Captaining a team in any sporting event is a lot of pressure that someone has to deal with. As a leader, an individual must maintain his/her performance and take care of the rest of their team so they can do their best. They have to be incredibly strong-willed and perform exceptionally well to stay in the game. Along with maintaining their performance, they also have to make sure everyone else is performing. Captains are responsible for the outcome of every game that falls on them. The gap between winning and losing can come down to this individual’s performance!
Are you a cricket fan? Have you ever wondered what makes a captain great? An entire team relies upon their abilities as a leader to give themselves the best chance at succeeding. Not many players get to make names for themselves at big stages, but those who do tend to find success as leaders. Whether you want to download the best fantasy cricket app to learn from the best captains through practical representation or watch them play their game. Here you will find the best captains who have had a stellar career in Test cricket to learn captaincy and improve your cricket skills.
Ricky Ponting
The second most prolific century scorer in cricket is the former Aussie batsman Ricky Ponting. With an average well above fifty in his whole test career, Ponting was the captain of Team Australia in 48 test wins that placed him as the second most successful Test captain. He holds the record for the highest average in test cricket (51), and his success as a player brought him many fans, and he was named Australia Post Legend of Cricket in 2021. Ricky Ponting led the Australian cricket team to a record number of wins. He is one of six players in history with over 10,000 runs at an average over 50 and scored 41 centuries in his career. He was awarded the Order of Australia award and became an ICC Hall of Famer for his contribution to the game.
Virat Kohli
Considered the best current batsman globally, former Indian skipper Virat Kohli is the most loved cricket player in the world. Virat became the first player for India to score four double centuries in test cricket and made his team skyrocket with historic wins like taking his team to the ICC Test Championship Finals and reaching number 1 as the top test squad in the world. He is the first cricketer to have been ranked within the top 10 best batters in the world during all three formats. Kohli helped the Indian team to the number 1 spot in test rankings and took the mace at the International Cricket Council’s test championship finals.
Graeme Smith
In 2003, Smith became the captain for South Africa. During their most vital years in modern cricket history, he watched over the team. His performances as a batsman were impressive enough to maintain the record number 10 Test match century holder by any captain in Test Match wins. Smith has 9000+ runs to his name with a whopping average of 48.25 in a massive 117 matches. He prides himself by topping this list with 53 Test wins to his name and holds the record of the most significant number of centuries by a captain in Test Cricket.
Steve Waugh
Another Australian in the list stands as Steve Waugh with 41 test wins in his career and a win percentage of 71.92 across 57 tests. He has scored over 10,000 runs in his Test career with an average above 50 and is also known as Australia’s most successful ODI captain. He is also a stylish right-handed batsman who will always be remembered for being calm and composed at the crease, even under immense pressure. All these traits that Steve brings to the table make him one of the most successful cricket players for Australia.
Clive Lloyd
The former West Indies captain led the team in 36 games, more than any other captain in West Indian cricket history. With a fantastic batting average of 46.67, he scored 7,515 runs and captured ten wickets with his bowling arm which only seven batsmen have ever got out-bowled before. He took the team to three consecutive World Cup finals during his reign.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
The best finisher of the game, MS Dhoni’s leadership, has proven to be as effective off the field as it is on. His confident and forthright perspective has led India to achieve its highest position in ICC’s Test Rankings and has led them to a World Cup win in 2011 against all odds. An icon both on and off the field, MSD’s leadership has led to him being recognized as one of the most successful captains in contemporary cricket history. He captained the Indian national team to its No. 1 ranking in Test cricket in 2009-10 and was one of the best captains India has ever had. An outstanding achievement for someone whose efforts speak volumes among fellow players and fans alike!
Conclusion
The captains mentioned above have had illustrious careers. One can learn a lot from carrying themselves on and off the field. Some play better than they talk, while others are more articulate than their on-field game, but that doesn’t change how inspirational they may be. You can learn several things from each of these captains if you’re interested in becoming a positive influence on others, just like the leaders and managers above have done. Stay happy and continue learning throughout your journey as a cricket player!
Tags: Captaincy, MS Dhoni, Ricky Ponting, Test Cricket, Virat Kohli
