Top 5 highest scores by Indian captains in test cricket

Five different Indian captains have recorded a double century in test cricket.

India have perhaps the richest history in world cricket of legendary batsmen, and several of them went on to become captains in test cricket.

India played their first test in 1932. Until 2024, 36 players have led the Indian cricket team in test cricket, and only one of them – Jasprit Bumrah – was a specialist fast bowler. Most of them were batsmen, a few wicket-keepers and all-rounders.

Indian captains have led the side from the front with the bat. Many of them raised centuries while five of them crossed even the 200-run mark in an innings as the skipper of the side. And just one Indian skipper notched up multiple test double hundreds.

In this article, we will see the top five scores made by an Indian captain in test cricket.

Top five highest scores by Indian captains in test cricket:

5. Sachin Tendulkar – 217 vs New Zealand, 1999

Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar’s highest score as India’s skipper is 217, which he made against New Zealand in the Ahmedabad test in 1999. Batting first, India posted 583/7d, courtesy of Tendulkar’s double century, which included 29 fours, and Sourav Ganguly’s century.

New Zealand responded with 308 and India then set a target of 424 for the visitors. The Kiwis lost only two wickets in their second innings and the game ended in a draw.

4. MS Dhoni – 224 vs Australia, 2013

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni played a match-winning knock in Chennai against Australia in the 2013 home series. In the heat of Chennai, Dhoni batted for 265 balls to score 224, with the help of 24 fours and six sixes, to take India to 572, which was in reply to Australia’s 380.

India then bowled out Australia for 241 and then comfortably chased down the target of 50 runs. This is Dhoni’s highest test score.

3. Virat Kohli – 235 vs England, 2016

At the peak of his powers, former India captain Virat Kohli plundered multiple double centuries in test cricket. One of them was against England at the Wankhede in 2016.

The visitors did well to score 400 runs in their first innings, but it was overpowered by Kohli’s 235, which, in support of centuries from Murali Vijay and Jayant Yadav, took India to 631. India eventually won the match by an innings and 36 runs.

2. Virat Kohli – 243 vs Sri Lanka, 2017

Kohli dominated Sri Lanka throughout his career across all three formats. In the Delhi test in 2017, the then-captain Kohli racked up a double century and a half-century.

Batting first, Murali Vijay scored 155 while skipper Kohli amassed 243 in 284 balls, creaming 25 fours in his innings. They propelled India’s total to 536. In India’s second innings, Kohli played a quickfire knock of 50 (58) as India aimed for a declaration. That match still ended in a draw.

1. 254* vs South Africa, 2019

The highest score by an Indian captain in test cricket is 254* that Virat Kohli made against South Africa in Pune in 2019. This was one of the most chanceless double centuries you would have seen in test cricket.

After Mayank Agarwal’s century, Kohli made a mockery of the South African attack as he scored 254* off 336 balls with 33 fours and two sixes. India declared at 601 before bowling the Proteas out for 275 & 189 (following on).

(All stats updated till 15th October, 2024)

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