Top 10 Best Captain in the World
Cricket has evolved a lot over the years, and captaincy has become one of the most crucial elements of the modern game. While many legendary cricketers have led their countries with distinction — from Sir Clive Lloyd to MS Dhoni — only a few stand out as truly great leaders.
In 2025, the best captains are those who consistently deliver match-winning performances and possess exceptional leadership qualities. They are judged on factors such as tournament success, tactical intelligence, ability to inspire their teammates, and overall impact on results. This article ranks the top cricket captains in the world in 2025, based on their achievements and the way they have shaped their teams into world-class competitors.
Top 10 Cricket Captains in the World – 2025 Updated List
In this article, we look at the best cricket captains in the world in 2025, ranking them using key criteria such as tournament success, leadership qualities, performance under pressure, and overall impact on their team’s results. These factors allow us to fairly assess which captains are truly leading from the front and making a difference on the global stage.
| Rank | Captain | Country | Matches as Captain | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win % | ICC Trophies Won as Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pat Cummins | Australia | 49 | 31 | 11 | 6 | 67.3% | 2 (WTC 2023, ICC CWC 2023) |
| 2 | Rohit Sharma | India | 142 | 103 | 33 | 3 | 72.5% | 2 (T20 WC 2024, Champions Trophy 2025) |
| 3 | Temba Bavuma | South Africa | 77 | 46 | 28 | 1 | 59.74% | 1 (WTC 2025) |
| 4 | Ben Stokes | England | 35 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 60% | 0 |
| 5 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | 42 | 25 | 14 | 0 | 59.5% | 0 |
| 6 | Tom Latham | New Zealand | 68 | 40 | 26 | 0 | 58.80% | 0 |
| 7 | Suryakumar Yadav | New Zealand | 23 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 78.2% | 0 |
| 8 | Aiden Markram | South Africa | 43 | 21 | 22 | 0 | 48.83% | 0 |
| 9 | Hashmatullah Shahidi | Afghanistan | 54 | 25 | 25 | 1 | 46.29% | 0 |
| 10 | Mohammad Rizwan | Pakistan | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 44.0% | 0 |
Who is the Best Captain in the World Right Now?
Pat Cummins is widely regarded as the best captain in world cricket at present, especially in the Test format. Known for his calm temperament, smart tactics, and ability to lead from the front with the ball, Cummins has transformed Australia into one of the most dominant teams of this era.
Since taking over the captaincy, he has delivered a series of historic achievements:
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🏆 Won the ICC World Test Championship (2023)
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🏆 Retained the Border–Gavaskar Trophy against India
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🏆 Lifted the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
10. Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
Newly appointed as Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan has already shown glimpses of his leadership potential, guiding the team to a series win in Australia and performing well in a tri-series involving New Zealand and South Africa. Although his impact wasn’t felt during the Champions Trophy at home, his calm approach and work ethic have impressed many.
With greater backing from the board and the inclusion of fresh, fearless young talent, Rizwan is expected to grow rapidly into the role. Given time and experience, he could become one of the world’s most respected captains by the 2027 World Cup.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Rizwan | 18 | 8 | 44.44% |
9. Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan)
Hashmatullah Shahidi has played a major role in transforming Afghanistan cricket. Under his captaincy, the team qualified for their first ICC Champions Trophy and impressed during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Widely rated as one of the best captains among associate nations, Shahidi has helped Afghanistan evolve from underdogs into genuine contenders. His leadership is focused on nurturing young talent and building a strong, reliable batting unit — though consistency in big tournaments remains their next challenge.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | 54 | 25 | 46.29% |
8. Aiden Markram (South Africa)
Aiden Markram has emerged as one of South Africa’s finest modern captains, famously leading the Proteas to their first-ever T20 World Cup final in 2024. Although the title slipped away, his fearless leadership in the shorter formats has been widely praised.
Markram has also captained the ODI side whenever Temba Bavuma has been unavailable and is seen as the natural successor in the 50-over format. Known for delivering under pressure, he has played several match-winning innings and also guided Sunrisers Eastern Cape to back-to-back SA20 titles, highlighting his growing stature as a top-class captain.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden Markram | 43 | 21 | 48.83% |
7. Suryakumar Yadav (India)
Suryakumar Yadav, famous for his innovative “360°” batting style, is quickly becoming one of the best T20 captains in world cricket. After Gautam Gambhir took over as India’s head coach, SKY was appointed national T20I skipper and has already impressed — winning away series in Sri Lanka and South Africa, and defeating England at home.
Even when not scoring big runs himself, he has shown sharp tactical skills and strong backing of young players. His leadership experience with Mumbai Indians in the IPL has also helped shape him into a fearless and exciting new-age captain for India in the shortest format.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suryakumar Yadav | 23 | 18 | 78.2% |
6. Tom Latham (New Zealand)
Tom Latham has earned a strong reputation as one of the best Test captains in world cricket. He made headlines by leading New Zealand to a historic series win in India — beating them at home for the first time in 12 years and completing a rare clean sweep after 24 years. With composed batting and smart tactical moves, Latham outplayed India by rotating his bowlers brilliantly and applying constant pressure.
Highly respected for handling both young talent and experienced players, Latham is seen as a future leader who could guide New Zealand to another ICC World Test Championship title if he continues to use his captaincy skills wisely in the next cycle.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Latham | 68 | 40 | 58.80% |
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5. Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)
Mitchell Santner has quietly become a key figure in New Zealand’s limited-overs leadership group. Following in the footsteps of Daniel Vettori, the left-arm spinner has impressed with both his temperament and tactical awareness.
Santner made history by guiding New Zealand to their first ICC Champions Trophy final since 2000, winning over fans with his smart use of resources and ability to lead from the front — even though they narrowly lost to India in the final.
So far, he has captained New Zealand in 27 white-ball matches, winning 15 and losing 10 (win rate 55.55%), including a balanced 3–3 record in ODIs despite limited opportunities. With time and consistent backing, Santner has the qualities to become one of the finest Kiwi captains and potentially lift an ICC trophy in the coming years — cementing his place among the best cricket captains in the world.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Santner | 42 | 25 | 59.52% |
4. Ben Stokes (England)
Ben Stokes is widely regarded as the best Test captain in world cricket today. A world-class all-rounder and a natural leader, he has transformed England’s red-ball team with his ultra-aggressive mindset alongside coach Brendon McCullum. Stokes’ captaincy has injected fearlessness and belief into the side — perfectly showcased during the thrilling 2023 Ashes series, where his tactical brilliance almost sparked a historic comeback.
Known for his “lead-from-the-front” attitude and never-give-up spirit, Stokes inspires his teammates especially in high-pressure moments, making him an exceptional modern-day captain and a major reason behind England’s resurgence in Test cricket.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Stokes | 35 | 21 | 60% |
3. Temba Bavuma (South Africa)
Temba Bavuma has emerged as one of South Africa’s finest and most dependable leaders in recent times. Calm, composed, and tactically sharp, he has guided the Proteas to major milestones — including the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy, and now into their first-ever ICC World Test Championship final.
A reliable middle-order batter, Bavuma anchors the innings and performs when his team needs him most, especially in Tests and ODIs where his style suits the No.3 role perfectly. Under his leadership, South Africa have shaken off the long-standing “chokers” tag by consistently making deep runs in ICC events. With a WTC final against Australia ahead, Bavuma is firmly in the conversation as one of the best captains in world cricket today.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temba Bavuma | 77 | 46 | 59.74% |
2. Rohit Sharma (India)
Rohit Sharma is not only one of the finest ODI batters in world cricket but also one of the most successful captains of the modern era. Known for his effortless timing and calm style, Rohit has proven to be a brilliant leader for Team India in white-ball cricket.
He is the only captain ever to reach four ICC finals, and has already won:
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🏆 ICC Champions Trophy (Dubai)
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🏆 ICC T20 World Cup 2024
The only major trophy missing from his cabinet is the ICC ODI World Cup. In 2023, Rohit led India to 10 straight wins and into the final, only to fall short against Australia on the big day. Still, with the 2027 World Cup on the horizon, many believe Rohit can complete his legacy as the world’s best cricket captain if he continues at the helm.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 142 | 104 | 73.23% |
1. Pat Cummins (Australia)
Pat Cummins has become the gold standard of leadership in modern cricket. Ever since Australia’s triumphant run at the 2023 ODI World Cup, everything under his captaincy seems to turn to success. As a fast-bowling all-rounder, Cummins has shattered the myth that quicks can’t be great captains — proving himself not only as the best Test bowler in the world (2025) but also the most complete leader in international cricket.
His captaincy resume speaks for itself:
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🏆 ICC World Test Championship 2023 champion
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🏆 ICC ODI World Cup 2023 winner
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🔒 Retained the Ashes in England
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🏆 Led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL 2024 final
Cummins’ calm approach, tactical brilliance, and ability to lead from the front have reshaped Australia into an unstoppable force in both Tests and ODIs — making him the No.1 best captain in the world right now.
| Player | Matches Captained | Wins | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Cummins | 49 | 33 | 67.3% |
How We Ranked the Best Captains in the World – 2025
To ensure fair and unbiased rankings, we evaluated each captain using three universal criteria:
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Tournament Success:
Performances in high-pressure ICC events like the Cricket World Cup, T20 World Cup, and World Test Championship are the true measure of captaincy excellence. Winning major titles or consistently reaching the final stages was a key factor in our rankings. -
Leadership Qualities:
Great captains do more than just call the toss — they inspire their teammates, manage dressing-room dynamics, remain composed under pressure, and make bold tactical decisions when it matters most. Their ability to bring the best out of every player is crucial. -
Impact & Legacy:
Beyond trophies, we looked at how a captain transforms the mindset, culture, and fighting spirit of a team. The very best leaders leave a lasting legacy and change the way their team approaches the game — even long after they step down.
