A leader must take the lead to establish a high level of coordination. A strong leader can inspire confidence in his people. It is not about personal performance but rather communal efficiency.
In cricket, the skipper is the supreme enforcer, someone who must make choices on his own when the stakes are high. A captain is said to be only as good as his squad. He must be brave and active to inspire his comrades.
In cricket, we’ve seen several outstanding captains who are always confident in their decisions and also become successful. Here is a collection of the top ten cricket captains who have played for almost a decade.
Top 10 Cricket Captains Who Performed Nearly a
Decade
10-Clive Hubert Lloyd (West Indies, 1974-1985)
9-Imran Khan (Pakistan, 1982-1992)
8-Allan Robert Border (Australia, 1984-1994)
7-Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka, 1989-1999)
6- Mohammad Azharuddin (India, 1990-1999)
5-Stephen Paul Fleming (New Zealand, 1997-2006)
4-Graeme Craig Smith (South Africa, 2003-2014)
3-Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India, 2008-2014)
2- Brendon McCullum (New Zealand, 2009-2016)
1-Virat Kohli (India, 2014-2022)
10- Clive Hubert Lloyd (West Indies, 1974-1985)
Clive Hubert Lloyd, the West Indies cricket player, commanded one of the finest teams in cricket for years, from the 1970s to the 1980s. It is arguable whether Lloyd was a fantastic captain but remained undoubtedly accomplished. The cricket legend led the Caribbean team to become the world’s top Test-playing squad between 1974 and 1985.
He captained the West Indies group in three World Cups and succeeded in winning the first two versions of the tournament. In his early matches, he was a magnificent cover fielder known by the nickname “Supercat.” But a spine injury caused by a terrible fall put an end to his prowling and also his moderate bowling.
The veteran player made history with the most catches in a World Cup match, and a single game set a standard for others to follow. In the One-Day International format, the West Indies team was impressive, conquered 64 out of 84 games for an overall record of 77.71 percent.
Under his leadership, the West Indies team achieved 36 Test matches out of 74 total, with only 12 losses. Lloyd’s group was influential in 1979. West Indies team breezed through all competitions, except for a game against the Sri Lankan team at “The Oval” in June 1979 under his leadership.
The outstanding player was named man-of-the-match as he achieved a marvellous 73 not out of 80 deliveries against the New Zealand team in 1979 on the U.K. “Tent Bridge” ground. Lloyd and his team suffered their first defeat in the 1983 World Cup against the Indian team. After having their pride shattered, the champions returned with vindictiveness and quickly conquered their next six matches.
None can refuse to recognize Lloyd’s track record. He developed the four-pronged top speed strategy, though the proficient cricketer could do so because he had a vast fantastic array of fast bowlers at his fingertips. Lloyd, the most successful ICC World Cup captain, conquered the tournament twice as he in 1975 and 1979 was the only player to win two World Cups in a row.
That isn’t to say that his batting average wasn’t impressive. He scored more than 7500 runs on an excellent standard of 47, which increased to about 52 as a captain. In ODIs, he obtained nearly 40 runs on average.
After retirement in the late 90s, the diligent player remained active in cricket, serving as a coach, manager, commentator, and match referee.
9-Imran Khan (Pakistan, 1982-1992)
Imran Khan, the former player, and captain of the Pakistan cricket team was an elegant and proficient part of his team. At the peak of his career, Khan, thirty years old, took over as captain of the Pakistan cricket team in 1982. Legendary player-led Pakistan to its first-ever Test series victory in India in 1987 and Pakistan’s first series triumph in England in the same year.
In 1988, he was declared Man of the Series against the West Indies after taking 23 wickets in three Tests. In 1992, Imran Khan led Pakistan to victory in the World Cup. Despite losing in the first stage of the event, Pakistan recovered impressively and won from an unusual situation, courtesy to its captain.
The accomplished cricketer played 48 matches as a captain, out of which Pakistan won 14 games and lost in 8 and 26 results in a draw. In ODIs, Khan remained the most productive Pakistan captain, and in Tests, he was the second most prolific Pakistan commander. Imran only gained 29.16 percent of his Tests, but he only lost 16.66 percent.
He also played 139 One-Day Internationals, won 77, lost in 57, and drew one match. After World Cup 1992, the proficient player declared his cricket retirement after serving his team for almost a decade.
8- Allan Robert Border (Australia, 1984-1994)
For many years, Australian cricketer Allan Border was the only Kangaroos relation to excellence. He was the first Australian cricketer to obtain 11,000 runs in Test cricket and the first Australian player to conquer the World Cup. The experienced cricketer scored 3863 runs at 56.81 with 12 hundred in 46 Tests, in a way that had evolved from his early days’ modest adornments.
However, his captain period did not begin as smoothly as he hoped, and he was hesitant to take charge of the captain. After losing a series against New Zealand in 1974, Australians were thrashed by the mighty West Indies from the late 70s to 1990. Throughout it all, however, Border amassed runs in various conditions.
All-rounder’s best accomplishment to Australian cricket was when he completely dominated a weak team to a World Cup historic victory in 1987. After that, he guided his team to win Ashes in 1989, and the Australian team has come on leaps and bounds since then.
In the 4th cricket Test match at the “Sydney Cricket Ground” in 1988, he took 11 wickets compared to the West Indies team, a 10-wicket haul in his career. He took 73 wickets in One Day Internationals. The past master was not only a hard-hitting batter but also a fantastic fielder.
In 1994, legend retired from international cricket after performing since 1978-1994 and became Australian cricket selector in 1998. He left the selector position in 2005 to pursue his media preferences, and after that, he was in and out of the judging panel. Allan Border was inevitably dragged into the commentary box to share his unique perspective on cricket.
7-Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka, 1989-1999)
Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga held the record for guiding a team in ODI matches until he retired. He is now fourth in the rankings, behind Ricky Ponting, Stephen Fleming, and M.S. Dhoni. When Arjuna Ranatunga took over as captain in 1989, things looked gloomy for Sri Lanka.
Still, with his flair and insight, he played a crucial role in putting together a team with the collective strength to win the most coveted trophy in one-day cricket by seven wickets against Australia in the World Cup 1996. Even though the team had no stars other than Aravinda de Silva, they were victorious.
The decision to instruct Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana to attack right away paid off handsomely, resulting in earning tributes from all corners of the world. That triumph made Sri Lankan cricket history, and the country has been seen as a daunting force ever since.
With a career-best 131 not out in the Asia Cup final against India in Colombo in 1997, he acquired the nickname “Captain Cool” from International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee John Reid. The dominance carried over to the Test arena when Arjuna Ranatunga became Sri Lanka’s most successful captain won 12 out of 19 test matches.
After Sri Lanka’s disappointing performance in the 1999 World Cup, he lost his command and departed a year later from international cricket, but his impact on Sri Lankan cricket is immeasurable. In January 2008, he went into cricket administration and was named chairman of the board. He was fired in December after a contentious stint in which he made several questionable choices.
6- Mohammad Azharuddin (India, 1990-1999)
In 1989, Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin succeeded Krishnamachari Srikkanth as captain of the Indian squad. The great captain commanded the Indian team in 47 cricket Test matches and ODIs for 174 games, the best cricket captain on 6 positions globally. As an Indian captain, he led his side to victory in 90 One-Day Internationals, until MS Dhoni overtook it on September 2, 2014.
His 14 test match victories as captain were recorded until Sourav Ganguly, who has 21, surpassed it. Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, and Sachin Tendulkar developed into world-class players under Azharuddin’s guidance. India achieved the 1996 World Cup semifinals before the defeat in the tournament in front of winner Sri Lanka.
Legend held the Indian record for most Test and ODI victories, and then he quit cricket due to his match-fixing controversy in the year 2000.
5- Stephen Paul Fleming (New Zealand, 1997-2006)
Veteran New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming took his team to various successes. Genuinely a sharp mind capable of fixing any adversity. Stephen Fleming captained New Zealand 218 times in One-Day Internationals, the second-highest total by a captain after Ricky Ponting, who headed Kiwis 230 times.
In his captaincy, Paul had an elegant and endearing look. He captained his team in 80 cricket Test matches in 2007, ranked 1st in New Zealand and 2nd worldwide to make this record. In his profession, he was famous for his wise strategical qualities.
On and off the field, he was the most known personality. He has led the team to 28 victories in 80 Test matches and won many test series against rivals like India, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh. But on the other side, he also led Test matches to 27 defeats, the second most losses for a Test captain overall, and 106 losses in ODI matches, the most for any other ODI captain.
As a 23-year-old, Fleming took command of the team and adeptly mobilized his forces. In 1999, the skipper led the New Zealand team to the World Cup semifinals, and in 2000, he earned the Champions Trophy as the only New Zealand captain. The legend began his Test debut against India in 1994, scored 92 runs, and gained Man Of The Match honour.
On March 26, 2008, international cricketer Stephen Fleming announced his departure. He played for Chennai Super Kings in the 2008 IPL and later became the CSK team’s head coach in 2019.
4- Graeme Craig Smith (South Africa, 2003-2014)
Graeme Smith took over as captain of South Africa when he was only 22 years old and played eight Tests. He was not just a successful captain but also a devastating left-handed pitcher who would come out fighting right away. The former Proteas captain holds the record for 109 Tests as captain, having skippered between 2003 and 2014.
In October 2005, Smith was named captain of the ICC World XI in a cricket battle with the Australian team in a Super Series Test match. Then, in 2008, his 108 at Lord’s and 154 not out at Edgbaston were instrumental in South Africa’s first cricket Test series achievement in England since 1965. The excellent leader led his squad to an overwhelming Test series victory on Australian soil in 2008-09.
The veteran player has guided South Africa to 53 wins as a Test captain. He became the fourth-youngest captain in the game’s history and the first youngest captain of South Africa. Smith was known as ‘Biff’ because of his powerful physique and ability to hit the ball forcefully.
As a realistic and unconquerable leader, He also has the most Test victories globally, with 53 wins. The skillful player scored 8,659 runs, the most by a team leader in a Test match. Biff averaged 47.84 points per game, including 15 centuries, the most by a leader, which is a record.
Graeme resigned as ODI captain after the South African team was ousted in the 2011 Cricket World Cup quarter-finals. As captain, he also experienced 1-5 and 0-5 losses to New Zealand and Sri Lanka in his early years. In March 2014, the youngest Proteas player announced his retirement at 33 from international cricket due to some personal issues.
3-Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India, 2008-2014)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, often nicknamed ‘Captain Cool,’ is noted for his calm demeanour and superb captaincy on the field. He has captained India in a total of 331 matches (60 Tests, 199 One-Day Internationals, and 72 T20I), the most by any captain across all game formats. During a T20 encounter against Zimbabwe in 2016, he passed former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, 324 matches to his name.
M.S. Dhoni seems to be the only captain in cricket history who led his team to 50 or more international matches across all formats. These triumphs solidify his reputation as one of the all-time great limited-overs commanders. The fact that he won these trophies with a considerably weaker bowling squad adds to the magnificence of his triumphs.
While fielding or batting, he was a terrific strategist and collaborator with his colleagues. As a captain, Dhoni has 6633 ODI runs, second only to Ponting’s 8497. Dhoni’s average in ODIs as captain is 53.92, after A.B. de Villiers, with 4219 runs and an average of 65.92 while captaining 87 ODIs.
However, he could not define his limited-overs success to Test conditions in other countries. He announced his departure from Test cricket in December 2014.
2- Brendon McCullum (New Zealand, 2009-2016)
New Zealand had never achieved the World Cup final until 2015, despite reaching the semifinals four times previously. With his aggressive leadership, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum guided them to their first World Cup final in 2015.McCullum has led the Black Caps to 11 wins, nine losses, and 11 draws in test matches since taking over as captain from Ross Taylor in December 2012.
His 37.93 percent victory percentage is the best of any New Zealand captain, and his 59.43 percent win ratio from 56 ODIs as captain is also the best of any New Zealander who has played more than 30 games as captain. He is also the first captain to score a century in his farewell test and the most incredible run collector as a captain in his final Test.
Captaincy drew out the best in him. In 2014, he became the first New Zealand cricketer to score a triple century against India. In 2016, he hit a 54-ball century in his final Test, the fastest century in Test history. In February 2016, the prolific player declared his departure from all formats of international cricket.
1-Virat Kohli (India, 2014-2022)
Midway through the 2014 Australian series, Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement. Virat Kohli stepped in as Test captain and enjoyed a solid start to his captaincy, with 30 wins in his first 50 Tests, after Steve Waugh 37 and Ricky Ponting 35. Kohli has scored 4956 runs at an exceptional average of 64.36, including 19 hundred, making him one of the best batters of his generation.
As captain, he set a world record with seven double centuries. The Indian captain’s ODI record is impressive, with 58 victories in 80 games for 75 percent. In ODIs, he averaged an 80, similar to Bradman’s.
The proficient player has left his position as captain. He announced his retirement after South Africa defeated India in a three-match series in the 2021-22 Freedom trophy tournament.
Conclusion
A captain’s tactical actions can win a game independently, but not all captains are made equal. These are the greatest cricket captains who served their teams for nearly a decade and led their nation to glory.
1- Why is Clive Lloyd called a “Supercat”?
Clive Lloyd was named “Supercat” because he was a magnificent and excellent cover fielder in his early cricket matches. Still, a horrible back injury caused a reason of an end to his prowling.
2- When did Clive Hubert Lloyd retire from cricket?
Clive Hubert Lloyd retired from cricket in the late 90s. After his retirement, he joined cricket as a manager, coach, commentator, and match referee.
3- Who is the legend of cricket in Pakistan?
Imran Khan is a legend of Pakistan cricket due to his all-rounder skills and led Pakistan to historical victories like World Cup 1992.
4- Who won the Ashes trophy in 1989?
Under the captaincy of Allen Robert Border, the Australian team won the Ashes in 1989. The test series was held at “The Oval” in London.
5- How long was Allan Border captained the Australian team?
Allan Lamb Border captained the Australian cricket team for almost ten years from 1984-to 1994. Under his captaincy, Kangaroos achieved many goals.
6- How did Sri Lanka win World Cup 1996?
Under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lankan team could win the World Cup in 1996 and defeat the Australian team by seven wickets.
7- Why did Azharuddin quit his cricket career?
As a result of his connection in the game-fixing controversy in cricket in 2000, Azharuddin had to give up his cricket career, and he was not allowed to play cricket after that.
8- Who is known as New Zealand’s youngest cricket captain?
As a 23-year-old, Stephen Paul Fleming took command of the New Zealand team and adeptly mobilized his forces. He captained his team 218 times and conquered many grounds.
9- Who is the most successful South Africa cricket captain?
Graeme Craig Smith is the most successful cricket captain in South Africa cricket history. He played as the youngest captain in more than 100 test matches and holds the record of 53 victories in test matches.
10- Why is Graeme Craig Smith named as “Biff”?
South African cricket captain Graeme Craig Smith was friendly named “Biff” due to his powerful appearance and ability to strike the ball powerfully.
11- Who is the most successful Indian cricket captain in all formats?
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the most successful Indian captain who excellently played cricket as a leader in all formats of cricket. Dhoni has captained India in 331 matches, including 60 Tests, 199 ODIs, and 72 T20I.
12- When did Brendon McCullum retire?
In February 2016, Brendon McCullum announced his retirement from all formats (ODIs, test matches, and T20s) of international cricket.
13- When did Virat Kohli become an Indian captain?
Virat Kohli joined the Indian cricket captaincy after the retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the midway of the series against the Australian team in the year 2014.
Also, Read: Most Successful Captains in Pakistan Cricket history
