Every cricket team captain works tirelessly to bring out the best in their teammates to win the match. You can only become the best captain in the world if you have the right leadership and strategical skills to guide your team in the right direction. The title of “best captain” is given to players the team respects and trusts completely.

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List of Top 20 World Best Captain in Cricket History

Debating the best cricket captain? Here's the list of top 20 best cricket captains in the world from MS Dhoni, Smith, Ponting, Kohli to Williamson. Discover their impact and what makes a great captain.

Ricky Ponting | 220 wins in 324 matches (Australia)

Ricky Ponting is one of the most uncompromising cricket players in the world. He was known as one of the best fielders the world of cricket has ever witnessed, as he was an absolute force during his game. From 2002 to 2007, Ricky was at a stage where he was undefeatable; he has a record of smashing jaw-dropping 41 international centuries across formats.

After Steve Waugh, he was clear on working and taking forward Steve's legacy, which was evident in his success rate and dominance. His wittiness and leadership skills were visible in both Test and ODI cricket. Under Ricky's captaincy, Australia won two World Cups, 2003 and 2007, without losing even a single match.

MS Dhoni | 178 wins in 332 matches (India)

The moment anyone hears MS Dhoni’s name, the next thing that comes to mind is how great of a captain he has been for Team India. Since the beginning of his captaincy, everyone had one constant impression of him - his ability to remain calm and composed under stressful situations. Under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, India got ranked as the Number 1 team in the Test rankings for 2009-2010, and his Indian T20 League team, Chennai, won five times, and India even won the famous Champions Trophy in 2013.

MD Dhoni is, to date, considered one of the best captains in the world, with many calling him “the captain cool” due to his ability to trust his intuition and his team.

A big-time risk taker, he never stepped back to make unorthodox decisions that would benefit their team. Dhoni’s captaincy journey started at the beginning of the T20 World Cup, in which India triumphed with flying colors. Dhoni has led his team in over 332 matches and won 178 games across all formats.

Also read: Best Batsmen in the World - Know Who is Greatest Cricketer of All Time

Graeme Smith | 163 wins in 286 matches (South Africa)

Graeme Smith’s well-muscular build and mighty nature were a mirror to his actions. His personality and ability to smash the leather off the ball was something every cricket enthusiast would remember. His captaincy journey started at a very young age (22), making him South Africa’s youngest captain. He is the only captain who has played over 100 test matches and has 53 victories under his cap. His glory as captain came when he led the South Africa cricket team in 2008-2009 in Australia and added glitter to his name when they again won in the 2012-20 tour.

Virat Kohli | 135 wins in 213 matches (India)

After MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli is renowned as the most successful captain of the Indian cricket team. Kohli began his captaincy career in the 1st test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in December 2014. Virat showcased his abilities when he scored an electrifying century in the 1st innings of that game, making him the 4th Indian to score a 100 on his captaincy debut.

The chubby, spunky cricketer is known for breaking many records during his term as the captain of Team India. As of now, he has over 80 international centuries to his name, i.e., standing in the 2nd position after Sachin Tendulkar.

Steve Waugh | 108 wins in 163 matches (Australia)

Steve Waugh is a man who needs no introduction but appreciation and salutation for his contribution to Australian Cricket. Steve Waugh was praised for his exceptional qualities in his home country and worldwide. Like MS Dhoni, Steve was also known to make bold decisions under pressure. Under his captaincy, he furnished and polished players to a level that cricketers are ready to rule the world of cricket for decades to come. Only a few cricketers know how to win a lost game; Australia, under his captaincy, won the 1999 world cup when they were nearly out of the tournament. 

Adding glitter to his captaincy abilities, Australia, under his leadership, became the No.1 test team. Australia won 41 out of 57 matches and famously lost to India, which he called the 'Last Frontier.' Steve Waugh Steve is, to date, considered the most successful captain in world cricket, as he made Australia's cricket team one of the most competitive teams in the world.

Also read: Best Finisher in the World Cricket: MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers

Most Successful Captains in Test Cricket

Here's the list of top best cricket captains in Test cricket from Graeme Smith to Clive Llyod. Virat Kohli is India's most successful Test captain. 

Most Successful Captains in ODI Cricket

Here's the list of top best cricket captains in ODI cricket from Ricky Ponting to Stephen Fleming. MS Dhoni is India's most successful ODI captain. 

Most Successful Captains in T20 Cricket

Here's the list of top best cricket captains in T20 cricket from Rohit Sharma to MS Dhoni. Rohit Sharma is the only captain to win 50 T20I matches. 

FAQs

Who is the No.1 successful captain?

Without a doubt, MS Dhoni is the no.1 successful captain in the cricket world. Dhoni has 178 wins in over 332 international matches across all three formats. He also captained Chennai Super Kings from 2008 to 2023 and win 5 IPL titles.

Who is the best captain in the world?

MS Dhoni, followed by Ricky Ponting and Graeme Smith, is considered the best captain in the world. They are known for their unorthodox decisions making and remaining calm in pressure situations.

Who is the most successful T20 captain?

Rohit Sharma is the most successful T20 captain in India. He won 50 out of 63 matches and captained India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma has retired from T20I cricket.