India's performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup tournaments from 1983 to 2023 has been a rollercoaster ride, with numerous captains leading the team at different junctures. These captains have played pivotal roles in shaping India's destiny in the ODI World Cups, and their leadership and cricketing acumen have left an indelible mark on the nation's cricketing history.
The craze in India became unreal from 1983 onwards when India won the world cup for the first time and the popularity of cricket skyrocketed.
Since then, India has won the World Cup once more in 2011, while it made it to the knockouts in 1996, 2015, and 2019 editions.
Here is a list of Indian cricket captains in ODI World Cup tournaments from 1983 to 2023:
1. Kapil Dev (1983, 1987):
In 1983, the BCCI appointed a young Kapil Dev as captain for the World Cup. He led brilliantly, scoring India's first ODI century and securing the title by defeating West Indies. Kapil Dev continued as captain in the 1987 World Cup, leading India to the semi-finals, where they were defeated by England.
2. Mohammad Azharuddin (1992, 1996, 1999):
After Kris Srikkanth's removal in 1989, Mohammad Azharuddin took over as captain. He led India in the 1992, 1996, and 1999 World Cups, with mixed results. India struggled in 1992, reaching only the league stage. In 1996, they made it to the semi-finals but lost to Sri Lanka due to crowd riots. The 1999 World Cup saw India fail to reach the semis.
3. Sourav Ganguly (2003):
Sourav Ganguly, who became captain in 2000, led India in the 2003 World Cup. After an early loss to Australia, India performed impressively, with Ganguly contributing three centuries. However, they lost to Australia in the final. Sourav Ganguly captaincy record in ODIs is impressive, He led the team in 146 ODI matches and won 76 of them, with a win percentage of 53.9.
4. Rahul Dravid (2007):
Rahul Dravid captained India in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, which faced scheduling issues and format criticism. India struggled, losing to Bangladesh and failing to advance past the group stage. This led to Dravid stepping down as captain.
5. MS Dhoni (2011, 2015):
MS Dhoni, who became captain in 2007, led India to victory in the 2011 World Cup at home, thanks to stellar performances from key players. He also captained India in the 2015 World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals but were defeated by Australia.
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6. Virat Kohli (2019):
Virat Kohli took over as captain in 2017 and led India to the 2019 World Cup in England. India performed well in the group stage but lost in the semi-finals to New Zealand, despite efforts from MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.
7. Rohit Sharma (2023):
Rohit Sharma is leading India in the 2023 World Cup. India comes into the tournament with recent successes and a balanced squad. Rohit Sharma has impressed with his captaincy strategies, and there are high expectations for India to win the World Cup on home soil.
Also Read | Is Rohit Sharma better captain than Virat Kohli
