The need for effective leadership is perhaps nowhere more evident than on a sports team. A strong sports team captain may lead his team to success and recognition, as well as improve the performance of a modest squad; However, a mediocre captain with inadequate leadership skills may jeopardise a team’s ability to compete and connect successfully.
Cricket is worshipped like a religion in a country like India. Fans frequently see their favorite athletes as gods. These individuals form a squad that represents the country on the international stage. A captain is picked to head such a squad and is charged with many tasks. As a result, these leaders frequently alter the team’s view through their actions.
Our men’s cricket team has had several captains over the years. While some of those commanders have set several records, others have crumbled under the strain. These captains, on the other hand, are all one-of-a-kind. In this post, we will introduce you to some of the greatest guys who have ever led Team India and achieved great success in their attempts.
The Indian cricket team has had 33 captains in Test matches and 24 in One-Day Internationals, dating back to CK Nayudu, India’s first captain. Here are a few people that were role models in their day.
Tiger Pataudi: The youngest captain of the Indian cricket team
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was one of India’s most illustrious cricket captains. Tiger Pataudi, as he was nicknamed, became the Indian team’s captain at the age of 21, making him the country’s youngest leader to date. Pataudi, who led India to their first overseas Test victory in 1967, transformed the game in India by instilling in his teammates a winning mindset.
Pataudi captained India in 40 of the 46 Tests he played in, winning nine of them, despite a sad tragedy that left him blind in his right eye. Under his captaincy, India won its first overseas series against New Zealand in a Test series in 1967.
Kapil Dev: The captain who guided India to its first World Cup victory
In the finals of the 1983 Cricket World Cup, India defeated the formidable West Indies, spearheaded by the legendary Kapil Dev, to win their first-ever World Cup title. This victory transformed the face of cricket in the country, raising the game to the status of a religion.
When the West Indies ruled global cricket, Kapil Dev took over as captain and guided his team to victory over the Caribbeans in his debut ODI series as captain. The victory, according to the successful players of the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team, gave them the confidence to face the West Indies in the 1983 World Cup final. Kapil Dev led India to victory in 39 of the 74 One Day Internationals, with a win percentage of 54.16. (ODIs). He also praised the Indian cricket team for their 34 Test victories, four of which he won.
Mohammad Azharuddin: Winner of three world cups
He was India’s most contentious captain in its history. He was, nevertheless, a talented batter who could win games for India on his own. In 47 tests, he guided India to victory in 14 of them. In domestic contests, he had a strong track record. In one-day internationals, he led India to 174 victories, with a win percentage of 53. He may have gone on to become India’s best captain if he hadn’t gotten into problems over an alleged match-fixing scandal.
Azharuddin was a great fielder as well. He had a cool demeanour and could lead the squad through difficult situations. He set various records as a captain and was considered one of Team India’s best modern-day captains. He could have broken several records and rewarded India with many more pleasurable triumphs if they had not been placed upon him.
Sourav Ganguly: The Indian captain with a talent scouting eye
This man is, without a doubt, the finest captain India has ever had. The ‘Prince of Calcutta’ is India’s most successful overseas skipper. Ganguly was a warrior who encouraged the spirit of competition in all of his colleagues. He was a visionary who provided many young people opportunities. He was the driving force behind the foundation of Team India. He gave up his starting spot to promote Virender Sehwag. Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, L.Balaji, MS Dhoni, and others were among the players he offered chances to. In 2003, Ganguly guided the squad to the ICC World Cup finals.
Team India perfected the knack of winning in other countries under Sourav Ganguly’s leadership. Ganguly was the captain that ended Steve Waugh’s 18-game winning streak for Australia. After a lengthy period of defeat, India finally triumphed in Pakistan under his leadership. The most talked-about event involving Sourav Ganguly is when he unzipped his shirt and waved it at Lords. It was time for India to avenge Andrew Flintoff for a similar act in Mumbai.
MS Dhoni: The only captain who aced all the major ICC events
He is Team India’s most successful captain in its history. MS Dhoni has won three ICC World Cups: the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the ICC World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013. Dhoni is a strategist. His greatest attribute is his cricketing intelligence and instincts, which have helped him defeat nearly every cricketing country on the planet. Dhoni has shown his captaincy time and time again by performing unusual things. He chose an inexperienced Joginder Sharma over Harbhajan Singh in the 2007 World Cup and helped India win their first T20 World Cup final.
In 2011 final, Dhoni was given the nod over Yuvraj Singh. This proved to be a wise option, as Dhoni went on to hit an incredible 91 not out, leading India to victory. Dhoni’s tactic of using Ishant Sharma in the penultimate over and Ashwin in the last over helped India beat England in the Champions Trophy final. He has been similarly successful in every squad he has led thus far.
Virat Kohli: The most successful Indian Test captain
Virat Kohli is Indian cricket’s most successful Test captain, having guided the side to 33 victories in 56 matches. Virat Kohli became the only fourth skipper to win 40 or more Tests after winning the opening one at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Kohli became the first Indian and Asian captain to win a Test series in Australia in the 2018-19 Border Gavaskar Trophy. Virat Kohli previously captained India’s Under-19 squad to victory in Malaysia in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup. India has won 92 One-Day Internationals, 56 Tests, and 40 Twenty-20 Internationals under Kohli’s leadership.
