Cricket in Numbers: Which Indian Captain has the Most Number of Asia Cup Titles?

Yet, amidst all the off-field drama, Suryakumar Yadav scripted history by becoming the latest Indian skipper to win the Asia Cup. With this triumph, he joins an elite group of Indian captains who have achieved the same feat. It also raises the question of who leads the chart with the most Asia Cup wins.

Indian Captains with Asia Cup Titles

The Asia Cup has been played over 17 tournaments now and the Indian team has been the winners of the tournament for a record 9 times which is the most number of wins by a team in the tournament. Across these years, different Indian captains have played their part in guiding the team to glory. Each win has its own story, and the leadership of the captains has been central to India’s success. The journey began in 1984 under the captaincy of Sunil Gavaskar. India won the very first Asia Cup, with Surinder Khanna playing a key role as the Man of the Match in the final.

Four years later in 1988, Dilip Vengsarkar lifted the trophy with Navjot Sidhu being the standout player of the tournament. The 1990-91 edition saw Mohammad Azharuddin as captain, where he led from the front with both runs and leadership, guiding India to another triumph. Azharuddin again took India to victory in 1995, this time with his own brilliant batting performance earning him the Man of the Match award in the final. MS Dhoni carried forward this winning legacy in the modern era, leading India to two Asia Cup titles.

Under him, India won in 2010, where Dinesh Karthik starred in the final, and in 2016 when the format shifted to T20, with Shikhar Dhawan shining in the final match. Rohit Sharma has also proven his leadership in continental cricket. He captained India to two Asia Cup wins, first in 2018 and again in 2023. In both campaigns, he managed the side with composure and balance, with Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj emerging as key performers. Most recently, Suryakumar Yadav joined the list of successful Indian captains by winning the 2025 edition, with youngsters Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma making the headlines.

Mohammad Azharuddin — 2 Times

Mohammad Azharuddin’s captaincy in the Asia Cup is the stuff of Indian cricket legend. He was the first to lead India to back-to-back titles in 1990-91 and 1995, his wristy batting and clever leadership turning games into unforgettable victories. The 1990-91 Asia Cup was a tough grind. India played two league matches, managing just one win to scrape into the final against Sri Lanka. That clash, on January 4, 1991, at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, was a proper spectacle. Sri Lanka batted first, cobbling together 204 for 9 in their 45 overs. Arjuna Ranatunga, their skipper, dug in for 49 off 57 balls, while Asanka Gurusinha’s 39 and Aravinda de Silva’s 26 kept the innings alive.

India’s bowlers, though, were on song. Kapil Dev was a beast, swinging the ball like a magician to grab 4 wickets for 31 runs, his spell leaving the crowd buzzing. Atul Wassan and Saradindu Mukherjee each took a wicket to keep Sri Lanka in check. Chasing 205, India hit early snags, losing Ravi Shastri and Navjot Sidhu quickly. Sanjay Manjrekar, cool under pressure, played an unbeaten 75 off 95 balls to steady the ship. A young Sachin Tendulkar, already showing his class, chipped in with 53 off 70 balls.

Then Azharuddin walked in, his bat flicking shots with that trademark flair, scoring an unbeaten 54 off 39 balls. India sealed the chase in 42.1 overs, winning by seven wickets to claim their second straight Asia Cup title. Azharuddin’s sparkling knock earned him Player of the Match, a perfect nod to his game-changing brilliance. In 1995, Azharuddin was back at it, leading India to the final after winning two of three league games. Facing Sri Lanka again, India’s bowlers held them to 230 for 7 in 50 overs. Asanka Gurusinha’s 85 was the heart of their innings, with Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillakaratne each adding 22. Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble took two wickets apiece, keeping the total within reach. India’s chase was a thing of beauty.

Azharuddin led with an unbeaten 90 off 89 balls, his strokes blending elegance and power. Navjot Sidhu was rock-solid, finishing unbeaten on 84, while Sachin Tendulkar’s quick 41 set the tone before he got out. Manoj Prabhakar was the only other wicket, as India cruised to an eight-wicket win in 41.5 overs. Azharuddin’s masterful innings won him Player of the Match, and Sidhu’s consistent runs across the tournament earned him Player of the Series. These triumphs showed Azharuddin’s knack for stepping up in big moments, his captaincy a mix of smarts and inspiration that still resonates with cricket fans.

MS Dhoni — 2 Times

MS Dhoni’s Asia Cup wins in 2010 and 2016 are a masterclass in cool-headed leadership, guiding India to titles with his trademark calm. In the 2010 Asia Cup in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, India won two of their three matches to face the hosts in the final. Batting first, India posted a solid 268 for 6 in 50 overs. Dinesh Karthik played a gem, scoring 66 off 84 balls to anchor the innings. Rohit Sharma added 41, Dhoni chipped in with a steady 38, while Virat Kohli’s 28, Suresh Raina’s 29, and Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 25 gave the total some muscle. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, with Lasith Malinga taking two wickets and Nuwan Kulasekara and Thilina Kandamby grabbing one each, couldn’t stop India’s flow. When Sri Lanka batted, India’s bowlers went to work.

Ashish Nehra was electric, snaring 4 wickets for 40 runs in a spell that ripped through the lineup. Zaheer Khan took two wickets, while Praveen Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja claimed one and two, respectively. Sri Lanka folded for 187 in 44.4 overs, handing India an 81-run win. This was India’s first Asia Cup title in 15 years, with Dinesh Karthik earning Player of the Match for his clutch knock. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi took Player of the Series, but Dhoni’s quiet brilliance as captain was the real game-changer. In 2016, Dhoni led India to another title in the T20-format Asia Cup in Mirpur, Bangladesh. The final against Bangladesh, cut to 15 overs per side due to rain, saw Bangladesh post 120 for 5. Sabbir Rahman’s 32 not out and Mahmudullah’s 33 not out kept them in the fight, with Shakib Al Hasan adding 21.

India’s bowlers struck early, with Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin each taking a wicket. Hardik Pandya bowled tight but went wicketless. Chasing 121, India lost Rohit Sharma for 1, but Shikhar Dhawan lit up the game with 60 off 44 balls, smashing nine fours and a six. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 41 was pure class, and Dhoni’s unbeaten 20 off six balls closed it out in style. India won by eight wickets in 13.5 overs, with seven balls to spare. Dhawan’s fiery knock earned him Player of the Match, while Sabbir Rahman took Player of the Series for Bangladesh. Dhoni’s knack for managing his bowlers and finishing the chase with flair made this victory a showcase of his leadership.

Rohit Sharma — 2 Times

Rohit Sharma’s Asia Cup wins in 2018 and 2023 showed he’s a captain who can handle any challenge, from tight chases to outright domination. In the 2018 final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India faced Bangladesh, who came out swinging with Litton Das’s brilliant 121 off 117 balls. Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 32 and Soumya Sarkar’s 33 helped, but India’s bowlers turned the tide. Kuldeep Yadav led with three wickets, Kedar Jadhav took two, and Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal grabbed one each, bowling Bangladesh out for 222 in 48.3 overs.

Chasing 223, India lost Shikhar Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu early, but Rohit Sharma’s steady 48 kept things on track. Dinesh Karthik’s 37, MS Dhoni’s 36, and Ravindra Jadeja’s 23 kept the chase alive, with Kedar Jadhav’s unbeaten 23 sealing a thrilling three-wicket win on the last ball. Litton Das took Player of the Match, but Shikhar Dhawan’s tournament-long runs earned him Player of the Series. Rohit’s calm leadership in that nail-biter was a captain’s dream. In 2023, Rohit led India to a demolition of Sri Lanka in the final at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium. Sri Lanka, batting first, were skittled for 50 runs in 15.2 overs.

Mohammed Siraj was unstoppable, taking 6 wickets for 21 runs, while Hardik Pandya claimed three and Jasprit Bumrah one. Kusal Mendis’s 17 was Sri Lanka’s only spark. Chasing 51, Shubman Gill’s 27 not out and Ishan Kishan’s 23 not out wrapped it up in 6.1 overs, securing a 10-wicket win with 263 balls to spare. Siraj’s spell earned him Player of the Match, and Kuldeep Yadav’s nine wickets in the tournament won him Player of the Series. Rohit’s tactical smarts, letting his bowlers run riot, made this victory a statement of India’s dominance.