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Top Most Successful ODI Captains In Cricket History

By Anushka Shukla December 13, 2022

Outstanding ODI CAPTAINS In Cricket

One Day Internationals usually referred to as ODIs, are a format that began in 1971 but gained prominence in the 1980s. In these one-inning, 50-over contests, teams with a combination of technique, speed, and talent do well. This blog will discuss the five most successful ODI captains of all time. Read on to know more!

What exactly is an ODI cricket? 

What is Limited Overs Internationals (LOI), another name for One Day International contests, can also be used to describe Twenty20 International competitions. They represent the pinnacle of List A, limited-overs play, and are big matches. ODIs typically have a conclusion unless they are interrupted by weather or play is halted because of poor lighting. One Day Internationals see a lot of runs, fun, and excitement as players play in colored jerseys. At times, the matches are Day-Night or D/N in nature. 

The team batting first sets a target, and the team batting second has to overhaul the target. 50 overs are allotted to each team to bowl and bat. A bowler may only bowl a total of ten overs. It is a no-ball if the bowler crosses the lines marking the bowling creases on either side of the pitch. In the event of a no-ball, the batsman receives a free hit and can only be dismissed by run out or stumping.

5 Most Successful ODI Captains

One-day international cricket is one of the most thrilling forms of the game. Also, it has fostered many players' careers who have become genuine legends. Many excellent captains from various countries have brought their games to the highest level possible.

Who are the top five most successful one-day international (ODI) captains in cricket?

Leading a team for one-day internationals (ODIs) is difficult. But these five captains have shown us that success can become a habit. The five most successful captains in the history of One-Day International cricket are as follows:

  1. Stephen Fleming- 98 ODI wins

The flamboyant New Zealand batsman was one of his country's most successful leaders. He guided his team to victory in 98 of the 218 ODIs they participated in during his tenure as captain. He coached the Black Caps to three World Cup appearances. Out of these, two of them go to the semifinals before falling short.

He was also an essential member of the team's opening batting lineup and had played several memorable hits during his career.

  1. Hansie Cronje- 99 ODI wins

The late Hansie Cronje is an insightful captain and a brilliant all-rounder. He guided his team to several triumphs over his career. He was their team's youngest captain when he led the team on their tour of Australia in 1994-1995.

His calm demeanor and abilities with the bat and the ball made him an excellent leader. Because of his 99 One-Day International (ODI) wins, he is now the fourth most successful captain in history. And he led his side in a total of 138 ODI matches.

  1. Allan Border-  107 ODI wins

When the Australian team was struggling in the middle of the 1980s, Allan Border was promoted to captain. Despite his reluctance to assume the role of leader, he brought about a turnaround in their fortunes. Thanks to his intelligent decision-making and general aptitude.

In the 1990s, Allan Border led Australia to become one of the most dominant teams in the world. He played in 178 one-day internationals (ODIs), second only to Ricky Ponting's total for the country. He led his team to triumph in two World Cups and won one of those tournaments. In all, he won 107 matches.

  1. MS Dhoni-  110 ODI wins

MS Dhoni is India's most successful captain and all-time most excellent wicketkeeper. He is also the only captain in Cricket history to win three tournaments. Dhoni was India's captain for almost seven years and included three significant games. World T20 in 2007, the 50-over World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013. He led from the front in each of these tournaments.

He led his team to victory in 110 one-day internationals (ODIs) and finished with 6,633 runs scored. His batting average of 53.92 in one-day internationals is higher than any other skipper. Because of his ability to finish and make tremendous hits, he will forever be famous as a game legend.

  1. Ricky Ponting- 165 ODI wins

Ricky Ponting, a legend from ODI, takes first place as the most successful skipper in One-Day International history. In 2002, he became the captain. At one point, the team was victorious in 34 consecutive matches. He was the team captain when they won two straight championships. Also, he went on to win a total of 165 games, making him the player with the most victories in the format's history.

Most Successful ODI Captain of India

MS Dhoni is India's most successful One-Day Internationals (ODIs) captain. He led his team to victory in an astounding 110 of their 200 One-Day International matches between 2007 and 2018. The wicketkeeper-batsman is the only Indian captain with more than 100 victories. He accomplished this with a victory rate of 59.52 percent.

In 2007, Dhoni succeeded Rahul Dravid as ODI's one-day international team captain. The following year, he guided the Indian cricket team to its first-ever victory in a bilateral ODI series. The series took place in Sri Lanka, and there has been no turning back ever since then. Dhoni is now the second on the list of most successful ODI captains.

In 2009, Dhoni guided India to its first win in a bilateral ODI series. The series took place in New Zealand. The highlight of his tenure as captain was in 2011 when he bowled the winning run against Sri Lanka. Due to this, India won the Cricket World Cup after a 28-year absence.

Dhoni led ODI in one-day internationals for 11 years, during which time he led the team to 6641 runs at an average of 53.55.

On the other hand, Mohammad Azharuddin is India's second-most successful skipper in One-Day Internationals. The batsman led the 50-over squad as captain from 1990 to 1999 and was victorious in 90 of his 174 matches. After leading his team to victory in 76 of 146 One-Day International games (ODIs), Sourav Ganguly ranked third on this list.

Virat Kohli's name appears in the fourth after he led his team to victory in 65 of their 95 one-day internationals as captain. Team India was victorious in the one-day international (ODI) series in the following countries when Kohli was captain:

  1. Australia
  2. New Zealand
  3. Sri Lanka
  4. South Africa
  5. West Indies
  6. Zimbabwe

During his tenure as captain of the one-day international team, Virat Kohli accumulated 5449 runs in 91 innings. Kohli has led his side to more hundreds in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) as captain than just Ricky Ponting. Kohli has the highest victory % (70.43) out of all Indian captains who have won at least ten matches.

The Best Cricket Captain in The World: Know the most successful skippers across formats

Leadership is crucial to a team's success in all sports, including cricket. Also, leading their nation is the most significant accomplishment in a cricketer's career. Even though the position is fraught with pressure and responsibility, several individuals have risen their teams to the next level. So, who is the best captain in the world? Let’s find out!

From MS Dhoni to Allan Border, these are the world's greatest captains.

Ricky Ponting | 220 victories in 324 contests.

Ricky Ponting, former captain of the Australian cricket team, is statistically the most excellent captain in the world. He has won 220 of 324 matches, or 67.9 percent. Ponting won the 50-over World Cup in 2003 and 2007 and the Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009.

Ponting is Australia's highest run scorer in ODIs and Tests, with over 10,000 runs in each format. In addition, he is the only player to have won over 100 test matches.

MS Dhoni | 178 victories in 332 contests

MS Dhoni is second on the list of the top captains in the world with a victory percentage of 53.61 across all forms, having won 178 of 332 matches while leading his team.

Between 2007 and 2018, he led the Indian cricket team to its most successful period. During this period, they won three Cricket trophies. These are:

  • The T20 World Cup in 2007
  • The World Cup in 2011
  • The Champions Trophy in 2013. Team India achieved the highest Test cricket rating of No. 1 for the first time in their history.

Graeme Smith | 163 victories in 286 contests.

Former South African opener Graeme Smith is also one of the finest leaders in the world. He guided his team to victory in 163 of 286 matches. Graeme Smith was the youngest-ever captain of the Proteas at 22, with just eight Test matches of experience.

Under his direction, South Africa was one of the top touring teams. He is the only skipper to participate in more than 100 Test matches. Also, he has the most victories in Test matches as a captain with 53.

The critical peaks of his sparkling career are the two double centuries he scored in consecutive Tests against England during the 2003 South Africa tour of England.

Allan Border | 139 victories in 271 games

Allan Border is one of the best captains in the world and hitters. He got 139 victories in 271 games. He also scored more than 15,000 runs over a 15-year career.

When Australian cricket struggled, Border led to World Cup and Ashes victories in 1987. Between December 1984 and March 1994, Allan Border guided a team in the most straight Test matches (93). The Border is also the only player in history to have scored 150 runs in each inning in a Test match. He accomplished this in the drawn third Test of the Australia tour of Pakistan in 1979/80.

Virat Kohli | 135 wins in 213 matches

Virat Kohli is famous as the most successful ODI captain of India. He got 135 victories in 213 games for a phenomenal winning percentage of 63.38 percent. In December 2014, Kohli led India for the first time in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In the first innings of the game, he became the fourth Indian to achieve a century in his test captaincy debut.

During his tenure as national cricket team captain, the Delhi-born player broke many records. Currently, he is second only to his countryman Sachin Tendulkar in terms of international hundreds, tied with Ricky Ponting.

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FAQ’s

  • In cricket, what does it imply when they refer to an ODI? Arrow
    One Day Internationals, commonly abbreviated as ODIs, are limited-overs cricket matches that began in 1971 but started gaining traction in the 1980s. One-inning games consist of a total of 50 overs for each team. Also, teams combining technique, speed, and talent will succeed the most.
  • How many overs does an ODI consist of? Arrow
    One-day internationals, often known as ODIs, are limited-overs cricket played between two teams with international status. Each team in an ODI plays a specified number of overs, currently set at 50, and the match may go up to nine hours. The Cricket World Cup, which typically occurs once every four years, follows this pattern.
  • When playing ODI, do you use fresh balls each time? Arrow
    A brand-new ball is utilized at the beginning of each inning in a cricket match. In one-day cricket, the start of each inning involves the usage of two brand-new balls, one from each end of the pitch.
  • Who is the most successful captain in the history of cricket? Arrow
    Ricky Ponting, a former captain of the Australian cricket team, holds the record as the most successful skipper in the history of the sport, having won 220 out of 324 matches, which is a staggering 67.9 percent.
  • Who is the one who hit the longest six in ODI? Arrow
    Jacob Oram, a batsman, known for lighting the stage on fire during his prime, now holds the record for hitting the longest six in the annals of One-Day International (ODI) cricket. It was off the bowling of Stuart Clark in the second innings of the match against their cross-Tasman rivals, Australia, that he hit a shot that traveled more than 130 meters. This match took place in 2005.
  • Who now serves as India's primary captain? Arrow
    There have been 36 players leading India in test matches, with Virat Kohli being the most successful captain in cricket with 40 victories.
  • Who is the best cricket captain in the world? Arrow
    Ricky pointing, MD Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Allan Border are some of the best captains in the world.

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