Best T20 Captain of India (Updated 2025)

Cricket is more than just a game in India. Following the 1983 World Cup win, the landscape of Indian cricket underwent a complete transformation. The game has evolved from 60 overs to 50 overs and now in the T20I format. The dynamics of playing have also changed. The Men in Blue side over the years have been the hub of producing some great captains across formats of the game. From the likes of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi to Rohit Sharma, the contest for the best T20 captain of India has become much more exciting in 2025.

With the rise of modern strategies, intense bilateral series, and ICC competition, the role of the best T20 captain of India has become one of the toughest. It is a position that is always under scrutiny in Indian cricket. From Virender Sehwag, who was appointed as the first T20 captain of India, to Suryakumar Yadav, all have gone through a lot of struggles to have that captaincy emblem behind their back. In this article, we dive into the best T20 captain of India.

List of Best T20 Captain of India

The first Twenty20 International match was held on 5 August 2004 between the England and New Zealand women's teams. Since then, the game's dynamics have changed, and the first T20 World Cup was held in 2007 in South Africa. The tournament saw a fairly young Indian team stun the world by becoming the champions of the inaugural edition of the competition. The best T20 captain of India began with MS Dhoni's World Cup triumph in 2007. Apart from him, many successful Indian captains have gone on to lead the side in the shortest format of the game. Below we have listed the best T20 captain of India.

Who is the Best T20 Captain of India?

There have been 14 T20I captains for India to date. Selecting the best T20 captain of India is not an easy task. As per the legacy, MS Dhoni remains the best T20 captain of India. He was the first captain who led India to two finals of the T20 World Cup, winning the inaugural edition in 2007, and finishing as a finalist in the 2014 edition. Rohit Sharma remains another one of the best T20 captain for India in terms of winning percentage. The former India T20 captain won 49 matches and also became the second to win the trophy yet again in the 2024 edition. Today, let's find out others who are in contention to be the best T20 captain of India.

10. Virender Sehwag | 2006

Virender Sehwag, the flamboyant opener who changed the dynamics of playing cricket in modern day, was the first T20 captain of India. Sehwag guided India to a victory against South Africa in Johannesburg on December 1, 2006, where the Men in Blue successfully chased down South Africa's score of 126/9.

Sehwag, who was also the first T20 captain of India to win a match in the shortest format of the game. This showcased his leadership skills and strategic mind. Aside from being one of the most dangerous batters in the world, Sehwag also captained the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Sehwag has also captained India in 12 ODI matches, winning 7 of them.

9. Shikhar Dhawan | 2021

Shikhar Dhawan remains one of the finest left-handed batters of all time. The left-handed has been called MR ICC for his exceptional performances in major tournaments for India. Shikhar Dhawan also led the Indian side during the Sri Lanka tour in the limited-overs format. Under his captaincy in T20Is, some young cricketers joined the side and showcased their talent.

His record as T20I captain is not statistically that impressive, as he had to lead a comparatively young Indian side on one of the toughest pitches in the subcontinent. Dhawan backed his young players and allowed them to play strokes and not take much pressure. He has also captained IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad and has done well with the Orange Army as well. Dhawan has won only one match as a captain, but the small sample size does not showcase his actual leadership quality.

8. Rishabh Pant | 2022

Rishabh Pant has been India's best overseas batter in Test cricket in recent years. The aggressive wicket-keeper batter has also captained India in the T20I format of the game. Pant was appointed as a temporary captain in the 2022 edition, where he led the Men in Blue in 5 games, with 2 wins, 2 losses, and one no-result. He has also been the vice-captain of the Test team.

The thing that sets him apart from the other captains of India is that is unorthodox style of play and backing his players even in the poorest form. Pant has always been in support of his teammates. This showcases his leadership characteristics and the qualities he has to bring the best out of the players. He also captains the IPL team Lucknow Super Giants and is currently on the England tour, where he fractured his toe in Manchester.

7. Shubman Gill | 2024

Shubman Gill is the upcoming superstar for India. The Test team captain has been the best batter for India in the ODI format. He has not been an out-and-out first choice for the Men in Blue in the T20I format. Gill's natural stroke-playing ability and hitting big sixes without effort make him a classical T20 batter. Gill in 2024 was named as the captain for India in the shortest format of the game.

Gill, one of the best ODI batters in the world, has captained India in 5 T20I matches, winning 4 and losing 1. He led the team on a tour of Zimbabwe in mid-2024, when several first-choice players were on rest. He has the natural ability of a leader and also captained the Gujarat Titans in the IPL in 27 matches with 14 wins and 13 losses. Gill is still young and has a lot of cricket left with him, also being one of the choices who might captain India in the ODI format as well.

6. Suresh Raina | 2010–2011

Suresh Raina remains one of the underrated cricketers for India. The Southpaw was one of the finest middle-order batters of this generation. He was the first Indian batter to score a T20I century. Raina was appointed as the captain when MS Dhoni was on break for a series. The stylish left-hand batter took over the responsibility for just 3 matches and has a perfect win record.

Apart from captaining India in three matches, Raina led the Gujarat Lions in 2016. Under his captaincy, they won 9 matches and topped the table, eventually losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the playoffs. Raina also led Chennai Super Kings in six matches in the absence of MS Dhoni. His experience and leadership qualities make him one of the best t20 captain of India.

5. Hardik Pandya | 2022–2023

Hardik Pandya has been a clutch cricketer for India. He has been the backbone of the side, with his all-round performances in the limited-overs format. He bowled the last over of the T20 World Cup 2024 final and won the match for India. Pandya was the obvious choice to lead India in the T20I format after Rohit Sharma, but his injury concerns led to his removal from captaincy.

Pandya has led India in 16 games, winning 10 games and losing 5 games. He also led the Gujarat Titans to their only IPL trophy in their debut season in 2023. He recently won the ICC Champions Trophy with the Men in Blue and is currently preparing for the forthcoming T20I series of India, where he will have the opportunity to showcase his big-hitting skills.

4. Suryakumar Yadav | 2023–Present

Suryakumar Yadav is the Mr 360 of India, bearing a striking resemblance to AB de Villiers. The current T20I captain of India is known for his unorthodox style of play. After the 2023 World Cup, he led India in a T20I series against Australia, securing a 4-1 victory. Surya has been appointed as full-time captain after Gautam Gambhir became the new head coach for India. He led India to their first victory in the Sri Lanka tour after 3 years. Surya has also won a series in South Africa, scoring a century as a captain.

SKY will be hoping to lead the national team to the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka. SKY played an important role in the T20 World Cup 2024 win by taking a sensational catch in the final, in the last over of the match against South Africa. Surya has led India in 22 games and won 17 out of those.

3. Virat Kohli | 2017–2021

Virat Kohli has been one of the greatest ever cricketers of this generation. The former India captain retired from Test cricket, ahead of the England series. He was India's all-format captain from 2017 and led to some amazing success. Virat Kohli was one of the best T20 captain of all time for India. He led India from the front with his bat and won games single-handedly. Kohli's aggressive nature made him one of the most attacking captains in limited limited-overs format.

Kohli took over T20I captaincy a year after the heartbreaking loss in the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final. The chase master has led the Indian side in 50 matches and is only the third player to do so in the shortest format of the game. Kohli's captaincy was called into question in the 2021 T20 World Cup when India had a group stage exit and lost to their arch-rivals, Pakistan. He stepped down from the T20I captaincy soon after that. Kohli has retired from T20 cricket after winning the T20 World Cup in 2024.

2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni | 2007–2016

MS Dhoni remains one of the most successful captains for India. Dhoni's career has extraordinary consistency and composure in pressure situations. He has the record for the fastest stumping in world cricket. The Jharkhand-based cricketer led the Indian side in the T20 format from 2007. He helped India to a triumph in the inaugural edition of the 2007 T20 World Cup.

Dhoni has been the only captain to win all three ICC trophies; later, he won the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. The aggressive wicket-keeper batter has led India to the most T20 World Cups, finishing as champions once. MS Dhoni has captained the most number of matches in the shortest format of the game, with 72 games; he tops the list. This is the reason he remains the best captain of Indian cricket team in T20.

1. Rohit Sharma | 2017–2024

Rohit Sharma has been one of the finest limited-overs batters for India. The former India captain recently called off his career from Test cricket. Rohit remains the finest white-ball captain for India and has led the side to 2 championships and one final in the span of two years. He first led India to the ICC ODI World Cup final 2023 and then became the second captain to win the T20 World Cup 2024 for India. He later won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Rohit has led India in 62 T20I games and has the best win record in the shortest format of the game, with 79.03% winning 49 games. He has always led the side from the front, giving them the fiery start they needed, and played the role of an anchor when required. This is the reason he remains the best T20 captain of all time for his success in the shorter format of the game. He also won 5 IPL trophies with the Mumbai Indians and was the first captain to do so in the history of the competition. He remains the best captain of Indian cricket team in T20.