Most Successful Captain in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Full List, Records & Winning Stats

With the continuation of the domestic season and Ranji season already underway, now another tournament is making waves among fans on the Indian cricket calendar. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the country’s leading domestic T20 competition, is set to add a new edition and will begin on November 26, running until December 18.

The tournament will feature 38 teams in the Elite and Plate group teams, with 32 in the Elite group and 6 in the Plate Group, similar to the Ranji Trophy format. Matches of the season will take place across Lucknow, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, while the knockout will be hosted in Indore.
With the 18th edition coming up, the tournament has a rich history and has many match winners on its side. Each team has evolved have gone through some changes, and some helped teams to build a legacy in the tournament.

With the new season coming up and the new Captains Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 list announced, fans always want to know who is the most successful Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy captain, and today, in this article, let's look at the most successful captain in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Most Successful SMAT Captain (Updated List)

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has seen several standout leaders who have shaped their state teams with consistent individual performances. Over the years, the tournament has highlighted some of the best captains in SMAT, who have combined experience with a strong winning percentage and game consciousness.

Based on the official Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy records and stats, here is a list of the top 10 best captains in SMAT who have led their teams with results and stability.

Who is the Best Captain in SMAT?

Mandeep Singh stands out as one of the most successful Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy captain. Leading Punjab and later Tripura from 2013 to 2024, he captained a total of 53 matches and won 35.

His impressive 66.03% win rate reflects strong match awareness, calm decision-making, and an ability to guide young squads in pressure moments.

10. Manan Vohra | Chandigarh

Manan Vohra led Chandigarh with 19 wins and offered aggressive starts as an opening batter; his leadership kept Chandigarh improving in the domestic format and positioned him as a promising domestic T20 cricket captain.

Continue to lead the team this year as well. He is one of the consistent players who adapts and performs. With 19 wins in 36 matches, he is one of the top modern SMAT captains who still holds the captaincy in 2025.

9. Jivrajani Shah | Saurashtra

Shah contributed to the development phase of the Saurashtra and led to a strong team foundation. With a tenure of over 10 years, he gave his all to the team and built the foundation and team name in the tournament.

With a comparatively low winning percentage, he played a total of 36 matches, where he could only take the team to 13 wins and 1 tied match.

8. Karn Sharma | Railways

Karan Sharma led Railways with a balanced and strategic approach from 2015-2023. With a winning percentage of 43.24 and a match-winning tendency, Karn captained 37 games for Railways and used his all-around abilities to anchor team innings.

Though his winning ratio is lower, his understanding and leadership qualities make him one of the most successful SMAT captain.

7. Harbhajan Singh | Punjab & North Zone

Harbhajan Singh has a long-lived legacy in Indian cricket. He is not just good on the national and international side, but also is one of the most successful SMAT winning captains.

He brought international experience to the domestic side, won 21 games and two tied matches, with competitive campaigns and a win percentage of 52%. He remains one of the best spinners in the world.

6. Manoj Tiwary | Bengal & East Zone

Manoj Tiwary has the highest winning percentage in the list of the top 10 best captains in SMAT, making him possibly the most successful SMAT Captain. His 81.39% win rate from the 43 matches remains an unachieved feat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy records.

5. Parthiv Patel | Gujarat & West Zone

Parthi Patel's role in shaping Gujarat's domestic T20 Cricket identity remains one of the highlights in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy records.

With 25 wins from 44 matches in a long career of 10 years, Patel has a win percentage of 56.81. With it, his wicketkeeping and experience made him a continuous addition in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy records.

4. Amit Mishra | Haryana

Amit Mishra has contributed significantly as a captain for Haryana and has also added a record for himself, earning a spot in the SMAT-winning captains.

With 27 wins in 46 matches, he has experience as an Indian leg spinner, which helped him understand the pressure situation, making him a notable domestic T20 cricket captain. While he is not coaching in the 2025 season, Haryana’s current team structure is still influenced by his leadership ideas.

3. Sachin Baby | Kerala

Sachin ranks among the best captains in SMAT history, with a winning percentage of 62.50%. He has captained the team and led the team to many wins. But with the ongoing season requirement and management decision, Baby has been cut from the leadership, and now Kerala will have Sanju Samson as their new leader.

Although he is no longer the captain but his influence on the team is likely to help the team. His composed batting and clear communication have earned him a spot in the Most Successful SMAT captain list.

2. Jaydev Unadkat | Saurastra

Jaydev Unadkat remains one of the best captains in SMAT and also continues to lead Saurashtra in the 2025 edition. Over a career of 5 years, Unadkat has quickly earned his position in the list of most successful SMAT captains also he is among the best bowlers in India.

As one of the most successful captains in the T20 domestic edition, he has 32 wins in 50 matches and a strong 64% win rate.

1. Mandeep Singh | Punjab & Tripura

One of the most successful names among the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy captains is Mandeep Singh. With a career of 10 years career, he has been with two separate franchises, including Punjab and Tripura, where he has played the most matches as captain in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy records.

With a win % of 66.03, he has played a total of 53 matches and guided the team through highs and lows with consistent results. His leadership not just helped teams but also helped him to stand out among the domestic T20 cricket captains, keeping the competition.

List of Captains Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has been a key tournament, with the selectors keen on it for new rising cricket stars. With the tournament approaching, squads have been announced, and the latest updates are the list of all captains for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025.

This year's tournament is in a new format and will have several known and emerging players in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 Captain's list.