Who is the No. 1 Cricket Captain in the World? (Thoroughly Answered)

Who is the no. 1 cricket captain in the world is one of the most debated questions amongst cricket enthusiasts. 

As their no predefined criteria and no common consensus on such ranking, a captain’s team’s victories, stats and scores, and individual records depict their overall performance during their captaincy period.

A team captain plays a pivotal role in coordinating between the players, calibrating on-ground strategy, and aligning the orders of the batsman and bowlers according to their potential. 

However, the expertise of the captains varies with the match formats. From this perspective, let’s go through the detailed account of the top captains in different formats in cricket history.

No. 1 Cricket Captain in the World 

Often called a skipper, the roles, and responsibilities of a cricket captain are multifaceted. A captain’s performance is gauged by the team’s victories during his/her captaincy. 

From the tosses to batting, bowling, and fielding order, he aligns the team and makes on-ground decisions. 

Coming to the cardinal point of discussion, below is the list of the top cricket captains. 

Known for his commendable fielding skills and remarkable leadership, Ricky was one of the best onfield strategists. He took the captaincy of the ODI and test teams in 2002 and 2004, respectively, and made Australia win 2 consecutive world cups in 2003 and 2007. 

Notable Captaincy records 

• Most ODI matches as captain: 230 matches
• 2nd most matches in all 3 formats (test ODI and T20) as captain: 324 matches
• 2nd most consecutive test matches as captain: 73 matches

Captaincy Performance:

“Dhoni” is one of the most chanted names in the cricket world. He was appointed captain of the Indian cricket team for all 3 formats in 2008 and made India grab the top position in the test match ranking in 2009-2010. Being a believer and a conqueror, his aura was amplified by T20 and IPL games, and his captaincy is still missed in the Indian team. 

Notable Captaincy Records

• Captain to have kept most wickets in ODI: 200 wickets
• 8th most matches as captain: 60 matches
• 7th most consecutive ODI matches as captain: 69 matches
• 5th most T20 matches as captain: 72 matches

Captaincy Performance:

Graeme began his captaincy tenure at the tender age of 22 and came out to be the youngest captain of South Africa. Being a left-handed batsman, his knack for entertaining the ball through foot movement and bat alignment remains praiseworthy. 

Notable Captaincy Records

• Most test matches as captain: 109 matches
• 4th most matches in all formats (ODI, test, and T20) as captain: 286 matches
• 7th most ODI matches as captain: 105 matches

Captaincy Performance:

Allan, the dauntless captain of the Australian cricket team, has been known for his leadership, competency, and striking skills. He took the captaincy after Kim Hughes resigned in 1984-85. As a left-hand batsman with middle-order batting, he holds second rank in playing most test matches during his captaincy.

Notable Captaincy Records 

• Most consecutive test matches as captain: 93 matches
• 5th in most ODI matches as captain: 178 matches
• 3rd most run scorer as a captain in an ODI series: 590 runs

Captaincy Performance:

This ace captain of New Zealand has the record of taking the most catches in a test inning and the 2nd most catches in an ODI inning. Post-retirement, he was appointed the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings IPL team and is still in this position.

Notable Captaincy Records

• 3rd in playing most consecutive matches as captain of a team: 65 matches
• 2nd in playing most ODI matches as captain: 218 matches
• 3rd in playing most matches in all 3 formats (ODI, T20, test) as captain: 303 matches
• 3rd in taking most catches as captain: 303 catches

Captaincy Performance:

The performance of a captain is decided by considering the performance in different formats. These statistics are instrumental in deciding who is the no 1 cricket captain in the world.

Following this, let’s explore the ranking of the cricket captains in different game formats, i.e., T20, ODI, and Test, and crucial tournaments. 

Suggested Reads: Best Batsman in the World: Top 10 List of All Time

Best Captains in the Test Matches

The test matches examine the team’s skills and endurance. This format is played for about 5 days, and a maximum of 90 overs per day has been set as the upper limit. 

Officially, test matches have been played since 1887, while the ODI came into being in 1971. 

Since this is a test of fortitude, the captain has to ensure the best results every single day of the match. 

From this perspective, below are the test cricket captains ranked based on their test match victories. 

1. Graeme Smith: South Africa (2003–2014)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 48.6
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   109	53	29	0	27

2. Ricky Ponting: Australia (2004–2011)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 62.3
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   77	48	16	0	13

3. Steve Waugh: Australia (1999–2004)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 71.9
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   57	41	9	0	7

4.  Virat Kohli: India (2014–2022)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 58.8
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   68	40	17	0	11

5. Clive Lloyd: West Indies (1974–1985)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 48.6
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   74	36	12	0	26

The test matches, initially played with immense delight, later transformed into a one-day international format, which became a vogue. 

Now let’s find out who is the no 1 cricket captain in the world in ODI format. 

Best Captains in ODI

The ODI matches sprang up in 1971, and since then, they have become the most admired cricket format. It is a 50-over game that concludes within a day. Here are the top 5 cricket captains in ODI. 

1. Ricky Ponting: Australia (2002–2012)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 76.1
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   230	165	51	2	12

2. M.S. Dhoni: India (2007–2017)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 59.5
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   200	110	74	4	11

3. Allan Border: Australia (1985–1994)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 61.1
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   178	107	67	1	3

4. Hansie Cronje: South Africa (1994–2000)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 73.7
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   178	99	35	0	4

5. Stephen Fleming: New Zealand (1997–2007)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 48%
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   218	98	106	1	13

This format is known for its shorter period and intriguing run chase in a single day, which led to the debut of the World Cup tournament. The captaincy of some of the captains in the World cup is unforgettable. 

Let’s have a look at the top names in the list. 

Best Captains in World Cup Matches

The first World Cup was organized in 1975 in England, and the next World Cup is scheduled for 2027 in African nations. It is organized every 4 years and is also considered the festival of cricket. 

Here are the top captains with the best win percentage in World Cup matches. 

1. Ricky Ponting: Australia (2002–2012)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 92.8
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied
   29	26	2	0

2. MS Dhoni: India (2007–2018)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 85.3
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied
   17	14	2	1

3. Stephen Flaming: New Zealand (1997–2007)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 61.5
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied
   27	16	10	0

4. Muhammad Aziruddin: India (1989–1999)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 45.4
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied
   23	10	12	0

5. Imran Khan: Pakistan (1982–1992)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 63.6
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied
   22	14	8	0

Winning the World Cup has become an emblem of claiming perfection in this game. 

With the constantly transforming cricket ecosystem, the new format of T20 emerged a decade ago, which is much more engrossing than the ODI. 

Best Captains in T20

This 20-over format was first played in 2004 between New Zealand and England. Since then, it has evolved to include the T20 World Cup and many regional league tournaments. 

The T20 World Cup 2024 was won by India by defeating South Africa in a challenging match. This format has also brought some captains to the fore; the analysis of whose performance will be instrumental in deciding who is the no 1 cricket captain in the world.  

Below are the top T20 captains with their performance summary. 

1. Rohit Sharma: India (2017–2024)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 79%
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	No Result
   62	49	12	1	0

2. Brain Masaba: Uganda (2021–2024)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 75%
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	No Result
   60	45	12	0	3

3. Babar Azam: Pakistan (2019–2024)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 56.4%
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	No Result
   85	48	29	1	7

4. Eoin Morgan: England (2012–2022)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 58.3%
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	No Result
   72	42	27	2	1

5. MS Dhoni: India (2007–2016)

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 56.9
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	No Result
   72	41	28	1	2

The T20 metamorphosized into different regional leagues, out of which the IPL (Indian Premier League) surfaced as the most entertaining tournament. Let’s take a glance at the top IPL captains.

Suggested Reads: ICC T20 World Cup Winners List Year Wise: From Young India to New England

Best Captains in IPL

The new T20 cricket format got popularized so frequently that its corresponding tournament with significant tweaks was declared within a few years of its genesis. They were the premier leagues, with the IPL being the most popular one.

It began in 2008 and has evolved with constant changes in rules, making it one of the most-watched cricket series. The IPL winners from 2008 to 2023 have gathered immense attention and applause.

Below are the top 5 IPL captains with the highest match victory percentage. 

1. MS Dhoni: Chennai Super Kings

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 60.3
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   212	128	82	0	0

2. Rohit Sharma: Mumbai Indians

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 55
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   158	87	67	4	0

3. Virat Kohli: Royal Challengers Bengaluru

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 46.1
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   143	66	70	3	0

4. Gautam Gambhir: Kolkata Knight Riders

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 56.4
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   108	61	46	1	0

5. David Warner: Sunrisers Hyderabad

   

   
   

   Winning Percentage: 52.2
   Match	Wins	Loss	Tied	Draw
   67	35	30	2	0

The IPL being an annual series, keeps cricket enthusiasts hooked on this game. It has become one of the reasons for maintaining the cricket craze in India. 

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Conclusion

From the aforementioned information, it is evident that Ricky Ponting and MS Dhoni are in close competition to become the no 1 cricket captain. However, the overall match statistics bring Ricky Ponting to the top position. The achievements of all the above-mentioned captains will continue to echo in the cricket world and will furnish a roadmap for coming captains. 

Considering the evolution of cricket and the incorporation of new formats and tournaments, we can expect a new captain to break the records to get higher in these rankings.

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