Most Successful Test Captain of India

Test Cricket is the pinnacle of the game and there’s no doubt about it. The format tests the player inside out as it demands the player to show great patience and temperament. Playing the longest format of the game takes a lot out of players as it requires full intensity on all five days. The role of the skipper in the longest format of the game becomes extremely important. Leading the team in Tests is incredibly tough as compared to the other two formats as it needs leaders to make sure that they make the right decisions in every session to stay on top of the game. 

One of the Test cricket giants, who over the years maintained consistency, is the Indian team. They have played the format with utter dominance and have been sensational both at home as well as in overseas conditions. The main reason behind that has been the captains who have led the Indian Cricket Team. It’s fair to say that Indian cricket has been blessed to have got strong leaders, who have done some incredible things. In this piece, we take a look at the most successful Test captains of India. 

1. Virat Kohli’s 40 wins as Test captain of India 

The most successful Test captain of India is Virat Kohli and there is no doubt about it. If the Indian team is successful as a Test unit, it is just because of Kohli, who gave his sweat and blood for the team. He was appointed as the Test skipper in 2014. After that, he instilled a fearless attitude in the players and brought a fitness culture to the team. It was under his leadership that India started winning games overseas. They won the first-ever Test series in Australia, drew series in England and also won games in South Africa. Overall, he captained 68 games in the longest format of the game and won 40 games, which is the most by an Indian captain. His win percentage of 58.82 is also the highest among the Indian players. 

2. Ms Dhoni’s 27 wins as Test captain of India 

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni//Getty Images

The second most successful Test captain of India is MS Dhoni. The keeper-batter under his leadership made India No.1 in the ICC rankings as the team registered some famous wins. Dhoni backed a lot of players throughout his career who repaid his faith with stellar performances. He groomed Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and R Ashwin under him. He captained the team in 60 games, winning 27 and 18 games. The keeper-batter had a win percentage of 45 as captain in the longest format of the game. 

3. Sourav Ganguly’s 21 wins as Test captain of India 

The dada of Indian Cricket Sourav Ganguly also features in the list of most successful Test captains of India. He was one of the main reasons behind the change in Indian cricket as it was only under him that the team started challenging opponents and winning. He led from the front as he fought for his team. The left-hander captained the team in 49 games and won 21 games as a leader with a win percentage of 61.76.

4. Mohammad Azharuddin’s 19 wins as Test captain of India 

Mohammad Azharuddin is rated very highly in Indian cricket. He was one of the best batters to have played the game and his contribution to the Indian team has been immense. Not only as a batter but he was also a great leader and is touted as one of the best captains to have led the team. He is the fourth most successful Test captain of the team. He captained the Indian side for 47 games and managed 9 wins and 19 losses with a win percentage of 50. Also under him, the team managed 19 draws.