Complete list of Indian Test Captains
If you follow the Indian cricket team, you probably know that captaincy in Test matches is not just a formality; it’s primarily a weight of responsibility, tactical thinking, and the ability to lead the team in the most tense situations. Let’s take a look at the Complete List of Indian Test Captains and all the names that left their mark on this title.
Complete list of Indian Test Captains till now
Here is the full list of those who were trusted to lead the Indian team in Test matches. The numbers next to their names aren’t just dry statistics. Behind them lie entire eras, significant victories, and sometimes very difficult decisions.
| Captain | Years | Number of matches | Wins | Loss | Draws |
| C. K. Nayudu | 1932-1934 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Maharajkumar of Vizianagram | 1936 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi | 1946 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Lala Amarnath | 1947-1952 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Vijay Hazare | 1951-1953 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Vinoo Mankad | 1955-1959 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 1955-1959 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Polly Umrigar | 1955-1958 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Hemu Adhikari | 1959 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Dattatraya Gaekwad | 1959 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Pankaj Roy | 1959 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| G. S. Ramchand | 1959-1960 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Nari Contractor | 1960-1962 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Mansoor Ali | 1962-1975 | 40 | 9 | 19 | 12 |
| Chandu Borde | 1967-1968 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ajit Wadekar | 1971-1974 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| S. Venkataraghavan | 1974 и 1979 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Sunil Gavaskar | 1976-1985 | 47 | 9 | 8 | 30 |
| Bishan Singh Bedi | 1975-1979 | 22 | 6 | 11 | 5 |
| Gundappa Viswanath | 1979-1980 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kapil Dev | 1983-1987 | 34 | 4 | 7 | 22 |
| Dilip Vengsarkar | 1987-1989 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Ravi Shastri | 1988 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| K. Srikkanth | 1989 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 1990-1999 | 47 | 14 | 14 | 19 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1996-2000 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 12 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 2000-2005 | 49 | 21 | 13 | 15 |
| Rahul Dravid | 2003-2007 | 25 | 8 | 6 | 11 |
| Virender Sehwag | 2003 и 2012 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Anil Kumble | 2007-2008 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Mahendra Singh Dhoni | 2008-2014 | 60 | 27 | 18 | 15 |
| Virat Kohli | 2014-2022 | 68 | 40 | 17 | 11 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 2017-2021 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| K. L. Rahul | 2022 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Rohit Sharma | 2022-2024 | 24 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2022-2025 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Shubman Gill | 2025 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Rishabh Pant | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Agree, even a quick glance at this Complete list of Indian Test captains allows you to see how the team has changed over the decades. From the first timid steps under Nayudu to becoming a true global power under modern leaders.
Virat Kohli: The most successful captain
When it comes to sheer numbers and the scale of his influence on the team, Virat Kohli is unrivalled. His name, in the context of captaincy, became synonymous with an entire era of dominance. Let’s figure out the origins of this reputation.
Just think about it: 68 matches as captain—more than any other player in Indian history. But it’s not just the numbers that are important; it’s what stands behind them. Under his leadership, the team has won 40 games. Each of them is the result of a well-developed strategy, intense battles on the field and the ability to win key moments.
It was under Kohli that India learned to consistently win away from home. Let’s remember the legendary triumph in Australia in the 2018-19 season. It wasn’t just a victory, but a demonstration of the team’s character, and Kohli was its undisputed leader. And on home fields, the team under his leadership did not lose any series, turning their stadiums into impregnable fortresses.
Another important point is that he inspired by his personal example on the field. Seven second-centuries in Test matches as captain are direct evidence of his incredible concentration and ability to carry double the workload.
Kohli’s success doesn’t negate the enormous contributions of other great leaders. Dhoni, who led the team to the top of the world rankings, or Sourav Ganguly, who laid the foundations of the modern aggressive team, each of them wrote their own unique chapter.
But if we look at the total number of victories and the length of his period of influence, Virat occupies a special place. His era clearly demonstrated what the Indian team is capable of when led by a truly charismatic and driven leader.
