List of India national cricket captains

Captain of India national cricket team
Official Flag of India

Incumbent
Top: Rohit Sharma (Men's team: Test and ODI) and Suryakumar Yadav (Men's Team: T20I)
Bottom: Harmanpreet Kaur
(Women's team - All formats)
since men's Team ODI: 2017 and Test: February 2022; T20I: 23 November 2023
women's Team All Formats; 2012/13 Respectively
Board of Control for Cricket in India
TypeCaptain
StatusCaptain of the India National Cricket Team
Member of
Reports toBoard of Control for Cricket in India
AppointerBoard of Control for Cricket in India
Term lengthNot Specified
Inaugural holderMen's National Captains

Women's National Captains

FormationJune 1932 (92 years ago) (1932-06)
DeputyVice Captain of Indian Cricket Team

This is the list of captains of Indian cricket team who have led the team in at least one international cricket match. A captain is the appointed leader of the team, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of the other players. As in other sports, the captain is usually experienced and has good communication skills and is likely to be one of the most regular members of the team, as the captain is responsible for the team selection. Before the starting of the game in cricket, the captains toss which decides which team will bat first. During the match the captain decides the team's batting order, who will bowl each over, and where each fielder will be positioned.[1][2]

Cricket was introduced to the Indian subcontinent by the English in the 17th and 18th centuries.[3] Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the national governing body of cricket in India.[4] The BCCI was established on 1 December 1928 at Madras and joined the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1926 which later became the International Cricket Council.[5][6] The captains of the national teams are appointed by BCCI and the India national cricket team selectors appointed by BCCI choose the other players for the national teams.

On 25 June 1932, India became the sixth nation to play test cricket and the men's cricket team was led by C. K. Nayudu against England at Lord's.[7] Nayudu led India in the first international cricket match held in India on 15 December 1933 when Gymkhana Ground in Bombay hosted the only match during England's tour of India.[8][9] Vijay Hazare led India to its first win in fifth test of home series against England on 10 February 1952 at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Madras.[10][11] Ajit Wadekar led India in its first ever ODI on 13 July 1974 at Leeds against England.[12] On 1 December 2006, Virender Sehwag captained India in its first T20 International against South Africa at Johannesberg.[13]

Shantha Rangaswamy led the women's team in their first women's test match against West Indies at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bangalore on 31 October 1976.[14] Diana Edulji led India in its first WODI during the 1978 Women's Cricket World Cup against England on 1 January 1978 at Eden Gardens in Calcutta.[15] Mithali Raj captained India in the first WT20I on 5 August 2006 against England at Derby.[16]

Krishnamachari Srikkanth was the captain for the first youth test for India U-19 team against Pakistan U-19 which began on 20 January 1979 at Wankhede Stadium in Bombay while Ravi Shastri captained India U-19 in the first youth ODI in 1981 against England U-19.[17][18]

Rohit Sharma is current captain of the men's team in Tests and ODIs and Harmanpreet Kaur is current captain of women's team in all Formats.

  1. ^ "The Role of the Captain". DangerMouse. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Cricket Rules and Regulations". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Board of Control for Cricket in India — History of cricket in India". International Cricket Council. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  4. ^ "BCCI covered under Australia's Right to Information Act, rules top appellate body". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  5. ^ BCCI Constitution (PDF) (Report). p. 16. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Full member: Board of Control for Cricket in India". International Cricket Council. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Only Test, Lord's, June 25-28, 1932, India tour of England". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Mission 2023: Bombay Gymkhana plans big bash for 90th anniversary of first test". The Times of India. 28 December 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  9. ^ "1st Test, Mumbai, December 15-18, 1933, England tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  10. ^ "When India recorded their first test win". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  11. ^ "5th Test, Chennai, February 06-10, 1952, England tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  12. ^ "1st ODI, Leeds, July 13, 1974, India tour of England". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Only T20I (N), Johannesburg, December 01, 2006, India tour of South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  14. ^ "1st Test, Bengaluru, October 31 - November 02, 1976, West Indies Women tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  15. ^ "2nd Match, Calcutta, January 01, 1978, Women's World Cup". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Only T20I (N), Derby, August 05, 2006, India Women tour of Ireland and England". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  17. ^ "1st Test, Wankhede, January 20 - 22, 1979, Pakistan Under-19s tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  18. ^ "India Young Cricketers in England Youth ODI Series 1981". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.