Great teams are build-up by the guidance of great captains. An amazing captain will maximize his resources and will bring the best out of players. The definition of a successful captain is one who will positively handle pressure and who can stay true to his vision. However, the public perception and demands keep on changing regularly. Cricket has seen some very popular captains who have reached the pinnacle of popularity because of their leadership qualities as well as their overall charisma and vision. Here is the list of the Most Popular Cricket Captains.
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Most Popular Cricket Captains
There have been countless cricketers who were often referred to as great leaders, but there are only a couple whose names will go down in history. Here is one such list of top 5 cricket captains that are well known for their leadership as well as their ability to win through crucial circumstances.
5. Imran Khan
Imran Khan has also been the Prime Minister of Pakistan, but before entering into politics, his leadership was praised from every corner of the world. He led the team Pakistan to win the 1992 Cricket World Cup, which is still the only one-day world cup Pakistan has won. Imran Khan was a likable personality both on and off the field, with a large female following and a leader who was respected by all. He abruptly retired after losing in the semifinals of the 1987 World Cup but returned a year later as entire Pakistan wanted their leader back.
He was considered to be a great all-rounder who could contribute with both bat and ball but besides that, he had a vision and ability to back the players he believed in. His sight and mentorship qualities made Imran khan one of the most popular captains of all time, who didn’t fear thinking outside the box to get the desired results.
4. Clive Lloyd
He was the captain of one of the most successful and dominant teams in the history of cricket. He captained the West Indies during their dominance of world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s. During his captaincy, West Indies won two consecutive world cups in 1975 and 1979, respectively, but they lost in the final in 1983 to India. During his captaincy, the Windies won 27 Test matches without a loss, including 11 straight wins, and it was his persona that he could handle and get the best out of the champion player he had.
3. Steve Waugh
He is known as the man who started the era of dominance in the 1990s, Australian cricket was a fighter with the bat, the ball, and a leader. The best quality Steve had as a captain was he used to praise his ability to lead from the front when the team was under extreme pressure is renowned worldwide. During his captaincy, Australia won the 1999 world cup when they were almost out of the tournament, and they had to win all five matches to win the tournament.
2. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting started from where Steve Waugh left and then he took the team to the next level. The Australians were so dominant under his captaincy that most teams considered beating Australia in a single match an accomplishment. During the time of his captaincy, they won two world cups (2003 and 2007) without losing a single match.
1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
He was criticized in the initial part of his career for not being talkative behind the; stumps however, in a span of a couple of years, he retired as one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team. His ability to stay calm under pressure, both as a batsman and captain, has earned him the moniker ‘Captain Cool.’
During his captaincy, India was ranked no. 1 in ICC Test, ODI, and T20 Rankings. Whatsoever, the ODI World Cup, which India won at home in 2011, is Dhoni’s crowning achievement as a captain of the Indian Cricket Team.
