For Indian cricket fans, 2024 felt like an emotional whiplash wrapped in blue. It was a year full of ups and downs, like a long, painful ride that never stopped. While the good times felt thrilling, the bad ones left fans dizzy and tired. 

What’s it like to cheer for a team that changes faster than you can follow? While the cricket heroes grow old, do you see the new stars waiting outside, ready to take over?

The high point: World Cup redemption

India’s T20 World Cup win in 2024 was deeply personal for fans, helping to heal old wounds after an agonising 11-year wait since their last in 2013. That long wait hurt, especially after the sad loss in the 2023 ODI final. However, Rohit Sharma, a player many thought was done, led with strength and fire. 

Rahul Dravid, often seen as 'too quiet', gave his boldest moment yet. In the final, Virat Kohli stepped up when it mattered most. Hardik Pandya, who missed the 2023 final in Ahmedabad due to injury, found redemption. At last, the 'almost' years were over. For a moment, the past didn’t hurt anymore�?but was it the end, though?

The fall that followed: A steep, sudden collapse

After the T20 World Cup triumph in 2024, India's Test form faced significant challenges. The tour of Australia began with optimism but soon highlighted the team's vulnerabilities.

Rohit struggled to score runs, while Kohli didn’t play like himself. The team lost its sharp edge. Rahul stepped down as head coach, and Gautam Gambhir took over in July 2024. Amidst inconsistent performances and leadership changes, fans pondered: was this the dawn of a new era or the end of a golden chapter?

The new guard: Fresh blood, fierce fire

While the older players struggled, India’s young players took the spotlight with energy, confidence, and no fear. Yashasvi Jaiswal brought style at the top, playing match-winning innings with ease. Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh added power and steadiness. 

Tilak Varma also stayed calm and wise beyond his age in the middle order. This new group showed hunger, style, and a strong will to move past the old ways. Now, the question isn’t if they can take charge�?it’s 'should they'?.

A team at the crossroads

By the end of 2024, India looked like two teams in one: one chasing old goals, the other trying for a fresh start. The confidence that once felt natural now seemed weak. With the 2026 T20 World Cup coming soon, tough questions need answers. 

What is the real path for this team? How long can India hold on to the past and change at the same time without falling apart? India didn’t just go from hot to cold in 2024�?they burned and froze. Somewhere in the middle, the future quietly showed up.

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Being captain isn’t simply about setting the field or calling heads or tails. Captains need to understand their teammates and adjust to different situations. Their decisions affect team mood, tactics, and results. For fans, the question of who's the best captain is always a fun yet heated debate. Here's a look at the top leaders who’ve best stood out on the field:

The mark of a good captain: What skills lead to greatness?

Great captaincy requires handling pressures that fans rarely notice. For instance, modern leaders must deal with media scrutiny and guide their teams through changes after retirement.

They also need to balance their roles between franchise and national duties. Their job goes well beyond the boundary rope, where calm judgment, communication, and a long-term vision show their value.

Here are the things that make a great cricket captain:

Win/loss ratios

A captain’s win/loss record gives a quick look at how well they’ve done. However, the full story is more than simple numbers. Winning often with a strong team can make the record look better than it is. 

On the other hand, leading a weak or new team can hurt the record, even if the captain does a good job. Doing well under pressure, despite the odds, is a true mark of greatness that no numbers can measure.

Strength of opposition

Wins against weaker teams can make the numbers look nice, but they don’t tell much. It’s the tough, close games against strong sides that test a captain. These games show if a captain can stay calm and think fast. Playing well against the best teams shows real skill. Even if the team doesn’t always win, the captain earns respect.

Team progression

A great captain helps the team get better than before. This can show in higher rankings, a stronger bench, or a clearer playstyle. Even when the team is rebuilding, good leaders prepare for future wins. Real progress often comes from work done off the field, not only from what happens during the game.

Tactical decisions

Picking different bowlers or changing the batting order can win or lose matches. Great captains watch the game closely and change plans as things happen. They notice when the game swings or how the pitch is playing. 

Using both feeling and planning, they can beat teams with better players. While some choices are easy, the brave and well-timed ones show real skill.

Player development

Captains help young players get better and support the experienced ones. A good leader makes a safe space where players can learn from mistakes and grow. 

Trust and encouragement help players find their place in the team. Giving players real jobs can change their careers. Many top players say they did well because a captain believed in them early.

Versatility

Being a captain today means leading in Tests, ODIs, and T20s. Each game is different and needs a different direction. Changing from slow and steady play to fast and risky is not easy. Captains who can change their style for each game, place, and player’s need should be flexible. These captains often keep their teams strong for a long time.

The finest captains under the spotlight

Today’s top cricket teams owe much of their success to strong leaders. India, England, and Australia have improved because their captains bring the team together. Watching these captains shows how important they are for keeping and growing the best teams in cricket.

Here are the top cricket captains today:

Virat Kohli (India)

Virat Kohli led India’s Test team with bold captaincy and great batting. He scored 7,000 Test runs in only 138 innings, among the fastest in cricket history. Kohli played well in other countries and built a strong and tough team. His leadership changed Indian cricket by mixing a strong fighting spirit with helping young players.

Pat Cummins (Australia)

Pat Cummins stands out as Australia’s calm and smart captain. He has helped the team win major trophies while excelling as a bowler. Cummins is one of the fastest to take 150 Test wickets. He recorded one of the best bowling performances by an Australian captain with 6/23. 

Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

Kane Williamson is renowned for his tactical genius and calmness under pressure. He leads New Zealand with quiet confidence, fostering a strong team spirit. 

Over his career, he ranks among New Zealand’s most experienced leaders, having captained in nearly 100 ODIs. Williamson has also scored centuries in both innings of a Test match, demonstrating remarkable skill and steady focus.

Ben Stokes (England)

Ben Stokes leads England’s ‘Bazball�?style with bold and fearless play, transforming Test cricket through brave decisions and innovative tactics. As captain, he supports attacking play and taking risks instead of following old ways. His biggest record includes hitting the most sixes in Test history at 133. It shows the fast-paced style he brings, mixing fun with strong drive.

MS Dhoni (India)

MS Dhoni turned the Chennai team into a winning machine with ice-cold choices and strong trust in his players. He stayed calm even in tough moments and changed how people see captaincy. His top record includes the most stumpings in international cricket at 195. It pays tribute to his quick reflexes behind the stumps in high-stakes games.

Rohit Sharma (India)

Rohit Sharma shocked Indian cricket in 2023 with smart field moves and a calm mind. He is known for having the highest score in an innings in ODI history at 264 runs. He also has a total of 637 sixes in 499 international matches. These records show his timing, control, and focus. He changed power-hitting by mixing strength with smooth, clean shots.

Stats vs strategy: Which bears more weight?

While numbers show how a captain does, they aren't enough to show a leader's value. There are things that numbers can't measure, like wit, morale, and the inspiration they bring to the team. 

In T20 cricket, where data is used a lot, leaders still need feeling and heart. As new stars change the field, the question of who's the best captain remains an ever-changing debate.

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Recently, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) honoured Rohit Sharma. Now, pressure is building for them to do the same for Ravi Shastri. Former Mumbai captain Shishir Hattangadi has written a letter to the MCA, asking them to recognise Shastri’s huge role in Indian cricket.

Hattangadi said he was surprised and concerned that Shastri’s name was missing from the list of legends remembered at the stadium. Shastri was part of India’s 1983 World Cup win, played in 80 Tests and 150 ODIs, and later became India’s head coach. He helped shape the team during the 2010s, especially in Test cricket, working closely with then-captain Virat Kohli.

Shastri also made history by hitting six sixes in one over in a 1985 Ranji Trophy game, joining the elite group of players to achieve the feat, after Sir Gary Sobers. He scored nearly 7,000 runs and took 280 wickets in his playing career. He later became a well-known voice in cricket commentary.

Hattangadi called on the MCA to correct what he sees as an oversight. He said this isn’t a political statement, but about giving credit where it’s due. Many fans now wait to see if the MCA will respond and give Shastri the honour he deserves.

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Ravi Shastri made a big call in 2019. While serving as India’s head coach, he told Rohit Sharma to open in Test matches. Shastri saw Rohit's performance in the 2019 men's cricket World Cup, scoring five hundreds and topping the run charts.

Rohit accepted the challenge. In his first match as a Test opener, he scored a twin century and looked right at home. He started strong and kept going. From that point, he scored 9 of his 12 Test hundreds as an opener.

Shastri said Rohit liked batting early and had all the shots to handle fast bowlers. He praised Rohit for working hard on his technique, mainly during the England tour. 

Rohit retired from Test cricket last week. He finished with 4,301 runs, 12 hundreds, and 18 fifties in 67 matches. His success at the top didn’t come by luck. It came from a smart move and intense effort.

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India’s Test captain Rohit Sharma announced his exit from his red-ball career. The 38-year-old star shared the news on his Instagram story on Wednesday, May 7. His decision is effective immediately, just weeks before India’s next Test series against England which starts on June 20.

Rohit bid goodbye after playing 67 tough Test matches, scoring 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57. He also notched up 12 centuries, with a career-best of 212 points. While he stayed strong in the white-ball format, his Test form dipped. He made just one century in his last 19 innings.

Rohit wrote in his post, ‘It's been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites�? He had already quit T20Is after guiding India to their 2024 T20 World Cup win. Now, he plans to focus more on ODIs, where he remains one of India’s top players.

The Indian cricket governing body also paid tribute to the veteran online with a post, ‘Thank you, Captain. End of an era in whites�?

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Many believe in superstitions and lucky charms, and cricket’s biggest names are no exception. From strange habits to lucky items, discover the quirky beliefs some of the greatest cricket stars follow for good luck on the pitch.

Sachin Tendulkar’s left pad 

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in history, had a unique pre-match ritual: he always put on his left leg pad first before walking onto the field. 

It might seem like a harmless quirk to normal eyes, but for Tendulkar, it was part of a deeply ingrained routine. He has often downplayed this as a ‘habit�?rather than a superstition. 

Steve Waugh’s red handkerchief

One of the sport’s most respected players, Australian cricketer Steve Waugh, had a small, deeply personal superstition: he carried a red handkerchief during matches. This handkerchief was a gift from his grandmother, and it holds sentimental value to him. 

As years passed, it became more than a keepsake and became his lucky charm. For Waugh, the handkerchief likely provided comfort and a psychological boost, reminding him of family and grounding him during high-pressure moments.

Neil McKenzie’s strange rituals

South African cricket star Neil McKenzie is a well-known batsman but had his fair share of strange rituals before a game. In the dressing room, he ensures that all the toilet lids are closed. 

Another one is rooted in a prank made by his teammate, where they taped his cricket bat to the ceiling. In the next game, he hit a century. After that, he taped his bat to the ceiling before every big game. 

Jack Russell’s hat

Former English wicketkeeper Jack Russell is known for his ‘eccentricity�?and fun ways of keeping himself in tip-top shape every match. One of these ways is wearing the same hat every game for decades. 

He insisted on wearing the cricket hat and even threatened not to play in the 1996 World Cup if he was not allowed to wear it. The management gave up and let him as long as the Three Lions are stitched to it. At one point, it caught fire when he was drying it in the oven, but it survived and lived to see more games. 

Rohit Sharma’s routine

The top-notch batsman of India, Rohit Sharma, is known for his impressive and elegant batting style and pre-game routines. Before a match, he ensures that he finishes a good cup of coffee. After that, he calls his wife to say ‘hi�?to relieve the pent-up pressure of the upcoming game. 

Upon stepping on the pitch, he makes sure his right foot lands first and then hits a few balls before the match starts. Once he’s in, he focuses on a single spot in the stadium and keeps his gaze fixed on it to help maintain focus when under pressure.

Sunil Gavaskar’s dressing room seat

Sunil Gavaskar is a cricket legend of the Indian local scene, and even he is not safe from superstitions. He once said in an interview that he has a permanent seat in their team dressing room where he sits for a long time before a game. After his retirement, he went there again to check it and found it was a designated spot for the 12th man. 

He is also known for putting his left pad and shoe first before the right ones, believing it brings him good luck. 

Virender Sehwag’s jersey 

India’s most fearless and entertaining opener, Virender Sehwag, is famous for wearing a jersey with no number. Initially, he had the number �?4,�?but his mother believed it was unlucky and asked him to change it. His wife also told him to change to number �?.�?/p>

To avoid discord, he chose to wear a jersey with no number on it. It had problems with the local council, but they accepted it after hearing his explanation. He continued to wear the no-number jersey throughout his career.

Exploring the world of cricket superstitions 

Cricket is a high-pressure sport that requires focus, so to relieve it, a lot of them have superstitions and habits before the game starts—and sure enough, cricket superstars also do the same. These can range from wearing a specific piece of gear to stepping onto the field in a particular way.

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India was hailed as the new ICC Champions Trophy title holder. It’s a testament to their skills, efforts, determination, and teamwork. Their path was filled with challenges, showcasing their resilience and commitment. Discover the inspiring story of how they secured the prestigious title and cemented their place in cricket history. 

Group Stage

India vs. Bangladesh

India’s first hurdle in the group stage was Bangladesh. The team’s strong openers posed a challenge, but India overcame the obstacles and dominated Bangladesh, winning by six wickets.

India vs. Pakistan

As longtime rivals, Pakistan went all out, relying on their biggest weapon against India—aggressive fast bowlers. However, India’s experience on the field proved superior, leading to a six-wicket victory.

India vs. New Zealand

New Zealand’s slow start gave India an early advantage, but NZ’s counterattack put IND under pressure. The high-intensity match between the two teams ended with a convincing win for India, who crushed New Zealand by four wickets. 

Semi-finals

India vs. Australia

India started strong, knowing Australia’s team could easily shift the game’s momentum. However, the team’s elite bowlers quickly dismissed India’s openers. Despite their efforts, India’s resilience prevailed, securing a four-wicket victory and a spot in the final round.

Final

India vs. New Zealand

After their previous faceoff in the group stage, India and New Zealand met again—this time for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title. The grand finale has begun, and the coin has favoured New Zealand, which opted to bat first. 

Captain Kane Williamson of New Zealand aimed to set a defendable target, but India’s disciplined bowling attacks put immense pressure on the Kiwi side.

Both teams had delivered exceptional performances throughout the tournament, but India's all-round performance secured them the championship victory. 

Notable players

1. Virat Kohli

His composure and precision during the semi-final match with Australia and the finale with New Zealand were essential to the team’s success. 

2. Rohit Sharma

The captain’s explosive starts boosted India’s morale and gave the team a sturdy foundation for their next attacks. His century against Bangladesh was crucial to their road to victory. 

3. KL Rahul

KL Rahul's batting skill, wicketkeeping ability, and experience make him a crucial asset to the Indian team in the Champions Trophy 2025.

Watch India as they conquer higher heights

Their impressive display of skill got them to where they are today. The well-deserved ICC Champions Trophy title is a fruit of the team’s hard work. From enduring the struggles they faced in the Group Stage to defeating elite teams in both the semi-finals and final rounds, the journey was not easy, but it was worth it for India. 

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Indian cricket is always a big contender for any cricket format, but their Test form has been shaky as of late. Captain Rohit Sharma is often the player discussed in the results as he is the leader who the team will look for.

Rohit’s leadership has come under fire due to the team’s struggles. Of course, he is still a successful captain for the club and country, headlined by the most recent win in the Champions Trophy. Get to know why he deserves to remain as captain and the potential success he can give to the team. 

Sharma is the inclusive captain they need

As one of the most respected players in India’s cricket system, Sharma has a big place as a leader. Thankfully, he has done well to incorporate players into the system since some have not received valid chances to stand out as part of the team. 

Rohit is smart since he knows that India is always producing talented cricketers. With that pipeline, a captain like Sharma does not want to waste any time, so he looks at these young players and gives them the chance to display their talent. That is huge for Indian cricket as it opens the door for some players to improve and motivates them to become the best version of themselves. 

Punjab star player Shashank Singh has talked about what he sees in Sharma that makes him a good leader to follow.

He said, ‘Everyone says that he backs his players to the hilt; gives them plenty of chances. He is a very smart captain. His one-liners on the field are also quite funny. If you ask me one captain I would want to play under, it will be Rohit Sharma�?

Sharma is already experienced as a leader

India has high standards for a captain. Since he is still active as a player, Sharma deserves to be seen as the leader who can propel them to success. He has already done so multiple times, and Sharma is a natural captain that everyone respects.

Though there have been some setbacks amidst his triumphs, the ceiling is always limitless with Rohit as the captain. There are more ways to improve the team than replacing the captain, especially in the Test format. It would be good to have Sharma as the captain as he is always open to suggestions and will work on the mistakes they have made.

Expectations are high, but Sharma consistently rises to meet them. Indian cricket has a high standard, so playing at a high level under a good captain should be a priority.

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Rohit Sharma has denied rumours about retiring from One Day Internationals (ODIs). After India’s win in the 2025 Champions Trophy, Rohit made it clear that he isn’t leaving the 50-over format. This victory was India’s second ICC tournament win in a row under Rohit’s leadership, following their 2024 T20 World Cup win.

Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami are also said to be retiring after winning the Champions Trophy. However, Rohit assured fans he’s taking things one step at a time. He also said he might play in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be around October or November. 

He added, 'I’m not making any promises yet, but I’m not saying no either.' His choice to keep playing ODIs seems connected to his goal of matching MS Dhoni’s record. Dhoni is the only captain to win three ICC trophies, such as:

• 2013 Champions Trophy
• 2011 ODI World Cup
• 2007 T20 World Cup.

Rohit has also won two ICC trophies as captain: the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. If he leads India to victory in the 2027 ODI World Cup, he’ll match Dhoni’s record with three.

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India claimed their third ICC Champions Trophy title with a 4-wicket victory over New Zealand in an intense final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill led the chase with a 105-run opening stand. India successfully posted a 254 for 6 in 49 overs.

New Zealand’s competitive start

Batting first, New Zealand posted 251 for 7 in 50 overs. Daryl Mitchell kicked off the innings with 63 runs off 101 balls, while Michael Bracewell provided support with an unbeaten 53 off 40 balls. India’s spinners controlled the game, with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy taking two wickets each.

Rohit and Rahul lead India to victory

India started strong during their innings, with Sharma scoring a crucial 76 off 83 balls. His aggressive yet composed performance gave the team a solid foundation. 

After a minor collapse in the middle order, with the Black Caps claiming wickets—including Gill’s and Kohli’s—KL Rahul guided the team’s victory with an unbeaten 34 off 33 balls. 

The chase was completed in 49 overs, securing India’s second straight ICC tournament triumph after the recent Men's T20 World Cup.

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