Introduction:
Cricket is the most popular sport in India, and the country has produced some of the greatest cricketers in the world. In my experience, Indian cricket team has been led by several great captains who have taken the team to new heights in international Metro cricket. In this article, I will take a look at the list of Indian cricket captains who have led the team over the years.
Detail of indian cricket captains
C.K. Nayudu (1932-1936)
Cottari Kanakaiya Nayudu was the first-ever captain of the Indian cricket team. He led the team on its first-ever Test tour of England in 1932. Nayudu played 7 Tests and scored 350 runs at an average of 25.00. He was known for his aggressive style of captaincy and his ability to inspire his team.
Lala Amarnath (1947-1952)
Lala Amarnath was the first Indian captain after independence. He led the team to its first Test victory against England in 1952. Amarnath played 24 Tests and scored 878 runs at an average of 24.38. He was a fearless batsman and a great leader.
Vijay Hazare (1951-1953)
Vijay Hazare was the third captain of the Indian cricket team. He led the team in 14 Tests and won 3 of them. Hazare played 30 Tests and scored 2,192 runs at an average of 47.65. He was a stylish batsman and a great leader.
Polly Umrigar (1955-1958)
Polly Umrigar was the first captain to lead India to a Test series victory abroad. He led the team to a 2-0 series win over New Zealand in 1956. Umrigar played 59 Tests and scored 3,631 runs at an average of 42.22. He was a brilliant all-rounder and a great captain.
Nari Contractor (1960-1962)
Nari Contractor was the fifth captain of the Indian cricket team. He led the team in 12 Tests and won 2 of them. Contractor played 31 Tests and scored 1,611 runs at an average of 31.93. He was a solid opening batsman and a good leader.
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (1962-1975)
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was one of the greatest captains in Indian cricket history. He led India in 40 Tests and won 9 of them. Pataudi played 46 Tests and scored 2,793 runs at an average of 34.91. He was a brilliant fielder and a great leader.
Ajit Wadekar (1971-1974)
Ajit Wadekar was the captain of the Indian cricket team during the famous series win against England in 1971. He led India to its first-ever Test series win in England. Wadekar played 37 Tests and scored 2,113 runs at an average of 31.07. He was a stylish left-handed batsman and a great leader.
Sunil Gavaskar (1976-1985)
Sunil Gavaskar was one of the greatest batsmen in Indian cricket history. He was also a successful captain, leading India in 47 Tests and winning 9 of them. Gavaskar played 125 Tests and scored 10,122 runs at an average of 51.12. He was a great opener and a great leader.
Kapil Dev (1982-1984, 1985-1987)
Kapil Dev captained India in 34 Tests, won 4 of them, and led India to its greatest cricketing moment, winning the 1983 World Cup. His first stint as captain was from 1982-1984, and the second stint was from 1985-1987, during which he led India to a series win against England in England.
Mohammad Azharuddin (1990-1999)
Mohammad Azharuddin was a stylish batsman and one of India’s most successful captains. He led India in 47 Tests and won 14 of them. He also led India in 174 ODIs and won 90 of them, including the 1998 Asia Cup and the 1999 Coca-Cola Cup. However, his career was marred by a match-fixing scandal, which led to his ban from cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar (1996-2000)
Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He captained India in 25 Tests and won four of them. He also led India in 73 ODIs and won 23 of them. However, he was not very successful as a captain and stepped down from the role in 2000.
Sourav Ganguly (2000-2005)
Sourav Ganguly was one of India’s most successful captains. He led India in 49 Tests and won 21 of them. He also led India in 146 ODIs and won 76 of them. He was known for his aggressive captaincy and was instrumental in India’s success in the early 2000s.
Rahul Dravid (2003-2007)
Rahul Dravid was one of India’s most dependable batsmen and a great captain. He led India in 25 Tests and won 8 of them. He also led India in 79 ODIs and won 42 of them. He was known for his calm and composed captaincy and led India to some memorable victories, including the 2007 Test series win in England.
Anil Kumble (2007-2008)
Anil Kumble was a great leg-spinner and one of India’s most respected cricketers. He captained India in just 14 Tests and won three of them. He also led India in just five ODIs, winning two of them.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2007-2017)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of India’s most successful captains. He led India in 60 Tests and won 27 of them. He also led India in 200 ODIs and won 110 of them, including the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. He was known for his cool and composed captaincy and his ability to finish games with the bat.
Virat Kohli (2014-present)
Virat Kohli is one of the best batsmen in the world and the current captain of the Indian cricket team. He has led India in 65 Tests and won 36 of them. He has also led India in 142 ODIs and won 87 of them, including the 2018 Asia Cup and the 2021 ODI series win in Australia.
Steven Barron is an expert in many fields like tech, education, travel, finance, games, cars, and sports. He started his career in the tech industry, where he learned a lot and got good at spotting tech trends. Steven then moved into writing. He loves technology and is great at telling stories. His articles cover topics like new gadgets, education, and finance. They are full of detail but easy to read. Steven loves to travel and is a big sports fan. This shows in his travel and sports writing, where he draws in readers with clear descriptions and smart insights.
