15 Most Successful Captains in Cricket History (All Formats)
Stephen Fleming
New Zealand's longest-serving and most successful Test captain with 28 wins out of 80 Test matches, Stephen Fleming led the Black Caps from 1997 to 2007. He was the captain of the Kiwis' side during its 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy triumph, before going on to finish with 303 international matches as captain across all formats.
Brian Lara
West Indies batting icon Brian Lara had multiple stints as West Indies captain, notably winning the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy as the leader of the side. While his tenure was marked by mixed results for the team, his personal Test batting average was higher when leading the side, rising to 57.83 from a career-long average of 52.88.
Mohammad Azharuddin
Mohammad Azharuddin captained India through most of the 1990s, leading the team in 47 Tests and a then-record 174 ODIs. An exceptional batter himself, Azharuddin captained the Men in Blue in three Cricket World Cups campaigns, in 1992, 1996, 1999, before being removed from the position following spot-fixing allegations.
Mahela Jayawardene
Ex-Sri Lanka batting icon Mahela Jayawardene had two tenures as national team captain, with his first tenure spanning 2006 to 2009, and his second tenure between 2011 and 2012. Jayawardene led the Sri Lankan team to the 2007 Cricket World Cup final and the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 final, but finished runners-up in both.
Hansie Cronje
Regarded as South Africa's greatest captain of all time, Hansie Cronje captained the Proteas from 1994 to 2000, achieving a remarkable 27 Test wins and 99 ODI wins. He secured South Africa's first major ICC title, the 1998 KnockOut Trophy, before his successful career ended in 2000 with a lifetime ban from cricket due to a match-fixing scandal.
Arjuna Ranatunga
One of the most resilient and outspoken captains of all time, Arjuna Ranatunga captained Sri Lanka from 1988 to 1999, transforming the team from underdogs to a global cricketing powerhouse. His greatest triumph was leading the Lions to its first and only ICC Cricket World Cup victory in 1996, a historic moment for the country.
Sourav Ganguly
While former India captain Sourav Ganguly might not have won the ICC World Cup as captain, he is often considered as the mind behind building a strong, fearless Indian side and nurturing young talents. Ganguly did lead the team to victory in the 2002 Champions Trophy title, besides guiding the Men in Blue to the 2003 Cricket World Cup final in South Africa.
Steve Waugh
One of the most successful captains of all-time with a win-rate of over 65 percent, Steve Waugh led Australia from 1997 to 2004 in Tests and ODIs. Waugh was the captain of the Aussie side that lifted the 1999 Cricket World Cup, while he also led the team during their world-record streak of 16 consecutive Test victories.
Imran Khan
Legendary Pakistani all-rounder Imran Khan captained the Men in Green from 1982 to 1992, leading them to their greatest ODI achievement, the 1992 Cricket World Cup trophy. His Test record as skipper includes 48 matches, with 14 wins, 8 losses, and 26 draws, while also having led Pakistan to its first Test series victories in England and India.
Clive Lloyd
West Indies legend Clive Llyod captained the team from 1974 to 1985, leading the Caribbean team through a dominant period during which it won the inaugural Cricket World Cup in 1975 and successfully defending the title in 1979. A Test cricket specialist, Llyod also led West Indies to a historic streak of 27 Test matches without defeat.
Virat Kohli
Ace Indian batter Virat Kohli captained the Men in Blue across all the three formats from 2017 to 2022, finishing as the country's most successful Test skipper with 40 wins in 68 matches. While he did not win an ICC limited-over trophy as captain, Kohli's biggest achievement was guiding India to its first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2019.
Allan Border
Australian legend Allan Border captained the national team from 1984 to 1994, during which he won the 1987 Cricket World Cup, which was Australia's first, and reclaimed the Ashes in England in 1989. He finished his captaincy with a Test match record of 32 wins, 22 losses, and 38 draws, and an ODI record of 107 wins and 67 losses.
Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith was just 22 years old when he was appointed South Africa's captain, and went on to finish with a record 54 Test victories while leading the side. Furthermore, he also holds the record for most runs as Test captain (8,659), while also having led the Proteas red-ball side the ICC World No. 1 Test ranking back in 2012.
MS Dhoni
The only captain to win all three ICC limited-overs tournaments, former Indian captain MS Dhoni stands on top on the list of players who have led in the most number of matches across all the three formats. Nicknamed 'Thala', MSD's major trophy triumphs include the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Ricky Ponting
The greatest cricket captain of all time, Australian icon Ricky Ponting holds the record for the most victories across all formats (220), a record yet to be matched by any skipper. Under his successful leadership, Australia won four major ICC trophies, the ODI World Cup in 2003 and 2007, and the Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009.
