T20 is the shortest among the three formats in international cricket. As a result, it moves at a faster pace compared to Test cricket and One-Day Internationals.
Though at its entertaining best, T20s require teams to think and move faster to be on top of things. As a result, the captain will always have to stay ahead of the game and marshall his troops effectively as the game can easily move away in a matter of a few balls.
This is why the skipper’s decision-making becomes very crucial in such stages. Add to that the pressure of playing for the country and shouldering the burden of millions of fans, and it’s safe to say that captaincy is always a thankless job.
The captains will have to be ready with backup options in case the existing ones don't come off. From field placements to bowling changes, executing the strategies discussed with the team management to finishing the overs in time, the leader has to be adept at handling different situations simultaneously.
Though individual performances do play a role in winning matches, at the end of the day it is the captain and the collective that is responsible for the decisions and the outcome of the game.
With that in mind, we glance through the list of the most successful captains for India in T20Is.
Most successful captains for India in T20Is: Know who has most wins as skipper
|
Player |
Matches |
Wins |
Losses |
Ties |
No Result |
|
Rohit Sharma |
62 |
49 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
|
MS Dhoni |
72 |
41 |
28 |
1 |
2 |
|
Virat Kohli |
50 |
30 |
16 |
2 |
2 |
|
Hardik Pandya |
16 |
10 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
|
Suryakumar Yadav |
11 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Shubman Gill |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Suresh Raina |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Jasprit Bumrah |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Ruturaj Gaikwad |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Rishabh Pant |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
Rohit Sharma | 49 wins
Rohit Sharma is the Indian captain with most wins in T20Is having won 49 out of the total 62 games he captained. He lost 13 games with one T20I ending in a tie.
Rohit Sharma, who made his T20I debut in the 2007 T20 World Cup, captained India for the first time in 2017. He went on to become the most successful captain for India in T20Is with an astonishing win percentage of 79.03.
He was also the captain of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in Barbados in June 2024. After winning the World Cup, Rohit announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game.
MS Dhoni | 41 wins
MS Dhoni comes in second on the list of most successful captains for India in T20Is. Dhoni captained the Indian cricket team in 72 T20Is from 2007 to 2016 and won 41 out of them.
The wicketkeeper-batter had a creditable win percentage of 56.94 during his tenure as captain of the side. He led India in the first T20 World Cup and guided a young and inexperienced side to their maiden title in 2007.
More than the number of wins, it was the impact that he created as a leader especially in the nascent stages of T20Is, that stood out. India had to wait for 17 years to win their second T20 World Cup in 2024.
Virat Kohli | 30 wins
Virat Kohli is third on the list of most successful captains for India in T20Is. The batter won 30 T20Is as captain from a total of 50 games. He had an excellent win percentage of 60.
Virat Kohli started his captaincy stint with the Indian team in 2017 and was also the captain of the side in the 2021 T20 World Cup held in the United Arab Emirates. Kohli left a mark as someone who led the team by example, especially with his batting exploits and fitness standards.
Photo credit: Imago
