Are Kohli, Dhoni, and Rohit the Ultimate Captains in Their Respective Formats for India?

For Indian cricket fans, few things bring more joy than seeing their team win. In recent years, that joy has often come from the leadership of three standout captains who each made their mark in a different format. After Sourav Ganguly laid the foundation, India saw a new wave of leaders who shaped the team’s rise across formats. In ODIs, MS Dhoni brought calmness and clarity. His smart decisions under pressure and cool approach helped India win the 2011 World Cup at home, creating a historic moment for the country. In Test cricket, Virat Kohli led with passion and aggression. He transformed the team’s attitude, making fitness and fast bowling key priorities. His leadership gave India a new edge, especially in overseas conditions.

Under his leadership, India won a historic Test series in Australia and put up a great fight in England, helping the team rise to the top of the ICC Test rankings. Rohit Sharma’s moment came in the shortest format. Known for his calm presence and big-match experience, he led India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. With this win, India had now tasted success in all three formats under three different leaders. Let’s see the complete achievements of all the three Indian Captains in their respective formats.

MS Dhoni — ODI’s

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, known as Captain Cool, took over the ODI captaincy in 2007 and transformed India into a formidable team. From 2007 to 2018, he led 200 matches, bagging 110 wins, losing 74, tying 5, and getting 11 washouts, a 55% win rate that shows he meant business. Dhoni wasn’t just a captain as he was a chess master on the field, always two steps ahead. In the ODI World Cups from 2011 to 2015, he was unreal. He led 17 games, won 14, lost 2, and tied 1, that’s an 82.35% win rate. The 2011 final in Mumbai? Pure magic. Sri Lanka put up 275, and India was shaky early.

Dhoni walked out, cool as a cucumber, and smashed an unbeaten 91. That six to win the Cup was India’s first since 1983 as it sailed over Wankhede like a rocket. Fans went nuts, and you could feel the country shake. That was Dhoni delivering when it mattered the most. The ICC Champions Trophy was his playground too. From 2009 to 2013, he captained 8 matches, won 6, lost 1, with 1 no-result, a 75% win rate. The 2013 win in England was vintage Dhoni. Rain made it a mess, but he kept his head. He’d toss the ball to spinners like Ashwin at just the right moment, set fields that choked batters, and outsmart everyone. It was like he could see the future. In Batting, Dhoni was a beast.

In those 200 ODIs as captain, he played 172 innings, stayed not out 48 times, and racked up 6641 runs at a 53.56 average. His best was 139 not out, with 6 tons and 47 fifties. At No. 5 or 6, he’d stroll in with India in trouble and just take over. Chasing big runs or saving a game, he had ice in his veins. That’s why they called him Captain Cool, as he made the impossible look easy. Dhoni’s real gift was building a team. He took young talent like Kohli and mixed them with giants like Tendulkar, making everyone click. When he handed the captaincy to Kohli in 2017, he left the 2011 World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy, and a team that was ready for anything.

Virat Kohli — Test

Virat Kohli took the Test captaincy in 2014 and brought a fire that changed everything. From 2014 to 2022, he led 68 Tests, won 40, lost 17, and drew 11, a 58.82% win rate that says he didn’t mess around. Kohli wasn’t here to play nice as he wanted to win, and he made India a monster. At home, he turned India into a fortress. He won 24 of 31 Tests, and no team walked away with a series win on Indian soil. With dusty pitches and spinners like Ashwin, he crushed opponents. He could read a game like nobody’s business, as he knew when to let bowlers loose or lock things down tight.

Overseas, Kohli was a game-changer. In 36 Tests abroad, he grabbed 16 wins. That series win in Australia? It was huge, as nobody saw it coming. He also got wins in England, South Africa, West Indies, and Sri Lanka, handling swinging balls and fast tracks like a pro. His teams fought tooth and nail, no matter where they played. As a batter, Kohli was a beast. In those 68 Tests, he played 113 innings, scored 5864 runs at a 54.80 average.

His 20 centuries, none bigger than his 254 not out and 18 fifties were unreal. He’d walk out, eyes blazing, and either save the day or pile on runs. His fire spread to the team, making everyone step up. Kohli didn’t just win games as he changed how India played. He built a killer pace attack with guys like Bumrah, made fitness a must, and got players to believe they could take on anyone. When he stepped down in 2022, he left 40 Test wins, a perfect home record, and a team that scared the world.

Rohit Sharma — T20

Rohit Sharma, the Hitman, took over T20 captaincy in 2017 and brought pure swagger. From 2017 to 2024, he led 62 T20s, won 49, lost 12, and tied 1, a crazy 79.03% win rate. Rohit didn’t just lead and he made India play like they had nothing to lose. In T20 World Cups from 2022 to 2024, he captained 14 games, won 12, lost 2, an 85.71% win rate. The 2024 World Cup was his moment. India didn’t lose a single game, grabbing the trophy after an 11-year ICC Title drought. Every match was Rohit’s team saying, “We’re here to dominate”.

After a rough 2022 T20 World Cup, Rohit flipped the script. He told his guys to go all-out and hit big from the first ball, bowl with fire. No playing for stats, just wins. That mindset carried them through 2024, smashing teams left and right. Batting-wise, Rohit was a monster. In those 62 T20s, he played 62 innings, scored 1905 runs at a 34.02 average. His best was 121 not out, with 3 tons and 13 fifties.

Opening the batting, he’d blast sixes that cleared the stands and still keep his cool in tight chases. He played like he led, fearless but smart. Rohit’s era was all about the heart. He took young guys and big names, made them a unit that thrived under pressure. He’d switch bowlers fast or set wild fields that threw batters off. When he lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup trophy, his legacy was locked with 49 wins, a world title, and a team that played with fire in their head.