Over the years, ODI cricket has witnessed the rise of numerous captains. These visionary leaders have not only shaped the destiny of their teams but have also redefined the essence of leadership. Among them, the World Cup-winning captains stand out as icons of success, having etched their names in cricketing folklore through their monumental achievements on the grandest stage of them all.
The success of every captain’s career is often calculated by their ability to lead their team to World Cup glory. This prestigious tournament, held every four years, serves as the ultimate test of a captain’s mettle.
Icons like Clive Lloyd, who led the West Indies to consecutive World Cup triumphs in 1975 and 1979, and Kapil Dev, who captained India to their maiden World Cup victory in 1983, are among captains who clinched the prized silverware.
In the modern era, the likes of Ricky Ponting, MS Dhoni, and Eoin Morgan have guided their respective teams to World Cup glory. However, not just the World Cup trophy, but the overall win and loss ratio of a captain in all the games also defines his leadership.Â
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8 Most Successful ODI Captains in CricketÂ
| Player | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | NR | W/L | %W | %L | % Tied | % Draw | %NR | % |
| Ricky Ponting –Australia | 2002-2012 | 230 | 165 | 51 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3.23 | 71.73 | 22.17 | 0.86 | 0.00 | 5.21 | 76.14 |
| MS Dhoni – India | 2007-2018 | 200 | 110 | 74 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 1.48 | 55.00 | 37.00 | 2.50 | 0.00 | 5.50 | 59.52 |
| Allan Border – Australia | 1985-1994 | 178 | 107 | 67 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1.59 | 60.11 | 37.64 | 0.56 | 0.00 | 1.68 | 61.42 |
| Graeme Smith – South Africa | 2003-2011 | 150 | 92 | 51 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1.80 | 61.33 | 34.00 | 0.66 | 0.00 | 4.00 | 64.23 |
| Hansie Cronje – South Africa | 1994-2000 | 138 | 99 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2.82 | 71.73 | 25.36 | 0.72 | 0.00 | 2.17 | 73.70 |
| Virat Kohli | 2017-21 | 95 | 65 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2.40 | 68.42 | 28.42 | 1.05 | 0.00 | 2.10 | 70.43 |
| R. Sharma | 2017-2024 | 48 | 34 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2.83 | 70.83 | 25.00 | 2.08 | 0.00 | 2.08 | 73.40 |
| C. Lloyd | 1975-1985 | 84 | 64 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3.55 | 76.19 | 21.42 | 1.19 | 0.00 | 1.19 | 77.71 |
1. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting took over the reins of the Australian team in 2002, and embarked on a journey that would redefine the standards of excellence in cricket leadership.
Ponting’s tenure as captain was marked by an unprecedented level of success. One of the most remarkable feats of Ponting’s captaincy was the 34-game winning streak achieved by the Australian team under his leadership. Ponting’s crowning glory as captain, however, came in the form of back-to-back World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007, solidifying Australia’s status as cricketing giants. His leadership during these tournaments was exemplary.
With 165 wins in total as captain, Ricky Ponting holds the record for the most wins as a captain in ODI.
2. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni is not just India’s most successful ODI captain ever, but also among the world’s best ODI captains of all-time.
The highlight of Dhoni’s captaincy is winning three ICC tournaments. From the inaugural ICC World T20 triumph in 2007 to the iconic 50-over World Cup victory in 2011, followed by the Champions Trophy win in 2013, Dhoni led India to glory on cricket’s grandest stages.
With 110 ODI wins to his name, Dhoni’s leadership was characterized by his astute decision-making and the ability to remain calm under pressure. He was equally good with the bat too, amassing 6,633 runs at an average of 53.92.
Furthermore, as the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Dhoni’s leadership has propelled the franchise to unprecedented success, securing five IPL titles. From the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008 to the recent triumphs, Dhoni has been the driving force behind CSK’s dominance in the league.Â
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3. Allan Border
Tasked with leading an Australian team in turmoil during the mid-1980s, Allan Border reshaped the fortunes of Australian cricket.
Despite inheriting a squad grappling with inconsistency and uncertainty, Border’s leadership instilled a sense of belief and unity within the team, laying the foundation for a resurgence that would redefine Australian cricket for years to come.
Border’s captaincy tenure spanned 178 ODIs, from which he secured 107 victories. One of the crowning achievements of Border’s captaincy was leading Australia to victory in the 1897 World Cup, which was the first-ever World Cup title for the Kangaroos.
4. Hansie Cronje
Hansie Cronje’s journey as captain began during a tour to Australia in 1994–95, where he was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the South African team. His tenure at the helm was marked by an impressive feat – playing the most consecutive ODI matches as captain. While South Africa never clinched the ICC World Cup under Cronje’s captaincy, his overall win percentage is impressive.
Despite the team’s achievements under his leadership, including a notable winning percentage of 73.3%, Cronje’s legacy was overshadowed by the revelation of his involvement in match-fixing, which ultimately led to his downfall and tarnished his reputation.
5. Graeme Smith
Another South African on the list is Graeme Smith, who became the captain at the age of 22, when his side was grappling with match fixing allegations. However, Smith showed maturity and resilience in the face of adversity. He led South Africa to numerous memorable victories and instilled a winning mentality within the team.
With a total of 92 wins out of 150 matches as captain, Smith boasted an impressive winning rate of 63.8%. Smith’s tenure as captain came to an abrupt end following a disappointing exit from the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.
In a total of 197 ODI matches, Smith amassed 10 centuries and numerous match-winning performances along the way.
6. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli took over from MS Dhoni as the India captain and he went on to become India’s most successful cricket captains and became one of the best ODI captain in the world. He first led India in an ODI match in 2013 and went on to lead India in 95 ODIs. He won 65 matches and lost just 27 and had best win percentage (70.43) among all Indian ODI captains.
He is also known for his aggressive and passionate style and has set several records during his tenue as India cricket captain. He has 80 international centuries, placing him second only to Sachin Tendulkar.
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7. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma who is the current captain of the Indian team is one of the best ODI captain in the world. Rohit took over as India’s captain in 2022, but he was in charge of the side in few matches back in 2017.
Under his captaincy, India has played 41 matches so far – he has picked up 31 victories and suffered just nine defeats, with one match ending without a result. This impressive record gives Rohit a current win percentage of 75.61%.
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8. Clive Lloyd
One of the most successful captain in ODI cricket is former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd who led West Indies to their inaugural World Cup victory in 1975. Under his captaincy, West Indies went to defend their title in 1979. He was a captain from 1975 to 1985 – he led the side in 84 matches and won 64 out these matches.
By the end of his career, Lloyd had achieved an impressive win percentage of 76.19% – he suffered only 18 losses, one match ended in a tie and another with no result.
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FAQs about Captain in ODI Cricket
Q) Which captains have won three ICC trophies?
A) The only captain to have won all the ICC trophies is MS Dhoni. He led the Indian cricket team to the trophy in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.
Q) Who is the most successful ODI captain by win percentage?
A) Ricky Ponting is the most successful ODI captain by win percentage. His win percentage was 76.14. Ponting’s crowning glory as captain came in the form of back-to-back World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007, solidifying Australia’s status as cricketing giants
Q) Who is a better captain between MS Dhoni and Ricky Ponting?
A) Going by the overall win percentage, Ricky Ponting is a better ODI captain than MS Dhoni. But going by the number of ICC trophies won, Dhoni is a trophy ahead.
Q) Who is the No. 1 captain in ODI?
A) The debate for the number 1 captain in ODI cricket is often debated, but Ricky Ponting is widely regarded as one of the best owing to his exceptional record with Australia.
Q) Who is the best ODI captain for India?
A) MS Dhoni is considered the best ODI captain for India as he led the team to victories in the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.
