1. “A captain can only give his all for his team and for cricket.” When you win, you become a hero. When you lose, the backslappers fade away.” These words by Richie Benaud, one of cricket’s greatest voices, highlight the difficult life of captains in the sport. They are constantly scrutinised, and while they are praised for team success, they are frequently chastised if the team loses or if there are other issues within the team, such as team composition, on-field and off-field decisions. Check out the Top 5 Cricket Captains.
1. M.S. Dhoni
The timid Ranchi lad who was chastised early in his career for not being too vocal behind the stumps retired as India’s most successful and perhaps most loved captain. Dhoni is the best white ball captain in the world, and as a captain, he has won every trophy in cricket. He is the captain he is because of his willingness to trust his intuition and make unconventional decisions. His ability to remain composed under duress, both as a batsman and as a captain, has earned him the moniker of ‘Captain Cool.’ In 2009-10, India was ranked first in the ICC Test rankings under MSD’s captaincy.
2. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting followed up where Steve Waugh left off and led the Australian squad to new heights. During his captaincy, the Australians were so dominating that most teams considered beating them in a single match an accomplishment. In both ODIs and Tests, his team dominated the World 11 team. Ponting believed in leading from the front, and captaincy duties helped him improve his batting, and he went on to become a run machine at number three. Australia won two world cups under his captaincy (2003 and 2007) without losing a single match.
3. Steve Waugh
The man who kicked off Australia’s era of dominance in the 1990s was a fighter with the bat, ball, and as a leader. Steve Waugh’s best attribute, which is admired all around the world, is his ability to lead from the front when the team is under duress. He produced a generation of cricketers who dominated the sport for the next decade or so. Australia won the 1999 World Cup under his captaincy despite being nearly eliminated from the tournament and having to win five consecutive matches to win the championship. His performance in the world cup semi-final demonstrated his great mental abilities and capacity to flourish under pressure.
4. Clive Lloyd
Captain of one of the most successful and dominating cricket teams in history. He captained the West Indies during the 1970s and 1980s, when the Caribbean squad dominated international cricket. Windies won two straight world cups under his guidance in 1975 and 1979, but lost in the final in 1983 to India. Windies won 27 Test matches without losing during his captaincy, including 11 straight triumphs, and it was his persona that could handle and bring the best out of each elite player he had.
5. Imran Khan
Imran Khan is Pakistan’s current Prime Minister, but his leadership in cricket was praised around the world long before he entered politics. He led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, the country’s sole one-day World Cup victory. Imran Khan was a popular figure on and off the field, with a sizable female following and a leader who was well-liked by all. After losing in the semi-finals of the 1987 World Cup, he abruptly announced his retirement, but returned a year later as Pakistan’s leader.
