Best Captain in the Cricket World - From MS Dhoni, V. Kohli to K. Williamson

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 skills to lead your team in the right direction. The title of “best captain” is given to players the team respects and trusts completely.

Time to unleash your inner cricket genius! Download Howzat cricket fantasy app and crush your opponents with your best fantasy squad.

List of top 10 World Best Captain in Cricket History

Debating the best cricket captain? Here's the list of top 10 best cricket captains in the world from MS Dhoni, Smith, Ponting, King Kohli to Williamson. Discover their impact and what makes a great captain.

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 four 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.

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.

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.

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 the Australian Cricket fraternity. 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 finally lost to India, which he calls the 'Last Frontier.' Steve Waugh Steve is, to date, considered the most successful captain in world cricket, as he took Australia's cricket team to the mountains and made them one of the most competitive teams in the world.

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.

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

FAQs

Who is the world's best captain in cricket?

Without a doubt, MS Dhoni is the world's best captain in the cricket world. To date, he has 178 wins in over 332 matches across all formats.

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 strong team planning under stressful circumstances.

Who is the most successful captain in the world?

Steve Waugh is truly the only cricketer worthy of being called the most successful captain in the world. Steve is known for his dominance and leadership skills in honing the skills of the Australian Cricket Team.

Who is the most successful captain in India?

MS Dhoni is the most successful captain in India. He has won 178 out of 332 matches and only captain to win all three ICC (2007 ICC World Twenty20, 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy) trophies.