	Krishnamachari Srikkanth
19.	Gautam Gambhir
18.	Bishan Singh Bedi
17.	Shikhar Dhawan
16.	Ajay Jadeja
15.	Dilip Vengsarkar
14.	Anil Kumble
13.	Ravi Shastri
12.	Suresh Raina
11.	Ajinkya Rahane
10.	Virender Sehwag
9.	Sunil Gavaskar
8.	Sachin Tendulkar
7.	Rahul Dravid
6.	Rohit Sharma
5.	Mohammad Azharuddin
4.	Kapil Dev
3.	Sourav Ganguly
2.	Virat Kohli
1.	Mahendra Singh Dhoni

25. Syed Kirmani

The award-winning wicket-keeper in the 1983 World Cup Syed Kirmani is no less than a cricket legend. Earlier this year, he recognized MS Dhoni as the best Indian cricket team captain ever and revealed the interesting story of how the former Indian skipper was recruited. Kirmani was named the captain of the Indian cricket team when the national side had to choose an experienced player to fill the leadership space for a match.

Starting as an understudy to Farokh Engineer, Kirmani soon found his place in the team and became a permanent member due to his exceptional wicket-keeping skills. In 88 Test matches, he made a record of 38 stumpings and 160 catches. Kirmani received the CK Nayudu Life Achievement Award in 2016.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	Nil	0	0	0
Matches in ODI	1	0	1	0
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: NA	ODI: Nil	T20: NA

Best achievements:

• Kirmani was chosen as the Indian cricket captain for his experience and was to fill the void of captaincy in a single-match
• He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1982.

24. Mohinder Amarnath

The best Indian batsman against express pace, Mohinder is a member of the popular Amarnath family. Mohinder is the son of the first captain of the Indian cricket team post-independence – Lala Amarnath. However, Mohinder did not get the long term as an Indian cricket captain. 

Mohinder established himself as a prominent all-rounder of the ’80s. His epic rivalry with former Pakistani pacer Imran Khan is considered one of the best in cricket history. Nonetheless, Mohinder’s true batting proficiency was discovered in the critical matches during the Semi-final and Final of the 1983 World Cup. His spectacular bowling in these two matches not only won him the ‘Man of the Match’ award but also illustrated his name in Indian cricket forever. He conceded only 12 runs in his 7 overs for an average of 1.71 per over in the World Cup final, thus playing a decisive role in India’s victory. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	Nil	0	0	0
Matches in ODI	1	0	0	1
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: NA	ODI: Nil	T20: NA

Best achievements:

• One of only three players to have been Man of the Match in both the semi-final and the final of the same World Cup

23. Gundappa Viswanath

The paragon of fair play, Gundappa Viswanath was regarded as India’s one of the finest batsmen. Nicknamed Vishy, the whole Indian cricket team relied on him to save lost matches. When you go through cricket records, you will find his name. Viswa is the only cricketer to date to score a double century on his debut first-class match. He even scored his maiden century on Test debut. Such remarkable statistics helped him amass over 6,000 runs in 91 Test matches. He also made ODI appearances, including the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979.

He came to be recognized as an epitome of fair play while he was the Indian cricket team captain. Viswa was asked to take the responsibility as captain of the Indian cricket team for two Test matches against England in 1979-80. While the first match was drawn, another resulted in a victory for the English gentlemen. Though the Englishmen had won the match, Viswa, at a crucial moment showed the highest level of sportsmanship. The umpire had given out to the English wicket-keeper Bob Taylor. Realizing the umpire’s mistake, Viswa called in Taylor to bat again, who eventually helped England to win the match. Viswa received the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	2	0	1	o
Matches in ODI	1	0	1	0
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: Nil	ODI: Nil	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• In the list of captains of the Indian cricket team, Viswa stands out for having earned fair play recognition for India in the Golden Jubilee Test match of 1979-80.

Cricket Trivia: Do You know Who scored the fastest fifty in ODI? Have a few names in Mind? Here is a list of the Fastest 50s in ODI Cricket with Video Highlights of each for you to enjoy because we know how much you love cricket! And don’t worry every link in the article will open in a New Tab so you can finish this one and Switch to another tab! 🙂 )

22. Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan

Ask any cricket fan and they will tell you the legends of the Indian spin quartet which dominated the world of cricket in the decade of the ’70s. Venkat was one of them. A 20-year-old off-spinner who rose to fame after an impressive 12-wicket haul against New Zealand in Delhi. Having to compete with EAS Prasanna, Venkat often found himself on the bench. Nonetheless, he made a comeback taking 5 for 95 to star in India’s victory over West Indies at Port of Spain in 1970-71. The same year he was named the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team. Feeling a sense of recognition, Venkat delivered his best spin bowling performance that year. Venkat grabbed 35 wickets in just eight Test matches, while primarily assisting the Indian cricket team captain at the time.

When the master spinner retired from first-class cricket in 1985, he held the record of taking the second-biggest haul of wickets in the Ranji Trophy – 530. Venkat got a small tenure as the Indian cricket captain, which is why he couldn’t rise to his full potential. After playing from February 1965 to September 1983, Venkat became one of the few Indian cricketers to carry such a long career in international cricket. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2003 and held in high esteem for his contributions to the sport.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	5	0	2	0
Matches in ODI	7	1	6	0
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: Nil	ODI: 14.2%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• Venkat was the Indian cricket team captain to led the national side in the World Cups of 1975 and 1979.

21. Ajit Wadekar

The millennials and Gen Z might not know this former Indian cricket captain but their parents sure do! Ajit Wadekar is a name that gave Indian cricket its first big break on foreign soil. Ajit debuted against West Indies in a Test match played in Mumbai in 1966. Back then, Indian cricketers were neither well-trained nor experienced enough to beat international giants. However, the left-hand batsman improved his game playing against the toughest odds.

As a mind-blowing batsman, Wadekar scored 2113 runs in 37 Tests maintaining an average of 31.07. Wadekar punched his maiden century against Zealand in Wellington in 1968. This century boosted the morale of the team and as a result, India won its first Test series overseas. Noticing his tremendous performance, Wadekar was named the captain of the Indian cricket team. Throughout his career, Wadekar was known to have inspired teammates with his batting technique. Later in life, Wadekar became head coach and supported a list of captains of the Indian cricket team. In 2011, BCCI honored him with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	16	4	4	0
Matches in ODI	2	0	2	0
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 25%	ODI: Nil	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• In 1971, Wadekar led the Indian cricket team to maiden Test series victories against West Indies and England.
• Wadekar was the first Indian cricket team captain to lead the men in blue in a One-day international match.

20. Krishnamachari Srikkanth

Another famous name in the list of captains of the Indian cricket team is the famous aggressive batsman of the ’80s – Krishnamachari Srikkanth. Debuting against England in 1981, Srikkanth opened with Gavaskar at the mere age of 21. Soon, his opening batting style found massive appeal that inspired generations to come. 

In 1989, Srikkanth was made the Indian cricket team captain. Under his captaincy, a 16-year-old Sachin found a spot on the national side and kicked off a new era in Indian cricket history. Next year, as Indian cricket captain, Srikkanth was able to bolster the batting line-up against the fierce Pakistani bowling attack. All the matches resulted in draws. A few years later, he retired to become a full-time cricket commentator. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	4	0	0	0
Matches in ODI	13	4	8	1
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: Nil	ODI: 30.7%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• As captain of the Indian cricket team, Srikkanth made the Indian batting side stronger and found growing talent in a teenage boy, who later changed the course of history.

We have another one for you! Who scored the highest score in ODI cricket? Nah! South Africa vs Australia is too old! The Record is broken in 2019! Here is a list of the Top 10 Highest team scores in ODI with Video Highlights of each match. And like we said “Each link will open in a New Tab”: – Top 20 Highest team scores in ODI With Statistics and Video Highlights

19. Gautam Gambhir

Mr. 100 percent! who possibly didn’t get his due regards. Gautam Gambhir reminisces among India’s finest openers. His records as a batsman outshine several others of the time. Gambhir’s captaincy break arrived in 2010 but temporarily because MS Dhoni was rested. 

In the ODI series against New Zealand, Gambhir led the national side astoundingly well. The Kiwis were driven out with a clean sweep as India won all five matches. Not only that, he even finished as the top scorer of the series, amassing a colossal individual score of 329 runs. Still, he never received the deserved opportunity to become the captain of the Indian cricket team for a series ever again. The selectors missed a great deal by failing to see the leader in Gambhir. Indian fans only noticed his leadership skills when IPL franchise KKR made him captain and he won two alternate league titles in 2012 and 2014. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	Nil	0	0	0
Matches in ODI	6	6	0	0
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: NA	ODI: 100%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• The only Indian cricket captain to have never lost a match

18. Bishan Singh Bedi

The strong voice of the spin quartet was the fiery Bishan Bedi. Indians remember him as Bishu and he was best known for teasing world-class batsmen with slow, flight balls urging the striker to leave the crease and play lofty shots. This trick was one of its kind. Today, many slow-paced bowlers apply this strategy and Bishan should be credited for being the chief strategist. At the peak of his career, Bishan even got the opportunity to lead as the Indian cricket team captain. But his temper took a toll on the performance of the team. The former Indian cricket captain had frequent outbursts that invited irritating controversies.

Bishan Singh Bedi died on 23rd October 2023.

Nevertheless, Bishan’s performance never let the team down. He holds the first-class cricket record for most wickets – 1,560. At the International level, Bishan picked up 266 wickets in 67 Test matches. During his career, India faced a crisis of consistent leadership. It seemed that the list of captains of the Indian cricket team had fallen short of finding another name.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost
Matches in Test	22	6	11
Matches in ODI	4	1	3
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 27%	ODI: 25%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• Bishan’s first Test victory as captain of the Indian cricket team was against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in the 3rd Test of the 1976 series. In that match, India scored the then-record high of 406 in the fourth innings.

Okay, last one! This one is not about the batsmen! Who is currently the fastest bowler in India? If you have a name in mind, we suggest you be double-sure and check our article on the Top 15 fastest bowlers in India in all formats. Their best performance videos also waiting inside!

17. Shikhar Dhawan

In the absence of many first-choice leadership candidates, Shikhar Dhawan has been one of Team India’s captaincy alternatives.

After the MS Dhoni era, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have mostly shared the captaincy. The captaincy records of these three famous cricketers may be found here, here, and here. Even though Dhawan has had very little time to contribute to the Men in Blue as a captain, he has always been a team player who has contributed much with the bat and his safe hands on the field throughout the years.

This article will go through Shikhar Dhawan’s ODI and T20 captaincy statistics. He has never led India in the most extended format.

FORMAT	MATCHES AS CAPTAIN	WON	LOST	TIED	NR	WIN%
ODI	12	7	3	0	2	70.00
T20I	3	1	2	0	0	33.33
TOTAL	15	8	5	0	2	61.53

Best achievements as captain:

• None due to short tenure. Read more on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team.
• Oldest Indian captain to score a fifty in men’s ODIs: 36y 229d – Shikhar Dhawan

16. Ajay Jadeja

The 14th in the list of captains of Indian cricket is former batsman Ajay Jadeja. He was known for his class batting and had a constant appearance on the national side until 2000. Many times when Azhar or Sachin were absent, he was found to be suitable as the captain of the Indian cricket team. 

He led India with an impressive winning rate of around 60 percent. As a batsman, the former Indian cricket captain scored over 5,500 runs in ODI cricket. Later on, he coached the Delhi team in domestic cricket. 

In World Cup 2023, he joined the Afghanistan National Cricket Team as Mentor.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost
Matches in Test	Nil	0	0
Matches in ODI	13	8	5
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: NA	ODI: 61.5%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• None due to short tenure. Read more on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team.

Do you know who holds the record for most sixes in ODI cricket? Nah! It’s not Chris Gayle! You will be surprised by the name in case you don’t know! Here is a list of 20 Players with the Most sixes in ODI cricket with Career Statistics and Video highlights

15. Dilip Vengsarkar

The man who scored three consecutive Test centuries at the greatest venue of Lord’s – Dilip Vengsarkar. One of the most distinguished batsmen to have played match-winning innings for India, Dilip was fondly known as Colonel. He was recognized as the best batsman in the world in 1989. 

Matching the ranks of Sunil and Viswa, Dilip played a key role in strengthening the batting line-up. He also took over as the Indian cricket captain after Kapil was sacked in 1987. However, Dilip couldn’t stick. The West Indies tour of 1989 damaged Dilip’s image as the Indian cricket team captain. He fell out of favor, though he continued a stand-off with the BCCI. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost
Matches in Test	10	2	5
Matches in ODI	18	8	10
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 20%	ODI: 44.4%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• Dilip scored two centuries in his first series as captain of the Indian cricket team.
• Vengsarkar was awarded the Arjuna Award for his on-field performances in 1981
• For his contribution to Indian cricket, the Government of India decorated him with the Padma Shri honor in 1987.
• Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1987.
• Vengsarkar was awarded the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

14. Anil Kumble

In the list of captains of the Indian cricket team, Anil Kumble comes 11th for a brief period of captaincy in Test cricket. The legendary right-arm leg spinner was entrusted with the role of Indian cricket team captain because of his experience. His captaincy could only last a year because he retired in 2008. Players such as Gautam Gambhir recognized him as the ‘best captain’ he played under. 

Kumble always carried major insights that often played out strongly in favor of his team. The Jumbo of Indian cricket took crucial wickets in his career and helped the Indian cricket captain of his time to win matches. Later on, Kumble’s expertise found him in the position of head coach of the Indian cricket team. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost
Matches in Test	14	3	5
Matches in ODI	1	1	0
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 21.4%	ODI: 100%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• None due to short tenure. Read more on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team.

13. Ravi Shastri

The 10th on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team is Ravi Shashtri. Starting as a leg spinner, Shashtri grew into an impressive all-rounder during the ’80s. He’s currently the coach but once he was the captain of the Indian cricket team. 

Ravi is best remembered for being named the Champion of Champions in the World Championship of Cricket of 1985. He exchanged caps with Kapil and Gavaskar at the peak of his career as a middle-order batsman. As a big hitter, he equaled Garry Sobers’s record of hitting six sixes in an over in first-class cricket. He helped the former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli to devise match-winning strategies. Currently, he’s back in the commentary panel.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost
Matches in Test	1	1	0
Matches in ODI	11	4	7
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 100%	ODI: 36.3%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• As Indian cricket captain, Ravi scored a half-century and took three wickets in the very first one-day match against Pakistan.

12. Suresh Raina

When the greats were rested, the growing talent was tried for leadership roles first. It was after the ICC World Cup of 2011 that Raina got a chance to take charge as the Indian cricket team captain. He became the second youngest in history to become captain of the Indian cricket team. 

When India took a tour to Zimbabwe and West Indies under Raina’s captaincy, it looked like a competition of emerging talents. Since most of the experienced players were rested, Raina’s capability to lead from the front was tested. However, it didn’t turn out well for the Indian cricket team captain. His batting magic overseas couldn’t be realized under the pressure of captaincy of an inexperienced team. Raina still does very well in league matches and did make a leadership comeback when he captained the Gujarat Lions in the IPL. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	Nil	0	0	0
Matches in ODI	12	6	5	1
Matches in T20	3	3	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: NA	ODI: 50%	T20: 100%

Best achievements as captain:

• None due to short tenure so far. Read more on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team.

11. Ajinkya Rahane

Famously seen as the reincarnation of the Wall – Ajinkya Rahane is the man standing strong and playing in silence. His big break as Test captain came after he had played 36 matches. When Kohli was rested in a match at Dharamshala, Rahane was picked out of the list of captains of the Indian cricket team and tested.

Rahane had excellent winning success in the T20I and ODI. But Rahane’s Test win brought him to the fore.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost
Matches in Test	6	4	0
Matches in ODI	3	3	0
Matches in T20	2	1	1
Winning Percentage	Test: 66.67%	ODI: 100%	T20: 50%

Best achievements as captain:

• None due to short tenure so far. Read more on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team.

10. Virender Sehwag

Called the big shot and came in Virendra Sehwag to open the match with a sensational four! Whose innings looked like highlights once led as the Indian cricket team captain. 

Viru made significant contributions to the game. Especially a sense of fearlessness that he carried from the start. When more capable leaders emerged, he responsibly gave up captaincy to focus on his blasting strokes. However, he did assist the Indian cricket captain as the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost
Matches in Test	4	2	1
Matches in ODI	12	7	5
Matches in T20	1	1	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 50%	ODI: 58.3%	T20: 100%

Best achievements as captain:

• The first captain of the Indian cricket team to score a double century in the ODI format. 

9. Sunil Gavaskar

Once speaking on Sony Sports, the little master Sunny revealed the funny circumstances under which he became the captain of the Indian cricket team. He told the sports channel that it was through his wife that he got the news of becoming the Indian cricket captain for the Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket. After the 1983 World Cup victory, India earned a reputable spot in world cricket, especially in the ODI format. When it was decided that Sunny would lead the team, instead of Ravi Shashtri, decisions began to pace up. In the same interview, Sunny revealed that the official team for the tournament was confirmed inside a car!

As an Indian cricket team captain, Sunny wanted fresh energy in the team who could face the toughest opponents on Australian grounds. The Hindustan Times quoted Sunny as saying, “When I sat in that meeting, what I wanted was some fresh energy, fresh faces. Faces in the dressing room who were not traumatized by the season that we’d had. So in came Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Sadanand Viswanath, Chetan Sharma, and Manoj Prabhakar. These were the young, fresh guys whom I wanted in the team.” Probably, this significant decision in Sunny captaincy career proved the best as India ruthlessly defeated every opponent without losing a single match in the tournament.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	47	9	8	0
Matches in ODI	37	14	21	2
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 19.1%	ODI: 37.8%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• Under Sunil Gavaskar’s captaincy, India won the Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket held from 17 February to 10 March 1985.

8. Sachin Tendulkar

Everybody knows the God of cricket and once upon a time, India was led under his guiding light. However, he made a poor captaincy record when compared to his unparalleled batting records. 

Earlier this year, former coach Madan Lal recalled Sachin to be “a good captain despite a poor record.” Time and again Sachin had to stand up to the occasion and face the opponent single-handedly. In such a situation his position as the captain of the Indian cricket team suffered. He resigned and became a core batsman. Nevertheless, Sachin can be found to be the 14th on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team. 

FORMAT	MATCHES AS CAPTAIN	WON	LOST	DRAW	TIED	NR	WIN%
Tests	25	4	9	12	0	0	16.00
ODIs	73	23	43	0	1	6	31.94
T20	Nil	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	97	27	51	12	1	6	27.83

Best achievements as captain:

• The first person to score a double century in One Day Internationals.
• Third highest individual score (after Sehwag and Rohit Sharma) in the history of One Day Cricket (200* vs. South Africa on Feb 24, 2010 at Gwalior).

7. Rahul Dravid

The man who considered the team before the individual performance had to make a controversial decision that stopped Sachin from scoring a double century short of 6 runs. Rahul Dravid, the wall of Indian cricket, was credited for winning the Test series in Pakistan after a long break since the ’90s.

The former Indian cricket captain performed exceptionally well in both ODIs and Tests. However, his leadership struggled when it came to winning major tournaments like the 2007 ODI World Cup. Today, Dravid is seen contributing to Indian cricket as National Head Coach. He’s credited for the epic performances of the U-19 team and India A.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	25	8	6	0
Matches in ODI	79	42	33	4
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 32%	ODI: 53.1%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• Under Dravid’s captaincy, India broke the record for most consecutive victories batting second in One-Day Internationals previously held by West Indies.
• 1998 – Arjuna Award recipient for achievements in cricket
• 2004 – Padma Shri – India’s fourth-highest civilian award
• 2013 – Padma Bhushan – India’s third-highest civilian award

6. Rohit Sharma

The hitman is an exceptional leader and he has shown it by winning five IPL trophies for Mumbai Indians. Even at the international level, he has so far enthusiastically led the national side to victories. Especially in T20 cricket. Currently leading Indian Cricket Team in World Cup 2023.

Everybody compares him to the former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni. Team players love him and that being said, everybody knows that the team is filled with experienced leaders. Only time will tell if Rohit will outperform Kohli like Dhoni surpassed Ganguly.

FORMAT	MATCHES	WON	LOST	DRAW	TIE	NO RESULT	WIN%
IPL	158	87	67	0	4	0	55.06
ODI	40	30	9	0	1	0	75.00
T20I	51	39	12	0	0	0	76.47
TEST	7	4	2	1	0	0	57.14

Best achievements as captain:

• As captain of the Indian cricket team, Rohit has the best T20I winning ratio i.e. 4:1
• As of October 2023, Rohit Sharma has scored 4005 runs as captain in 100 matches for the Indian cricket team.
• In the second match as Indian captain, he played a fired inning against Sri Lanka and scored a double century.

5. Mohammad Azharuddin

The charismatic Azhar took charge as the captain of the Indian cricket team and cemented a resilient team spirit. After Kapil Dev, he became the prominent face who could lead the national side on foreign grounds and win international matches. 

Azhar showed courage in his captaincy. In the 1993 Hero Cup Semi-final, the former Indian cricket captain entrusted a 20-year part-time bowler Tendulkar to save the match in the last over. And they won. It was under his leadership that India won for the first clean sweep to its opponent in a Test series. Azhar’s tricky decisions at crucial moments baffled both the opponents and the spectators. That was his excellent skill – bringing an element of surprise. He led India for almost ten years and maintained a winning percentage of over 10. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	47	14	14	0
Matches in ODI	174	90	76	6
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 29.7%	ODI: 51.7%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• When Azhar was the Indian cricket captain, India won – the 1993 Hero Cup beating South Africa, the 1995 Asia Cup beating Sri Lanka, and the 1998 Silver Jubilee Independence Cup.

4. Kapil Dev

Sportstar media recorded him saying – “Sometimes you get some things before time and later you realize. I was 23 years old when they made me the captain. I was scared as well as happy because I was thinking about how I handle these senior players. But I was happy because the selector felt that I was capable enough to be a captain,” said the man who led India to win its first-ever World Cup in 1983. Former Indian cricket team captain Kapil Dev was nervous when he was tasked with the leadership role and that too in cricket’s biggest tournament.

The World Cup victory changed the spirit of the sport in India. It was no more a game but a religion in itself and it all happened under the then captain of the Indian cricket team Kapil Dev. His captaincy was constantly contested by the greatest batsman of the time Sunil Gavaskar. Dev and Gavaskar exchanged caps on several occasions to lead the team. However, after the 1987 debacle, selectors found many worthy cricketers to get up on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team. Nonetheless, under Kapil India performed exceptionally well and to date, he’s remembered for having led as the Indian cricket team captain to international glory.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	34	4	7	0
Matches in ODI	74	39	33	2
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 11.7%	ODI: 52.7%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• Dev led India to its first World Cup victory in 1983.
• Dev has the best bowling figures in a Test match innings as a Captain. (9/83) and in fact, he is the only captain ever to take a 9-wicket haul.

3. Sourav Ganguly

The man who said, “A century is not enough.” The youngest cricketer in the team was chosen to lead when Sachin abruptly resigned. Damaged after the match-fixing scandal, the sport of cricket in India witnessed the most severe hatred out of its most infatuated fans. Dada of Indian cricket, who later became the God of off-side, firmly grabbed the helm. Becoming the captain of the Indian cricket team, Sourav Ganguly introduced an era of aggression at the turn of this century. 

He eyed every talent in domestic cricket. And gathered a bunch of young chaps who later became champs such as Mohammed Kaif, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and MS Dhoni. With power heads like Sachin and Dravid, Ganguly trained the new valued the old, and sailed overseas. As the Indian cricket team captain, Sourav is to date remembered for his victories in overseas Test matches. He eventually rekindled hope in the Indian fans and set the stage for talents to follow within five to six years. The left-hand batsman became the BCCI President, the same cricket board which once sacked him.

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	49	21	13	0
Matches in ODI	146	76	65	5
Matches in T20	Nil	0	0	0
Winning Percentage	Test: 42.8%	ODI: 52%	T20: NA

Best achievements as captain:

• Under Sourav’s captaincy, India won the Natwest Trophy of 2002 against England.
• However, Dada’s biggest achievement was leading team India to the World Cup finals after 20 years.

2. Virat Kohli

The only challenger to MS Dhoni’s records as captain of the Indian cricket team is King Kohli. Virat is not only the highest-rated batsman but also one of the best former captain. The former Indian cricket captain manages to lead the team as a spectacular high-order batsman with a sparkly winning spirit. 

Among all others on the list of captains of the Indian cricket team, Virat stands out because of his capability to defuse pressure with aggression. His batting performance is always parallel to his captaincy. The dynamic Indian cricket team’s former captain has made and broken records in both spheres. He faced criticism for failing to win trophies but his spirits were always at an all-time high for chasing winning matches. At present, thanks to the IPL, several potential leaders have emerged within the team. All hold exemplary records which is why Virat sees a constant battle to perform better than every previous match. Virat’s batting records compete with that of Sachin’s, his captaincy with Dhoni, and his current performance with Rohit. The nation believes in him and Virat still rules as King Kohli. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	68	40	17	0
Matches in ODI	95	65	27	2
Matches in T20	50	30	16	2
Winning Percentage	Test: 70.43%	ODI: 64.58%	T20: 48.16%

Best achievements as captain:

• Virat is highly regarded as the best Test cricket captain for their exceptional winning percentage and well as scoring the most number of double centuries as captain. 
• Under Virat, India achieved a world record of 11 consecutive home series wins. 
• He also holds the highest percentage of team runs scored by an Indian cricket captain.
• Kohli finished his Test career as a captain with 18 series victories under his belt.
• As a skipper, he became the Indian captain to command the highest number of wins with 40 victories under his belt, which is way beyond what any other Indian greats have achieved.

1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Popularly known as Captain Cool, MS Dhoni is regarded as the greatest Indian cricket team captain in history. A handful matches his captaincy records, not only in India but in world cricket history. More than a merciless and athletic wicketkeeper, the former Indian cricket captain is known for his understanding of the game. Always two steps ahead of the opponent, the legendary captain of the Indian cricket team could turn lost matches into victories. From the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup Trophy to the 2013 Champions Trophy, all came India’s way, and Dhoni’s exceptional leadership is credited for it. 

Mahi tops the list of captains of the Indian cricket team for being the most successful. Within three years of his debut, Dhoni received caps in T20 and ODI. And from the very beginning, he showed signs of being a revolutionary. The master strategist of the sport claimed series one after another and lifted every major ICC trophy during his tenure. His calm and observant nature is molded through quick and prudent game-changing decisions. Today, he is the epitome of leadership. Dhoni’s captaincy skills have crossed the boundaries of the game and have set the bar so high that it is seemingly impossible to beat. 

Total Matches	Matches Played	Matches Won	Matches Lost	Matches No-Result
Matches in Test	60	27	18	0
Matches in ODI	200	110	74	11
Matches in T20	72	41	28	2

Best achievements as captain:

• Under Dhoni, India has won all the major ICC limited-overs trophies namely the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy. 
• Across all formats, Dhoni remains the only cricketer to have played the most number of matches as an Indian cricket captain.
• Dhoni has played most ODI and T20I matches as captain of the Indian cricket team. 

This was about the captains of the Indian Cricket team but do you know who is the richest cricketer in the world? No, it’s not MS or Virat. Here is the list of the Top 10 Richest Cricketers in the World with Net Worth, Salary 2020

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