Ambati Rayudu crowns MS Dhoni best Indian captain, Rohit Sharma outranks Virat Kohli

Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu has ignited a fresh wave of debate among cricket enthusiasts after participating in a "blind ranking" challenge of Indian captains. Rayudu, a long-time teammate of MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings and for the national team, unhesitatingly placed Dhoni at the pinnacle of his list. However, it was his decision to rank current all-format captain Rohit Sharma at second, and most surprisingly, Virat Kohli at fifth, that has truly captured attention and sparked widespread discussion.

The ranking exercise, shared by ESPNcricinfo, required Rayudu to evaluate a series of prominent Indian captains without prior knowledge of whose name would appear next. His final compilation placed MS Dhoni at number one, attributing his top spot to his calm leadership and his remarkable achievement of winning all three major ICC trophies: the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Following Dhoni, Rayudu ranked Rohit Sharma at number two. This decision appears to be heavily influenced by Rohit's recent successes as captain, including leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, showcasing his prowess in white-ball ICC events.

The third position on Rayudu's list went to Sourav Ganguly, often credited with transforming Indian cricket and fostering a fighting spirit in the team. India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain, Kapil Dev, was placed at number four, recognizing his singular achievement in leading India to its first-ever World Cup triumph.

The most contentious placement, however, was Virat Kohli at number five. Rayudu clarified that while Kohli's captaincy in Test cricket could undoubtedly place him in the top two, his overall ranking across all formats factored in the absence of ICC silverware during his tenure. Despite leading India to unprecedented heights in Test cricket, including a record 42 consecutive months at the top of the ICC Test rankings, the lack of a major global trophy seemingly influenced Rayudu's holistic assessment.

Completing Rayudu's ranking was Mohammad Azharuddin at number six.

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