Ranking Top 10 Most Successful Cricket Captains in The World All Time

“There was a legacy before I came in, and it was my job to take the baton, hold it tight, and run like hell,” said the legendary Sir Vivian Richards, who captained his team to victory in the 1979 World Cup, having also played in the 1975 tournament. Being a cricket captain involves constant scrutiny, something that other players might not experience as intensely. However, a leader must absorb everything that comes their way, whether it’s criticism or praise.

This narrative is common to all cricket captains throughout history. Many cricketers have had the honor of leading their country and have achieved remarkable records. Here, we explore the top 10 cricket captains of all time.

Top 10 Cricket Captains in The World All Time

Debating the best cricket captain is a fascinating topic indeed! Here’s the details of top cricket captains known for their impact and what makes them great:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India)

MS Dhoni stands out as the most successful captain in cricket history. Known as ‘Captain Cool,’ Dhoni boasts an impressive career that every captain dreams of.

He has secured every ICC trophy, including the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Under Dhoni’s leadership, the team played 332 matches across all formats, winning 178 of them.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s
Test	90	144	16	4876	224	38.09	8249	59.11	6	33	544	78
ODI	350	297	84	10773	183	50.57	12303	87.56	10	73	826	229
T20I	98	85	42	1617	56	37.60	1282	126.13	0	2	116	52

Ricky Ponting (Australia)

Australian legend Ricky Ponting ranks among the most successful captains in cricket history. Over nearly 12 years of captaincy, Ponting led his team to four ICC titles.

As the right-handed batsman spearheaded the most dominant side of the era, he secured two ICC World Cups in 2003 and 2007 and two Champions Trophies in 2006 and 2009. These achievements solidify Ponting’s status as one of Australia’s greatest captains.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s
Test	168	287	29	13378	257	51.85	22782	58.72	41	62	1508	73
ODI	375	365	39	13704	164	42.04	17046	80.39	30	82	1231	162
T20I	17	16	2	401	98*	28.64	302	132.78	0	2	41	11

Stephen Fleming (New Zealand)

Kiwi captain Stephen Fleming stands out as one of the most successful leaders in cricket. Fleming led his team to their only ICC trophy, the Knockout Trophy, in 2000.

He also captained New Zealand to victory in their first-ever T20 international against Australia. Over his 303 matches as captain, Fleming secured 128 wins for his team, cementing his place among cricket’s greats.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s
Test	111	189	10	7172	274*	40.07	15649	45.83	9	46	917	26
ODI	280	269	21	8037	134*	32.41	11243	71.48	8	49	819	63
T20I	5	5	0	110	38	22.00	85	129.41	0	0	20	0

Graeme Smith (South Africa)

South African Graeme Smith is one of the country’s most esteemed captains. Smith holds the record for scoring the most runs as South Africa’s captain.

Although he didn’t secure an ICC trophy, he consistently kept his team competitive in various series, both at home and abroad. Between 2003 and 2014, Smith captained his team in 286 matches, achieving an impressive 163 wins.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test	117	205	13	9265	277	48.25	15525	59.67	27	38	1165	24
ODI	197	194	10	6989	141	37.98	8648	80.81	10	47	788	44
T20I	33	33	2	982	89	31.67	770	127.53	0	5	123	26

Allan Border (Australia)

Former Australian player Allan Border, known for his wit, charisma, and lion-hearted nature, achieved phenomenal success as a captain. Border played a crucial role in revitalizing Australian cricket in the 1980s, leading an exceptionally strong team.

Throughout his tenure, Border captained 271 matches and secured 139 victories, cementing his legacy in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test	156	265	44	11174	205	50.56	27269	40.98	27	63	1161	27
ODI	273	252	39	6524	127*	30.63	9134	71.43	3	39	500	43

Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka)

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga is celebrated as one of his country’s most prolific captains. Leading the World Cup-winning team in 1996, Ranatunga’s captaincy laid a strong foundation for Sri Lankan cricket.

He captained his side in nearly 250 matches, securing victory in 104 of them. Ranatunga, a left-handed batsman, is widely regarded as one of the finest cricketers in Sri Lankan history.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test	93	155	12	5105	135*	35.70	0	N/A	4	38	509	31
ODI	269	255	47	7456	131*	35.85	9571	77.90	4	49	525	64

Mohammad Azharuddin (India)

Mohammad Azharuddin emerged as one of India’s most controversial yet successful captains. Despite being in the limelight for various reasons, Azharuddin is often underrated as a captain. Over his nearly 9-year tenure, he led the team in 221 matches, securing victories in 104 of them.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test	99	147	9	6215	199	45.04	0	N/A	22	21	680	17
ODI	334	308	54	9378	153*	36.92	12670	74.02	7	58	627	77

Virat Kohli (India)

Some may believe that good batsmen excel only in scoring runs. However, Virat Kohli, known as the ‘run-machine,’ had broader ambitions. Following in the footsteps of Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli took up the captaincy in 2014 during a test series against Australia, succeeding Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Kohli immediately proved his mettle by becoming the second-highest run-scorer in the series. Despite not securing victory, he displayed bold and fearless leadership. Kohli led his team in 213 matches across all formats, securing victory in 135 of them.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test	113	191	11	8848	254*	49.16	15924	55.56	29	30	991	26
ODI	292	280	44	13848	183	58.68	14797	93.59	50	72	1294	151
T20I	124	116	31	4112	122*	48.38	2997	137.20	1	37	122	363

Eoin Morgan (England)

Eoin Morgan stands out as one of the most memorable captains of his era. Originally representing Ireland, Morgan shifted his focus to leading Team England in 2010. Known for his exceptional range-hitting abilities, Morgan quickly became a favorite to lead the English side.

His crowning achievement came in 2019 when he captained England to a thrilling World Cup victory. Primarily leading the team in limited-overs formats, Morgan boasted a remarkable record of 118 wins out of 198 matches he captained.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test	16	24	1	700	130	30.43	1278	54.77	2	3	77	6
ODI	248	230	34	7701	148	39.29	8447	91.17	14	47	653	220
T20I	115	106	20	2458	91	28.58	1805	136.18	0	14	186	120

Sourav Ganguly (India)

Sourav Ganguly, the composed Indian all-rounder, emerged as a pivotal cricket captain during his tenure from 1999 to 2005. He took charge of a team amid turbulent times marked by match-fixing controversies that had shaken fan confidence in the sport.

Ganguly wholeheartedly embraced the responsibilities, revitalizing the team and nurturing young talent. His notable achievements include leading India to a runner-up finish at the 2003 World Cup and clinching the Natwest Tri-Series in 2002. Across all formats, Ganguly captained his team in 196 matches, securing victory in 97 of them.

Format	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test	113	188	17	7212	239	42.18	14070	51.26	16	35	900	57
ODI	311	300	23	11363	183	41.02	15416	73.71	22	72	1125	190

List of World Best Captain in Cricket History

Name	Country	Years as Captain	Matches as Captain	Won	Lost	Win %
MS Dhoni	India	2007-2018	332	179	120	53.92%
Ricky Ponting	Australia	2002-2012	324	220	104	67.90%
Stephen Fleming	New Zealand	1997-2007	303	128	135	42.24%
Graeme Smith	South Africa	2003-2014	286	163	89	56.96%
Allan Border	Australia	1984-1994	271	139	89	51.29%
Arjuna Ranatunga	Sri Lanka	1989-1999	249	101	114	40.56%
Mohd Azharuddin	India	1990-1999	221	104	91	47.06%
Virat Kohli	India	2013-2022	213	137	60	64.32%
Sourav Ganguly	India	2000-2005	196	97	79	49.49%