Rating top 10 best captains of all time

6. Kapil Dev

It is difficult to imagine where Indian cricket would’ve been if not for the heroics of the Kapil Devils in 1983. 15 brave yet not so ambitious men traveled to England in 1983 in a quest to win the World Cup, which many felt was way too far-fetched for the Indians. But on 31st July, it was Kapil Dev lifting the World Championship trophy in the Lord’s balcony, scripting one of the finest fairytales of all time.

Kapil Dev played an instrumental role in instilling belief in the team that they could beat anyone. The result of his hard work was clearly seen in the 1985 Benson & Hedges Trophy, where his team romped through everyone else to claim the trophy. A lot of critics still rate it as the finest side India produced in its vast history.

Kapil Dev led the side from 1982 to 1987, before handing over the responsibility to Mohammad Azharuddin. In the 108 International fixtures he captained India, they won 43 of them, losing 40. He was also the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket for a brief period, going past the legendary Sir Richard Hadlee.