It's been 38 years since India has been transformed into cricket crazy nation. It was Kapil Dev's team who defeated the mighty West Indies team at Lord's to win their first-ever ICC Cricket World Cup. The year was 1983. Cricket became the religion in India after that. Such was the leader and captain Kapil Dev. He then was the youngest captain to win the Cricket World Cup. As the whole nation celebrates that iconic moment, we bring you the list of the 5 youngest captains to lift the ICC Cricket World Cup.
#1 Kapil Dev- 24 years and 170 days
Kapil Dev and Mahinder Amarnath with 1983 Cricket World Cup- Image- Circle of cricket
At just 24 years and 170 days, Kapil Dev became the youngest captain to win the World Cup in 1983. Since then, no one has came even close to beat his record. Though, Kapil's team was not expected to win the world cup, he made sure everyone expects India to win every time after that.
One of the greatest all-rounders of the game, Kapil is remembered for his fearless leadership skill and attitude. Once, he was also the highest wicket-taker in test cricket. Kapil Dev by far India's one of the greatest leaders who changed the value of cricket in India.
Ricky Ponting with the 2003 cricket world cup. Image- Cricket.com.au
Ricky is probably the greatest limited over captain in cricket history. He won everything there was to be won before the T20 era. Ponting was only 28 years and 94 days old when he won the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup as a captain. Then, he repeated his success in 2007 as well by defeating Sri Lanka in the final.
In his credit he is also on the highest run-scorers in the knock-outs of ICC tournaments.
MS Dhoni with the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Image- India Today
Before winning the 2011 Cricket World Cup, MS Dhoni had the taste of success in 2007. So, there had to be a lot of expectations to deliver. And as they, Dhoni always finishes in style, Dhoni clinched the 2011 Cricket World Cup and became the first captain to win a world cup on home soil.
MS Dhoni was only 29 years and 269 days old when the men in blue won their second world cup after 28 years. After that, Dhoni also managed to win a champions trophy as well in 2013. That made him the first and only captain to win every ICC Tournament.
Clive Llyod with the 1975 Cricket World Cup. Image- ESPN
One of the greatest leaders in the history of the game, Clive Llyod was the first captain ever to win the Cricket World Cup. Clive Llyod was the captain of one of the greatest and most feared teams in the history of cricket. Known for his fearless batting and leadership skill, Llyod is regarded as one of the best man-managers in the cricketing world.
According to some pundits, managing that West Indies team with so many different characters was probably the most difficult part of Llyod's captaincy. He was only 30 years 294 days old when he won the World Cup for the first time in 1975.
Not to forget, it was in his captaincy that West Indies won two consecutive world cups in 1975 and 1983.
Probably Allan Border is the only captain in this list of youngest captains to win World Cup who did not wanted to be a captain. Border was given the captaincy of the Australian Cricket team unwillingly. He was one of the first Australian captains to bring that Aussie zeal and discipline in the team. Due to his very bad-tempered nature he was even called "Captain Grumpy".
But, it was Border who gave Australia their first taste of the World Cup in 1987. And till Ricky Ponting, he was the youngest Australian captain to do so at 32 years and 104 days.
So, the list of 5 Youngest Captains to lift the ICC Cricket World Cup looks like this-
Virat Kohli is now the second-highest run-getter in ODIs, going past Kumar Sangakkara. In this article, we will take a look at the batters with most ODI runs in cricket history.
Team India batter Virat Kohli added another golden page to his illustrious one-day record books during India’s emphatic nine-wicket victory over Australia in the third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground, becoming the second-highest run-getter in ODI history and moving past Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 14,234 runs. This milestone further cements Kohli’s legacy as one of the format’s greatest batters, trailing only Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record with 18,426 runs in 463 matches.
In this article, we will take a look at the batters with most ODI runs in cricket history.
Known as the "God of Cricket," Sachin Tendulkar scored the most ODI runs in cricket history. Over his 23-year career (1989–2012), he represented India in 463 ODI matches. He scored 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83. His record also includes 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries. His highest score was an unbeaten 200.
In his 24-year international career, the Master Blaster also played in six ODI World Cups. He was part of the 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011 ODI World Cups. In 2003, the Indian team narrowly missed winning the World Cup, losing to Australia in the final. In that World Cup, Sachin scored the highest number of runs (673) and won the Golden Bat award.
2. Virat Kohli | 14255* Runs
Indian batting stalwart, Virat Kohli, is now the second-highest run-getter in the format, going past Kumar Sangakkara. Kohli reached the landmark while guiding India to victory during batting against Australia in the third and final ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He overall scored 14,255 runs in 305 ODI matches with a highest score of 183. His tally also includes 51 centuries and 75 half-centuries.
Kohli also broke the record for most 50-plus scores in the second innings of ODIs, going past Tendulkar’s previous best of 69. He already holds the record for most centuries in ODI chases with 28 tons.
3. Kumar Sangakkara | 14234 Runs
Kumar Sangakkara, a maestro with the bat, scored 14,234 runs in 404 ODIs during his career from 2000 to 2015 with 25 centuries and 93 half-centuries. He is the only player to score 4 consecutive centuries, which came during the 2015 World Cup, in which he was the highest run-scorer.
His dominant stroke play and versatile approach helped him succeed as an opener as well as in the top order. Sangakkara's highest score of 169 came against a South African attack comprising the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in Colombo in 2013.
4. Ricky Ponting | 13704 Runs
Ricky Ponting, one of cricket's greatest captains, amassed 13,704 runs at an average of 42.03, while striking at 80.39 in 375 ODIs between 1995 and 2012. He also has 30 centuries and 82 half-centuries to his name in the format with a highest score of 164. A dynamic batter, Ponting also hit 1,231 fours and 162 sixes.
Apart from his batting ability, Ponting led Australia to two World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007.
At number five on this list is Sri Lanka's left-handed opening batter, Sanath Jayasuriya, who debuted in 1989 and played until 2011, where he scored 13,430 runs in 445 matches, at an average of 32.6, with a strike rate of 91.20.
Jayasuriya, along with those stats, had 68 half-centuries and 28 centuries to his name, as he was one of the finest players ever to come out of Sri Lanka. Not just that, the left-arm Sri Lankan legend also had a whooping 323 wickets to his name in as many games, as he helped the Island nation, on many occasions with his all-round abilities.
Top 10 players with most runs in ICC knockout matches
From Kohli to Tendulkar, explore the list of legendary batsmen who consistently delivered in crucial matches under pressure. Here are the top 10 players with most runs in ICC knockout matches.
In the high-stakes world of international cricket, the pressure of ICC knockout matches can make or break careers. Every player steps in with the mindset of taking their nation ahead in the game, leaving no room for regrets. However, only a few can actually stay consistent under such highly competitive environment.
No matter how a player performed throughout the tournament, the ultimate test always awaits in the knockouts. ICC knockouts' history have seen extremely talented players scoring for their teams and keeping the flow going.
The question is, out of all the consistent scorers round the globe, who scored the most runs? We have the answer to it. Check out the list of top 10 players with most runs in ICC knockout matches.
10. Mahela Jayawardene (499 runs) | Sri Lanka
Mahela Jayawardene celebrates a century for Sri Lanka. Image | X
Mahela Jayawardene, a true master of elegant batting, consistently delivered for Sri Lanka in crucial matches throughout his international career. He holds the 10th position with 499 runs in 18 innings played in ICC knockout matches.
One of his iconic knock among all is undoubtedly his century in the 2011 World Cup Final against India (103* off 88 balls). Though the match result was not in their favour, Mahela's contribution was the sole reason SL could reach a defendable target after the early collapse of the batting line-up.
Sourav Ganguly celebrates an international century for India. Image | TOI
The former captain and aggressive left-handed opener, Sourav Ganguly, led India with passion in high-stakes games. He often contributed with the bat which laid the foundation of a huge total for the team.
Ganguly scored 514 runs in only 8 innings played in ICC knockouts! His unbeaten141 against South Africa in the 2000 Champions Trophy semi-final is the highest among all his other knockout performances.
Ganguly stats in ICC knockout matches:
Span
Matches
Innings
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100
50
1998-2003
10
8
514
141*
85.66
87.41
3
1
8. Jacques Kallis (539) | South Africa
Jacques Kallis representing South Africa in international cricket. Image | Facebook
Jacques Kallis, the greatest all-rounder of his generation, was a pillar of the South African team. His contributions in the knockout matches for SA were not always marked by centuries, but they had solid consistency.
He scored 539 runs in only 11 matches, which says a lot about his dedication and hard work for winning. His highest among all was a notable 113* against Sri Lanka in the semi-final of the inaugural season (1998) of the ICC Champions Trophy, which led to a big victory.
Kumar Sangakkara in action for Sri Lanka in an ICC knockout match. Image | X
Another Sri Lankan legend makes it to the top 10 for most runs in ICC knockout matches with his quality batting. It is none other than Kumar Sangakkara, who was the cornerstone of SL in white-ball cricket for over a decade.
He was a part of several Sri Lankan teams that reached major ICC Finals, like the 2011 WC final, and the victorious 2014 T20 World Cup. Sangakkara scored 595 runs in 19 matches, at an average of 39.66.
His contributions were one of the key aspects of the team's success in reaching these finals.
Sangakkara stats in ICC knockout matches:
Span
Matches
Innings
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100
50
2000-2015
19
18
595
64*
39.66
71.47
0
4
6. Sachin Tendulkar (657) | India
Sachin Tendulkar after the 2011 World Cup triumph. Image | Olympics.com
The 'Little Master,' Sachin Tendulkar, played in an era where India reached multiple ICC knockout stages. He scored 657 runs in 14 innings, including a century. In knockouts, his vital half-centuries saved the team from choking in several matches.
One of his most remembered fifties is the 85 runs against Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup semi-final. Tendulkar's only century in a knockout game came against Australia in the 1998 quarter-final match of the Champions Trophy, where he scored 141 off 128 balls.
Kane Williamson celebrating an ODI century in 2025 for NZ. Image | Mint
Kane Williamson is the only cricketer from New Zealand to feature in this list, and that too in the top 5. He scored 659 runs in 15 matches and has always been a great support to the team's batting lineup.
His century in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa played a significant role in setting a good total, which led to a victory. Williamson played many such match-winning knocks for NZ in knockouts.
Williamson stats in ICC knockout matches:
Span
Matches
Innings
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100
50
2011-2025
15
16
659
102
47.07
76.62
1
4
4. Steve Smith (663 runs) | Australia
Steve Smith celebrates a fifty for Australia in an ICC knockout match. Image | Sky Sports
The Australian star player, Steve Smith, always showed a knack for performing on the big stage for his team. He stands 4th with 663 runs scored in 13 matches. One of his most memorable centuries in knockouts came in the 2015 World Cup semi-final against India.
Smith has consistently performed in every format, each time Australia reached the highly competitive stage of the game of cricket.
Ricky Ponting in action for Australia. Image | Mint
The legendary Australian batter, Ricky Ponting, led his side to unmatched dominance in ICC tournaments. He scored 731 runs in 18 matches, with 3 centuries and 1 half-century.
His most iconic ICC knockout moment is the 2003 World Cup Final, where he scored a phenomenal 140* runs against India. Australia winning the title that year made Ponting's knock more memorable.
Ponting stats in ICC knockout matches:
Span
Matches
Innings
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100
50
1996-2011
18
18
731
140*
45.68
81.58
3
1
2. Rohit Sharma (884 runs) | India
Rohit Sharma celebrates a century against Bangladesh in Aisa Cup. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The 3rd Indian batter to dominate the list, the 'Hitman' of cricket, Rohit Sharma, stands tall with 884 runs in 21 matches. He has a long experience of playing in high-pressure ICC knockout matches and acing them.
While he has multiple centuries in the World Cup, his highest in an ICC knockout is 137 runs, scored against Bangladesh in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final. From giving a solid start to carrying the momentum and building partnerships, Rohit has done it all to fetch those magnificent knockout victories.
Virat Kohli celebrates his 50th century in the 2023 World Cup against NZ. Image | X
Virat Kohli, the chase master and modern-day legend, sits atop this list with 1024 runs in ICC knockout matches. He is the only player ever to score over a thousand runs in knockouts, having 1 century and 9 half centuries.
Kohli's hunger for runs and victory makes him the most reliable player in vital matches. He reached his 50th ODI century by scoring 117 runs against New Zealand in the 2023 WC semi-final. He has often guided India through tricky chases or helped set up formidable totals.
India and Australia have a long-standing rivalry in ODI cricket. In this article, we will take a look at the batters who have scored the most runs for India against Australia in ODIs.
The three-match ODI series between India and Australia begins on October 19. The Indian squad for the upcoming series was announced on October 4. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as the captain of the ODI team. Several surprising changes were also made to the team. Rohit and Virat returned to the team after a long absence.
India and Australia have a long-standing rivalry in ODI cricket. The two countries face fierce competition in ODIs. In this article, we will take a look at the batters who have scored the most runs for India against Australia in ODIs.
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan comes fifth on this list scoring 1265 runs in 29 innings against Australia. He scored four hundreds and seven half-centuries against Australia with a best of 143 and at an average of 45.17.
Shikhar Dhawan played 21 ODIs in Australia and scored 819 runs at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 88.25. The southpaw struck two hundreds and four fifties in ODIs Down Under. Dhawan's best one-day score in Australia was 137 off 146 balls against South Africa in Melbourne in the 2015 World Cup. The knock featured 16 fours and two sixes. The left-handed batter also struck 126 off 113 balls against Australia in Canberra in January 2016, hitting 14 fours and two sixes.
4. MS Dhoni | 1660 Runs
Former India skipper and wicket-keeper batter MS Dhoni has the fourth-highest runs for India in India vs Australia ODIs. The 'Captain Cool' scored 1660 runs in 55 ODIs against Australia at an average of 44.86. He played his best inning of 139 not out in Mohali against the Kangaroo team in ODIs. He had scored two centuries and 11 half-centuries against them.
MS Dhoni also has a great record against Australia as captain. He tops the list of captains who have scored most runs against the Kangaroos. MS Dhoni during his career as a captain scored 1,204 runs against Australia. He slammed 87* off 114 balls against Australia in Melbourne in January 2019, a watchful knock which included six fours.
3. Rohit Sharma | 2407 Runs
Few batsmen can compare to Rohit Sharma when it comes to batting finesse. Against Australia, he’s turned that elegance into destruction. In 46 ODIs, Rohit has scored 2407 runs at an average of 57.30, including 8 hundreds 9 half-centuries and a record-breaking 209 in Bengaluru. That double century remains one of the most brutal innings ever played in ODI cricket.
Rohit also has a strong record in Australia. The right-handed opener has scored 1,328 runs in Australia, including four centuries and four fifties, maintaining a high average (53.12) across different venues and match situations.
2. Virat Kohli | 2451 Runs
Virat Kohli has witnessed cricket excellence across formats. However, when it comes to facing Australia, Kohli’s record has stood out. Ever since his debut against the Aussies in 2009, Kohli has played in 50 ODIs against Australia, scoring 2,451 runs at an average of 54.46, including eight centuries and 15 fifties, with a top score of 123.
Out of those 50 matches he played against Australia, 29 have come in Australia, where he has scored 1,327 runs at an average of 51.90, smashing five centuries and six fifties. His highest score Down Under is an unbeaten 133, which is one of the finest ODI knocks ever played in Australia.
Former captain and legend Sachin Tendulkar tops the list of most runs for India against Australia in ODIs. Between 1991 and 2012, Tendulkar played 71 ODIs against Australia, amassing a staggering 3,077 runs at an average of 44.59. His tally includes nine centuries and 15 fifties. Tendulkar also has the most runs for a batter against Australia in ODI cricket. No other player has over 2,500 runs in this regard. Tendulkar's nine tons are also the most for a batter against the Aussies.
Notably, Tendulkar scored 1,491 runs in Australia alone, adapting brilliantly to pace-friendly conditions that often troubled many visiting batters. Moreover, Tendulkar thrived in the challenging one-ball era. One of his tons came Down Under (10 half-centuries).
India and Australia have a long-standing rivalry in ODI cricket. In this article, we will take a look at the bowlers who have taken the most wickets for India against Australia in ODIs.
The three-match ODI series between India and Australia begins on October 19. The Indian squad for the upcoming series was announced on October 4. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as the captain of the ODI team. Several surprising changes were also made to the team. Rohit and Virat returned to the team after a long absence.
India and Australia have a long-standing rivalry in ODI cricket. The two countries face fierce competition in ODIs. In this article, we will take a look at the bowlers who have taken the most wickets for India against Australia in ODIs.
The 1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev ranks first in this regard. He played 41 ODI matches against Australia during his ODI career, taking 45 wickets in 39 innings at an impressive economy rate of 3.67. He has taken one 4-wicket haul and one 5-wicket haul. His best figures are 5/43, , which came during the 1983 ODI World Cup.
2. Mohammed Shami | 42 Wickets
India's best pace bowler, Mohammed Shami, is at No. 2 on the list. In his career, Shami has taken 42 wickets in 25 innings of 26 matches against Australia at an economy rate of 6.00. His best performance during this period is 5/51. Whereas he has achieved the feat of taking 4 and 5 wickets once each.
3. Ravindra Jadeja | 39 Wickets
India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is third on the list. Jadeja has taken 39 wickets in 42 innings across 45 matches against Australia at an economy rate of 5.23. His best performance during this period is 3/28.
4. Ajit Agarkar | 36 Wickets
BCCI’s current chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, is fourth on the list. He picked up 36 scalps in 21 games at an average of 28.41, with one five-fer and two four-wicket hauls. Agarkar’s best of 6/42 was registered in Melbourne in January 2004. The effort was in vain though as Australia won the contest by 18 runs. Agarkar also claimed 4/46 in Kanpur in 1998 and 4/37 in Mumbai in 2003.
The spearhead of the Indian bowling lineup from 1994 to 2003, Javagal Srinath gets 5th place on this elite list with 33 wickets in 29 games. With his effective pace, Srinath troubled the Kangaroos a lot at home and overseas. The ace fast bowler gave away runs at an economical rate of 4.89.
Cricket facts: Every ODI captain of India and their records (men’s)
As Shubman Gill is all set to become the 28th ODI captain of India, here are all the ODI captain of India and their records as the leader in the 50-over format.
A total of 27 players have captained the Indian ODI Cricket team. The very first ODI captain of the Indian cricket team was Ajit Wadekar. He captained the ODI team in 1974 and played just 2 matches as captain. Unfortunately, India lost both of them. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma are among the most successful Indian captains.
In any sport, including cricket, captaincy is perhaps the most important role that influences the overall performance of the entire team. Here is the cricket facts of every ODI captain of Indian Men's Cricket team and their records.
Cricket facts: Every ODI captain of India and their records (men’s)
First ODI captain
It all started in the year 1974 when India played their first ODI match against England. Ajit Wadekar, who had earlier been a successful captain for India in Tests, was named captain of India's first ODI team.
Wadekar played an amazing knock of 67 runs, only to end up on the losing side. He couldn't do well in the next match and eventually retired right after the series.
Wadekar was followed by Srinivasraghavan Venkataraghavan, who holds the remarkable record of captaining India in their first-ever ODI World Cup. He captained India in 7 matches and managed to win only one of those, against East Africa. His spin-bowling partner, Bishen Singh Bedi, then captained India in 4 matches, of which India lost 3. Gundappa Vishwanath also captained India in a solitary ODI match in 1980, which didn't go their way.
India's ODI skipper in the 1980s
The earliest glory to India's ODI set-up came during the captaincy of Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev. Gavaskar took up the captaincy in 1980, 9 years after making his debut for the Indian team.
Of all the cricketers who had captained India in ODIs till then, Gavaskar had the highest win percentage (40%), which he had notched up after winning 14 out of 37 matches. That was also the highest number of matches ever captained by any single cricketer for India in ODIs, till then.
Then came Kapil Dev, who took the reins of captaincy from Gavaskar in 1982. Within just one year of Dev's captaincy, India managed to pull off the unthinkable by defeating all the big guns of world cricket and claiming India's first-ever World Cup in 1983.
Before the World Cup, he had also led India to their first-ever ODI win against two-time World Champions, the West Indies. Dev continued to captain India for a decade, the most by any player till then, and notched up a then-highest win percentage of 54.16. He captained India in 74 ODIs, out of which India won 39.
Azharuddin-Tendulkar era
Following Kapil Dev, wicketkeeper-batter Syed Kirmani and all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath captained India in 1 match each. Ravi Shastri, Dilip Vengsarkar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth then went on to captain India in 11, 18 and 13 ODIs respectively, but India attained a stable phase in 1989 with Mohammad Azharuddin holding the reins of the team. He continued to lead India for 10 years, captaining the team in 174 matches, of which India won 90.
Sachin Tendulkar's era coincided with that of Azharuddin, as he took up the leadership role in the year 1996 and led India in 73 matches throughout a period of 3 years. Under Sachin, India managed to win 23 matches.
Ganguly-Dhoni era
Saurav Ganguly took charge of the team at a time when it was going through a tough phase following the allegations of match-fixing. He revived India's fortunes by introducing the growth of future greats of Indian cricket, Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and one of India's most successful captains, MS Dhoni.
He developed one of India's finest teams that played fearless cricket. Ganguly led India to the final of the 2002 Champions Trophy.
Rahul Dravid captained India irregularly for a few years before taking it up full-time from Saurav Ganguly in 2005. Dravid finished with a decent win percentage of 56 before meeting a disastrous end in the form of the 2007 ICC World Cup debacle. He captained India in 79 matches, of which the team won 42.
MS Dhoni then led India through one of their greatest phases, as under him, India won one ICC World Cup and one Champions Trophy. He captained India in a record 200 ODIs, the highest by anyone to date. Of those, India managed to win 110 matches, with a win percentage of 59.52 under Dhoni's captaincy.
Kohli-Rohit era
Two of the greatest captains of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, have put up exceptional shows as skippers of the Indian team. Although unable to win an ICC Trophy, Virat Kohli boasts of the highest win percentage among Indian ODI captains with more than 50 matches under their belt. Captaining India in 95 matches, Kohli has a win tally of 65, thus making for an effective win percentage of 70.43.
Rohit Sharma first captained India in Kohli's absence in the year 2017 and managed to win 42 out of the total 56 ODIs that the team has played in his captaincy. Rohit Sharma failed to lift the coveted World Cup for the third time in 2023.
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