Stats: Captains with most Tests without same XI in career

Ever since Virat Kohli has taken up the Test captaincy, India has got used to wait to know their playing XI only after toss with Kohli gaining a reputation of making at least one change even if there are no injury concerns. The ongoing Test match against England at Mohali is Virat Kohli’s 20th Test as captain and he is yet to field in with same playing XI in two consecutive Tests. Thus he joined the rare list of 6 captains who never took the field with same XI in consecutive Tests. (Min: 20 Tests for their team)

Among the six players, Mushfiqur Rahim is only other to Kohli from the current crop to feature in the list. Mushfiqur in fact, has led Bangladesh in 26 Tests and is yet to take field in with same XI in two consecutive games. Here is the list:

(* indicates ongoing streak)

Taking about the list of captains who took quite a long to field in with a same XI in consecutive Tests, South Africa’s Graeme Smith stands at top as he fielded in his first 43 Tests with making at least one change. Sourav Ganguly stands next on this list with 28 consecutive Tests from captaincy debut with at least one change.

(Note: Graeme Smith acted as captain in 109 Tests, which includes the ICC World XI Test. This list is made excluding that game.)

(Stats updated till 26th November 2016)