The ongoing Indian Premier League has witnessed a terrific record by Rohit Sharma where he featured in his 200th T20 match as captain during the game that happened between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Today, let us take a look at the players with the most T20 matches as the captain. The list includes four Indian players that also feature one of the greatest of all time, MS Dhoni. Here’s a look:
#5 Gautam Gambhir: 170 matches
One of the finest batsmen India has ever produced, Gautam Gambhir has been a part of some of the glorious victories during his days. He has captained 170 times in T20 matches out of which he won 98 games and lost 70.
Gambhir captained Delhi, Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders during his stint as a skipper. He had helped KKR win the IPL twice with his magical captaincy skills. After having some terrible time in the first three seasons, KKR opted for Gautam Gambhir as their captain and the southpaw led them to an iconic victory in the 2012 IPL.
He didn’t stop here as Gauti once again helped Kolkata win the 2014 title. He had been a special batter for his country on most occasions including a remarkable victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup final and 2011 World Cup final.
#4 Virat Kohli: 190 matches
One of India’s all-time greats, Virat Kohli enjoyed his T20 captaincy in 190 matches before taking a call. Though he was excellent in his captaincy in Test cricket and ODIs, his captaincy in T20s has always been questioned because of the lack of trophies in his account.
He made India victorious in multiple series but failed to lift any ICC Trophy as well as IPL. After trying his level best at the IPL stage, Kohli couldn’t win any trophy as a skipper. But, looking at his captaincy stats in the T20s, Kohli has won 94 games out of 190 and lost 85 matches. Now, his fans hope that he will help RCB win the title with his batting.
#3 Rohit Sharma: 201 matches
Rohit Sharma has added another milestone to his name
Having led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, Rohit Sharma has been a legend in Indian cricket. The Hitman recently played his 200th T20 match as skipper in the ongoing IPL and is all set to carry this legacy for a longer time.
Though he lost his 200th battle as captain, his overall record has been terrific in T20 matches. Out of 201 games, Rohit made his team victorious on 122 occasions with a splendid winning percentage of 62. The right-hander just lost 74 matches as a skipper which is a good record.
Rohit’s next target is to make Mumbai win in the current edition after a forgettable 2022 season. Without Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and some other players, this is completely a new side and now Hitman would need to win with the new set of players.
#2 Darren Sammy: 208 matches
One of the legends of West Indian cricket, Darren Sammy is second on the list of the most T20 matches as captain. He captained in 208 games for multiple teams including St Lucia Stars, Peshawar Zalmi, West Indies, and many more.
Sammy’s most iconic moments as captain came in 2014 and 2016 when he led West Indies to a sensational victory in the T20 World Cup. He was not only a terrific captain but a magnificent power-packed hitter who helped his side win games with his willow on a number of occasions. The right-hander has now retired from cricket and is busy in coaching and commentary roles.
#1 MS Dhoni: 309 matches
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the finest captains of all time in the history of cricket. Be it Test cricket, ODIs or T20s, this man has achieved heights in all the formats he has played in. After making his debut in 2004, the man from Jharkhand is still an active cricketer and leading Chennai Super Kings in IPL.
Dhoni has captained 309 times in T20 cricket and won 180 matches with a win percentage of around 60. He is still keeping his fans entertained with his big blows all around the park. The wicket-keeper batsman led India to a glorious victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup which is to date the best achievement for him in T20 cricket.
Thala has won four IPL trophies for Chennai Super Kings and would like to add another one before quitting cricket. If Chennai would play like this, who knows this will be their year to add one more trophy.