Top 10 Best Captain in the World 2025-26 - Updated

The game of cricket has evolved over the years. In modern times, many changes have been made across the formats of the game. Many great cricketers have been a part of this game all through these years; some of them have gone on to become the best captains for their side, and some have failed to achieve the leadership role. From the likes of the great Sir Clive Lloyd to MS Dhoni, there have been some amazing names in captaincy.

The best cricket captains are judged by many factors. They have been match winners for their side throughout the years as a player, and now, as captains, they have shaped the team and made them compete as the best team in world cricket. In 2025, some captains have been brilliant for their side, whether in the leadership role in batting or bowling. Fans always want to know who is the best captain in the world currently.

In this article, we will look at some of the best captain in the world in 2025 and will rank them per the ranking factors of tournament success, leadership qualities, and impact.

How We Ranked Best Captain in the World- 2025

We have ranked the top 10 best captain in the world based on specific universal factors to ensure the rankings are fair and unbiased.

• Tournament Success: A captain's skill in winning critical tournaments is an essential marker of his or her brilliance. Captaining in high-stakes ICC events like the Cricket World Cup, T20 World Cup, and World Test Championship (WTC) is the ultimate test of one's leadership skills.
• Leadership Qualities: Leading a player on the field is much more than just winning a game; it’s also dealing with not-so-simple tasks like motivating players, handling egos, and keeping calm while everything is going down. A superb captain needs excellent judgment and can afford to make risky tactical decisions without risking team morale.
• Impact: A captain's contribution to a team should not be measured just by his accomplishments, but by how he changes the team's outlook, attitude, and resilience of the team. The best captains leave behind a legacy that will live on well beyond their playing careers.

Top 10 Cricket Captain in the World 2025-26 - Updated List

In this article, we are ranking all the best captain in the world currently, based on the above-mentioned ranking factors. These criteria help us evaluate leadership, performance under pressure, and overall impact on the team's success.

Who is the Best Captain in the World?

Pat Cummins has quickly become one of the standout captains in cricket, particularly excelling in the Test arena. Renowned for his strategic mindset, composure under pressure, and leading through outstanding bowling performances, he has reshaped the Australian side into a formidable unit.

Since assuming the captaincy, Cummins has guided Australia to several significant victories, notably clinching the ICC World Test Championship in 2023 and retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Additionally, under his leadership, Australia secured a memorable win in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, further cementing his reputation as an exceptional leader.

10. Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)

Mohammad Rizwan has been recently appointed as the captain of Pakistan after their regular failures in ICC competitions. Rizwan has just started to lead the side and won the series in Australia, and they also played well in the tri-series between Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa. However, his captaincy failed to have an impact in the Champions Trophy at home.

There has not been much criticism about him, but the team has failed to perform. However, if given a chance, Rizwan will be one of the finest captains going to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. The management needs to back him and provide some young and new players on the side who can play fearless cricket. He will surely lead the side better once he gets in and gets the experience, and will get ranked higher as the world best captain in cricket.

9. Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan)

Hashmatullah Shahidi has been one of the captains for Afghanistan who changed their cricketing dynamics. He led the side to their first ICC Champions Trophy. The side also finished in a good position during the 2023 ODI World Cup. He is rated very highly as one of the best captain in the world in the associate nations for how he changed the dynamics of Afghanistan cricket.

Afghanistan has made remarkable progress, but consistency in high-stakes tournaments remains a challenge. Shahidi has helped Afghanistan transform from an underdog to a team capable of challenging cricketing powerhouses. His focus is on developing young talent and establishing a solid batting lineup.

8. Temba Bavuma (South Africa)

Temba Bavuma has been one of the finest captains for South Africa in recent times. He stands out as the best test captain in the world currently. He has led the side to the ODI World Cup semi-final and the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final. The middle-order batter has performed with the bat as well when the side needed him. He has been better suited as a number three batter rather than opening the innings. Takes his time and scores big runs in ODI and test formats.

Bavuma will also be leading the side in the upcoming ICC Test Championship final against Australia. He has led the side well during the test championship cycle and helped them secure a place in the final for the first time. South Africa has also somewhat removed the chokers tag as they have qualified for two finals in the last three ICC competitions.

7. Ben Stokes (England)

Ben Stokes is one of the finest all-rounders of this generation and the best test captain in the world. The English test team captain has also been one of the finest at leading the side in the traditional format of the game. His aggressive mindset, along with Brendon McCullum's aggressive brand of cricket, is a dream combination in world cricket. He has been one of the finest leaders for the Three Lions in red ball cricket.

His best leadership contribution came in the 2023 Ashes series, where he nearly pulled off a comeback in the series. His never-say-die mindset motivates younger players, and he often leads from the front in critical moments. His presence alone improves England's performance. This is the reason he is the best cricket captain in the world.

6. Aiden Markram (South Africa)

Aiden Markram is another name for South African cricket that will be etched in history. He is the first and only captain for the side to lead a team to the final of the T20 World Cup. His captaincy helped the Proteas dominate the whole of the T20 World Cup 2024. But failed to win the championship. However, he has been an exceptional leader for the side in the shorter format of the game.

Markram has also led South Africa in the ODI format in the absence of Temba Bavuma. He is also next in line to take over the captaincy role once Bavuma steps down from the 50-over format. He has played some crucial and match-winning innings for the side. Markram also led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape twice to the title in the SA20 league.

5. Suryakumar Yadav (India)

Suryakumar Yadav has been one of the finest T20I batters in world cricket and the best captain in the world in the T20 format. His innovative style of playing shots has earned him the name of ‘Indian 360’ player. He has been in great form in the shorter format of the game and has played some sensational innings for the Men in Blue. Now, after the appointment of Gautam Gambhir as the head coach, he has been named as the captain for the T20I format.

SKY has been a brilliant leader as he has won series in Sri Lanka and South Africa, and then beat England at home. Despite not getting runs from the bat, he has led the side brilliantly and has been gaining experience in the shorter format of the game. He also leads Mumbai Indians (MI) in the absence of Hardik Pandya and always backs his young players.

4. Tom Latham (New Zealand)

Tom Latham has been the best test captain in the world. He led New Zealand to a memorable victory against India in India. The Kiwis under his captaincy beat India after 12 years and cleanswept them after 24 years at their home. Latham performed with the bat in the series, demolishing the Indian spinners, and also made some brilliant bowling changes and choked India.

In the coming years, Latham will be one of the finest captains in the red ball format and can lead the side to their second ICC Test Championship title as well if he makes use of his leadership role well in the upcoming new cycle of the traditional format of the game. The Southpaw has been excellent at nurturing young talent and managing the experienced campaigners as well.

3. Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)

Mitchell Santner has come out as a dark horse in the limited-overs format. He is a left-arm spinner, after Daniel Vettori has been a successful captain for the Kiwis. Santner won the hearts of the Kiwi supporters after leading them to their first ICC Champions Trophy final since 2000. However, the team lost to India in the final. But Santner was excellent with the ball and his lead from the front.

With New Zealand playing just a handful of ODIs each year, he has captained only seven matches, winning three and losing three. He has led the Black Caps in 27 matches, winning 15 and losing 10, for a win rate of 55.55%. If time is given, he will turn out to be one of the finest captains for the Kiwis in the upcoming years and can also lead them to ICC trophies as well. This showcases why he ranks among the top 3 best cricket captain in the world.

2. Rohit Sharma (India)

Rohit Sharma has been one of the most elegant batters to watch in white ball cricket. He has been one of the sweetest timers of the ball. He has been a matchwinner since the start of his career. But as a leader, he has always been one of the finest for the Men in Blue. He is the only captain in the world to lead a team to four ICC Finals. Rohit Sharma led India to their third ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai.

Rohit, as the most successful captain in the world, has also led India to the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy. The only limited-overs trophy missing from his cabinet is the ICC ODI World Cup. He led the side to the final of the competition after winning 10 matches in a row. But that one bad day against Australia in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium left his dream shattered. However, if he captains the side till the 2027 World Cup, Rohit might complete his dream. This is the reason he is the world best captain in cricket.

1. Pat Cummins (Australia)

Pat Cummins has been one of the most talked-about names as a captain since the 2023 ODI World Cup. Since then, whatever he has touched has turned to gold. He, as a fast bowling all-rounder, showcased to the world how to become the most successful captain in the world, even as a fast bowler, especially in modern-day cricket. Cummins has led the side well across ODI and Test formats. He is ranked as the best captain in the world among all the captains. Cummins has won Australia the ICC World Test Championship and ICC ODI World Cup 2023 and retained the Ashes series in England as well. He also led Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final of the IPL 2024. This showcases his talent as a captain and the role he has played in shaping Australia as one of the most dangerous sides across the ODI and Test formats of the game. This is the reason he ranks as the world no 1 captain in cricket.

Who is Best Captain in the World of All Time?

The debate over who holds the title of the greatest cricket captain of all time is ongoing, but Ricky Ponting is frequently recognised as one of the most successful leaders the sport has ever seen. He captained Australia through an era of unmatched dominance from 2002 to 2011 across all formats.

During his tenure, Ponting guided Australia to two ICC Cricket World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007, and he was also part of the 1999 World Cup-winning squad as a player. Throughout his captaincy, he led the team in 324 international matches, securing 220 wins, which gives him the best winning percentage (67.9%) among captains with long-standing careers.

Beyond his captaincy achievements, Ricky Ponting also had an extraordinary career as a batsman. He is one of the most prolific run-scorers in cricket history, scoring over 27,000 international runs, including 71 international centuries. Known for his aggressive yet technically sound batting, Ponting consistently delivered under pressure and was especially dominant against top-tier bowling attacks. He played a pivotal role in Australia’s sustained success across all formats during the 2000s.