Cricket is not just a sport in India, it’s a religion. And the captains of the Indian cricket team are revered as demigods by millions of passionate fans. From the early days of test cricket to the modern era of fast-paced T20s, India has been blessed with some truly exceptional leaders who have taken the team to great heights. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit the illustrious list of Indian cricket captains till 2024.
The Early Years (1932-1970)
India’s cricketing journey began way back in 1932 when the team played its first ever test match against England at Lord’s. The honor of being India’s first test captain went to the Maharaja of Porbandar, CK Nayudu. Though India lost the match, Nayudu’s leadership set the foundation for the rise of Indian cricket.
Over the next few decades, India had skippers like Lala Amarnath, Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, and the Nawab of Pataudi Sr. who led the team with distinction. However, wins were hard to come by in that era and India struggled to make a mark on the international stage.
The Spin Quartet Era (1970-1980)
The 1970s saw the emergence of India’s famous spin quartet – Bishan Singh Bedi, EAS Prasanna, BS Chandrasekhar, and S Venkataraghavan. These master spinners bamboozled batsmen around the world and helped India notch up some memorable wins.
Bedi, with his guile and artistry, was the first Indian captain to secure test wins in England and the West Indies. He was a true leader of men and his captaincy had a touch of flamboyance that was very appealing.
The Gavaskar-Kapil Era (1980-1990)
The 1980s belonged to two of India’s all-time greats – Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev. Gavaskar was a run-machine who broke record after record with his batting heroics. He was also a shrewd captain who led India to some historic wins, including a test series victory in England in 1986.
Kapil Dev, on the other hand, was a genuine all-rounder who could turn matches with both bat and ball. He took over the captaincy from Gavaskar and under his inspirational leadership, India won the 1983 World Cup, beating the mighty West Indies in the final. This victory changed the face of Indian cricket forever.
Other notable captains in this era included Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, and Krishnamachari Srikkanth.
The Sachin-Azhar-Ganguly Era (1990-2005)
The 1990s saw the rise of Sachin Tendulkar, who would go on to become the greatest batsman of his generation. Tendulkar had a couple of stints as captain but he couldn’t quite translate his batting genius to leadership success.
The captaincy mantle then passed on to Mohammad Azharuddin, one of the most stylish batsmen to have ever played the game. Azhar had a successful run as skipper, leading India to some famous wins, including a test series victory in England in 1993.
However, it was under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly that Indian cricket truly underwent a renaissance in the early 2000s. Ganguly was an aggressive leader who instilled a fighting spirit in the team. Under his leadership, India started winning matches abroad consistently and also reached the final of the 2003 World Cup. Ganguly’s contribution to Indian cricket, both as a captain and a batsman, can never be overstated.
The Dhoni Era (2007-2016)
If there’s one name that’s synonymous with Indian captaincy in the modern era, it has to be Mahendra Singh Dhoni. A small-town boy from Ranchi, Dhoni took Indian cricket to dizzying heights with his calm and composed leadership.
Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India won the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. He also led India to the No.1 ranking in tests for the first time. Dhoni’s ability to stay cool under pressure and make the right decisions earned him the moniker of “Captain Cool”.
Dhoni’s record as captain is simply phenomenal – 27 test wins, 110 ODI wins, and 41 T20I wins. He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest captains in the history of Indian cricket.
The Kohli Era (2014-2022)
As Dhoni’s powers started waning, the captaincy baton was passed on to the prodigiously talented Virat Kohli. Kohli, who was already a batting superstar, took to captaincy like a fish to water. His aggressive and in-your-face style of leadership was in stark contrast to Dhoni’s calm demeanor.
Under Kohli’s captaincy, India reached the pinnacle of test rankings and also notched up some famous series wins, including a maiden test series victory in Australia in 2018-19. In ODIs and T20Is too, Kohli led India to numerous bilateral series wins.
However, the one blot on Kohli’s captaincy record is the lack of an ICC trophy. India reached the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2021 World Test Championship, but couldn’t cross the final hurdle. Kohli’s inability to win an ICC tournament despite having a star-studded team will always be held against him.
In early 2022, Kohli stepped down as India’s test captain after a series loss to South Africa. He had already relinquished the ODI and T20I captaincy in 2021.
The Rohit Sharma Era (2022-Present)
Following Kohli’s resignation, Rohit Sharma was appointed as the captain of the Indian team across all three formats. Rohit had already led India to wins in Kohli’s absence and had proved his leadership credentials in the IPL, leading Mumbai Indians to five titles.
Rohit’s calm and composed demeanor, coupled with his tactical acumen, make him an ideal choice for captaincy. Under his leadership, India will be hoping to end their ICC trophy drought and also continue their dominance in bilateral series.
The Future
As we look ahead to the future, there are a few young players who could be potential captaincy candidates for India. The likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer have all shown leadership qualities and could be groomed as future skippers.
However, for now, the Indian team is in safe hands under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. With a talented bunch of players at his disposal and the support of a cricket-crazy nation behind him, Rohit will be hoping to create his own legacy as one of India’s greatest captains.
As we conclude this journey through the annals of Indian captaincy, let’s take a moment to salute all these incredible leaders who have contributed immensely to Indian cricket. From Nayudu to Rohit, each one of them has left an indelible mark on the sport and has inspired generations of cricketers.
Here’s a quick summary of India’s most successful captains across formats:
| Captain | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 27 wins | 110 wins | 41 wins |
| Virat Kohli | 40 wins | 65 wins | 30 wins |
| Sourav Ganguly | 21 wins | 76 wins | – |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 14 wins | 90 wins | – |
| Kapil Dev | 4 wins | 39 wins | – |
Note: The above stats are as of March 2023.
Indian cricket has a rich history of captaincy and leadership. As the team moves forward under Rohit Sharma’s stewardship, here’s hoping that the glory days of Indian cricket continue unabated. May the tricolor keep flying high and may the Indian team keep scaling new heights in the years to come!
