Top 5: Most Wins by a Captain in Test Cricket

Former South African captain Graeme Smith holds the record for winning the most matches as a captain in Test cricket.

In this article, we will talk about the top 5 captains with the most wins in Test cricket.

5. Clive Lloyd (West Indies) | 36 Wins

The former West Indies captain, Clive Lloyd, is one of the most successful captains in the history of West Indies cricket.

He captained them in Tests from 1974 to 1985, leading in 74 matches and winning 36 of them. Out of 74 matches, 26 were drawn and West Indies lost 12 matches. His winning percentage was 48.

Under the leadership of Clive Lloyd, the West Indies had a record 27-match unbeaten streak between 1982 and 1984.

The left-handed batter scored 5233 runs in 111 innings as captain, averaging 51 with the bat and scoring 14 centuries and 27 half-centuries.

4. Virat Kohli (India) | 40 Wins

Virat Kohli, who stepped down as Indian Test captain in 2022, led India in 68 matches and won 40 of them, which is the highest number of wins for an Indian captain in Test cricket.

Under Kohli’s leadership, India lost 17 Tests and drew 11. He was known for his mindset of going for the result instead of looking for a draw.

Virat Kohli, as a Test captain, didn’t lose a single home series, beating South Africa, Australia, England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka. Virat was also the first Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia, achieving this feat during India’s tour of Australia in 2018-19.

The right-hander scored 5864 runs in 113 innings as a captain, averaging 55 with the bat and scoring 20 centuries and 18 half-centuries.

Also Read | Top 10: Batters with Most Runs in ODI Cricket

3. Steve Waugh (Australia) | 41 Wins

Steve Waugh, the former Australian captain, won 41 matches out of 57 Test matches. He had a winning percentage of 72.

Under him, Australia lost only 9 matches, and 7 Tests were drawn. Waugh led Australia from 1999 to 2004.

As the Australian captain, Waugh scored 3714 runs in 83 innings at an average of 52, including 15 centuries and 10 half-centuries.

2. Ricky Ponting (Australia) | 48 Wins

Ricky Ponting became the Australian Test skipper after Waugh’s retirement. Ponting led Australia in 77 Tests, winning 48 of them, losing 16, and drawing 13 matches. Ponting’s win percentage was 62.

The right-hander scored 6542 runs in 140 innings as Australia’s Test captain at an average of 51. Along with that, he scored 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.

1. Graeme Smith (South Africa) | 53 Wins

Former South African skipper Graeme Smith holds the record for winning the most Test matches and playing the most Test matches as captain.

Smith led South Africa in 109 matches, winning 53, losing 29, and drawing 27 of them. His win percentage was 48.62.

As a captain, the left-hander scored 8659 runs in 193 innings at an average of 48, including 25 centuries and 36 half-centuries.

Smith became the South Africa captain after playing just 8 Test matches, which came under Shaun Pollock and Mark Boucher. Under both of them, he averaged over 45 and got a great start to his Test career.