Top 7 Indian captains with most centuries in international cricket

Only one Indian captain has registered over 20 centuries in international cricket.

The Indian cricket team are one of the powerhouses in world cricket. The Asian Giants have seen numerous legendary cricketers who have uplifted their team’s status on the global stage. These cricketers possessed the ability to produce match-winning performances in challenging conditions. 

The Asian Giants have a rich cricket history when we talk about captains. From Kapil Dev to MS Dhoni, from Virat Kohli to Rohit Sharma, several Indian skippers left a grand legacy behind.

Indian captains have always played a huge role in their team’s success. Legendary Kapil Dev helped the side lift the 1983 World Cup and later MS Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC white-ball titles. Under Kohli, India won a test series in Australia for the first time, while Rohit ended the nation’s 11-year ICC title wait with the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy.

Apart from captaincy, they also entertained the fans through their batting exploits. On that note, let’s take a look at the top seven Indian captains with the most centuries in international cricket.

Top seven Indian captains with the most centuries in international cricket:

7. Rohit Sharma – 11 centuries

Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy duties from in 2021 and 2022 in different phases. He had been leading the white-ball teams on an interim basis since 2017. Under Rohit’s leadership, the Men In Blue won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Asia Cup 2023, and before that Asia Cup 2018.

Apart from his brilliant captaincy, Rohit has set an example with the bat as well. The opener has notched up 11 centuries as a captain in 128 matches. As a skipper, Sharma has made 5241 runs at an impressive average of 41.59.

6. Sunil Gavaskar – 11 centuries

Sunil Gavaskar is recognized as one of the greatest openers of all time. Gavaskar was the first Indian batsman to notch up 10,000 runs in test cricket.

As a captain, Gavaskar recorded 11 centuries in 84 matches and amassed 4151 runs at an average of 43.69.

5. MS Dhoni – 11 centuries

MS Dhoni is India’s most successful white-ball captain, clinching all three ICC white-ball titles (ICC T20 World Cup 2007, ICC ODI World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013).

Apart from his immaculate leadership, Dhoni was also known for his thunderous batting as the Ranchi-born won many matches with the bat. In 332 matches as a captain, Dhoni scored 11207 runs at a brilliant average of 46.89 along with raising 11 centuries.

4. Sachin Tendulkar – 13 centuries

Sachin Tendulkar is hailed as arguably the greatest batsman the game has seen. During his 24-year illustrious career, the Master Blaster achieved innumerable batting records. However, his captaincy tenure was short-lived, though he still did well as a batsman.

As a captain, Tendulkar played 98 matches and scored 4508 runs at a decent average of 42.93 and made 13 centuries.

3. Mohammad Azharuddin – 16 centuries

Mohammad Azharuddin was one of India’s finest captains and a legendary middle-order batsman. Azharuddin captained the Indian side from 1990 to 1999, but soon his career ended prematurely amid the match-fixing scandal.

As India’s skipper, Azharuddin scored 8095 runs in 221 outings at an average of 40.88 and hammered 13 centuries and 46 half-centuries.

2. Sourav Ganguly – 16 centuries

Former cricketer Sourav Ganguly was known for his aggressive style of captaincy and for imbuing a culture of winning away matches. Under Ganguly’s leadership, the Asian Giants won the famous NatWest Series in 2002 in England and reached the final of the ODI Cricket World Cup 2003.

Apart from his inspirational leadership, Ganguly also made huge contributions with the bat. The left-handed batsman played 195 matches as a skipper, in which he amassed 7643 runs at an average of 38.40 and registered 16 centuries and 43 half-centuries.

1. Virat Kohli – 41 centuries

Modern-day legend Virat Kohli is one of India’s greatest captains and most successful one in test cricket. Under him, the Asian Giants won their first-ever test series in Australia in 2018. During his tenure, Kohli flipped the mentality in Indian cricket and brought in a strict focus on fitness while also initiating the culture of fast bowlers.

Kohli is the only Indian batter to score over 20 centuries as a skipper – he had 41 of them in fact. The legendary batsman made 12883 runs in 213 matches at an astounding average of 59.92 with 41 centuries and 58 half-centuries as the skipper.

Kohli and Dhoni are the only two cricketers to score 10,000 runs as Indian captains across formats.

(All stats updated till 16th October, 2024)

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