Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a cricket field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard-long pitch with a wicket (a set of three wooden stumps) sited at each end. One team, designated the batting team, attempts to score as many runs as possible, whilst their opponents field. Each phase of play is called an innings. Both the teams consists of the Captains and we all know how important the role of a captain is when it comes to any kind of game, specially cricket. A captain takes the responsibility of a win or loss and he can only be called successful when he is victorious in leading and guiding his team towards success.
Here are the 5 most successful Captains of Indian Cricket Team :-
1.Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni aka MS Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and the previous captain of the Indian national cricket team in all formats of Cricket. He is a right-handed middle-order batsman and wicket-keeper too known for his attacking cricket. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket considering his ability to finish off the innings with fours and Sixes only. Mahendra Singh Dhoni holds numerous captaincy records such as most wins by an Indian captain in Tests and ODIs. He took over the ODI captaincy of Indian National Team in 2007 and led the team to its first-ever bilateral ODI series wins in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the CB Series of 2007–08, the 2010 Asia Cup, The Memorable 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
In 2009, Dhoni also led the Indian national team to number one position for the first time in the ICC Test rankings.
MS Dhoni is undoubtedly a versatile cricketer and became the most successful Indian Test captain when he surpassed Sourav Ganguly’s (Current BCCI President) record of 21 victories from 49 Tests.
Dhoni has got many awards, including the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2007 and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour, in 2009.
Sachin Tendulkar has also agreed that Dhoni is one of the best captains he has played under.
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2.Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly, the current BCCI President is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian national team. Ganguly has struggled much to get a permanent place in Indian national team. His efforts and dedication gave him big-break during India tour of England in 90s. He scored 131 runs in that series.
Sourav Ganguly has taken the captain ship of Indian Cricket Team after Sachin Tendulkar resigned his position due to the Poor health and some match fixing scandals at that time. He is one of the most successful Indian Test captains after MS Dhoni, winning 21 out of 49 test matches.
He had taken Indian cricket team to 2nd Position from the 8th Position for the first time in ICC rankings. An aggressive captain, Ganguly was affectionately known as Dada.
He was awarded with the Banga Bibhushan Award from the Government of West Bengal on 20 May 2013. Sourav has served as a part of the Supreme Court of India appointed Justice Mudgal Committee probe panel for the IPL Spot fixing and betting scandal’s investigations. He was the member of the Indian Premier League governing council too.
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3.Kapil Dev(Hero of 1983 Cricket World Cup)
No one can ever forget the Indian cricket team’s most successful captain who has helped the team to reach the first-ever World Cup win in 1983. Kapil Dev took the captain’s responsibility when West Indies ruled over the matches with their fierce cricketing style. He successfully managed to win along with his team a match in his first ODI series as a captain.
Kapil Dev scored 126 runs in a game against Zimbabwe, playing as the 9th wicket, which still holds a record after 28 years. Kapil Dev has emerged out as a great player when awarded with the responsibility of a captain.
Under his captaincy, the Indian cricket team successfully defeated one of the most strongest team of that era ‘England’ and won ICC World Cup.
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4.Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi has lost an eye in a car crash, but even that did not stop him from fulfilling his dream of playing in the Indian cricket team. He had batted at an average of 55 and scored 1216 runs before the accident. He managed to bat an average of 34 even after losing an eye, which showed his courage and dedication.
He was the youngest Test captain of Indian Cricket Team at the time he took, aged 21 years and 77 days. He was known by the famous nickname ‘Tiger’. Under his captaincy Indian Cricket Team claim their first win on foreign soil, by defeating New Zealand. Fast bowling had always been the weakness of Indian cricket team so he decided to work on spin department and gave the word the famous spin trio of Bedi, Prasanna and Chandrasekhar.
5.Mohammad Azahruddin
Azahruddin is a man who is not only respected for his cricket skills but also for leadership qualities. He was an all-rounder, a great fielder, a great batsman, and the Indian cricket team’s one of the successful captain.
Azharuddin was capable of turning the fate of any Match single-handedly. His tactics and methods of batting were something people always talked about and appreciated. As a captain, Azhar had won 103 matches, which is quite an amazing number and undoubtedly one of the best success rates.
Although his achievements are non-ignorable, but we also cannot unsee the fact that he was accused of the allegations of match-fixing, just when he was at the peak of his cricketing career. This was a very sorrowful downfall of a legend who was respected both on and off-field. He was one of the most charming personalities known for his good looks and dressing sense.
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