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What qualities go into making a successful cricket captain? Apparently, it is a mixture of courage and a quality that is difficult to define but is widely known as leadership ability. There is also an unpredictable factor that we will examine later in this piece.

The most successful captain in Indian Premier League (IPL) history has been MS Dhoni, followed by Rohit Sharma. Although neither Dhoni nor Rohit are leading any more, their methods need to be studied closely, for they were the most successful captains. 

Dhoni has led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five trophy victories but also guided them to wins in 136 individual matches. He has lost 96 matches in his IPL career. But here is an interesting fact. Dhoni has won the toss more often than any other captain. He has called it right in more than 100 matches. 

Dhoni is considered one of cricket’s greatest leaders due to his leadership style and calm composure that made his players feel confident. His man-management ability was also of a high calibre. Dhoni led CSK to five titles in the IPL – 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023. 

As a captain, Dhoni led his team to victory with a high win percentage of 57.87, while second best captain Rohit’s win percentage was 55.06 for the Mumbai Indians. Anil Kumble had a win percentage of 57.69 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). But he led the team in only 26 matches.

Rohit Sharma’s record

Along with Dhoni, Rohit has also won five trophies as captain of MI, but he has not won as many individual matches as Dhoni. Rohit’s stats also reveal a lot about his qualities as captain. He has won the toss in 82 matches – far less than Dhoni. Under his captaincy, the Mumbai Indians won 87 matches and lost 67 in the course of IPL history.

The MI skipper has led his franchise to five titles – 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. Rohit’s captaincy style is a little different from that of Dhoni. Unlike instinctive leaders, Rohit relies heavily on data and analytics. He spends a lot of time in meeting rooms analysing opposition match-ups and pitch conditions to create a clear “blueprint” before a match begins.

Rohit is often called a “players’ captain” like Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. He is known for his approachability and empathy. He makes a conscious effort to keep the team environment light. His personal touches help his teammates regain confidence and perform better. But Rohit’s luck with the toss has not been as good as that of Dhoni.

Now, Shreyas Iyer has proved himself

With the 2026 edition of the IPL having crossed the halfway mark, anticipation is mounting. Punjab Kings are leading the table at present. Shreyas Iyer is captaining the Punjab side. But how is he as a skipper? He has a good record. While leading Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), his win percentage was more than 50, and now with PBKS, he has raised it to a highly creditable 61.11 per cent.

Like Dhoni, he too maintains a composed demeanour even under pressure. He keeps his focus on tactics and he is known for taking bold decisions. He has a high win percentage and leads from the front. He has taken teams to playoffs and finals (for example, Delhi Capitals in 2020 and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024). And now Punjab Kings are doing well. Recently, they chased down a total of 264 set by the Delhi Capitals. 

Good beginning by Patidar

Second-placed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s skipper Rajat Patidar has led a remarkable surge for RCB in IPL 2026, highlighting his immediate impact as a leader. But one must wait and see how he does as he gets more opportunities and experiences under varying conditions. The RCB is now in second place on the table with 12 points, just one point behind PBKS’ tally of 13.

However, there’s also another factor that is common to all successful captains and it is totally unpredictable. That factor is luck. At the very start, the captain’s call when the coin is flipped into the air has a definitive influence on the course and eventual outcome of the match. 

Statistics of the ongoing IPL provide some interesting pointers. When a captain wins the toss in a T20 contest, he gives his team a distinct edge over the rival outfit. Till May 3, 2026, a total of 46 IPL matches were played, out of which the team that won the toss also won the match on 27 occasions. That makes it 58.69 per cent. So the toss does seem to give the winning squad an advantage. 

Winning the toss is important

Across all formats, winning the toss plays an important role in influencing the final outcome. In the course of cricket history, in Test matches, the win percentage is about 42. That is not a high figure, but there was a time when many Tests were high-scoring battles and ended in draws. Quite often, the toss winner did not win the match but did not lose it either.

But the toss affects limited-over games to a greater extent. In ODI matches, the team winning the toss won the match 50.68 per cent of the time. In T20 matches, the figure goes up to 55 per cent, while in IPL 2026, it stands at 59.09 at present.

A key aspect is the dew factor. Captains win the toss and field first to avoid the effect of dew on the ball later in the evening. That seems to be one of the major reasons that most captains, after winning the toss, decide to take the field first. The trend is likely to continue in the second half of the IPL too.

Youngsters are writing a new script

But the contests are nail-biting and anything can happen between today and the final. What we are seeing these days is a festival of fearless cricket. There has been a rise of young prodigies and that is very good for the game. 

These talented young players are writing a new script – one that the older generation had never imagined.  But we must now wait a little longer to see which captain has the talent and luck to finally hold the prestigious trophy along with his teammates.