Best captains in terms of strategy and performing under pressure

[Dulex9]

In your opinion, who are the best captain's in terms of strategy and performing under pressure.

From what I've seen:

1) Ricky Ponting-world cup semi final of 2003, his team only scored a low 212, he put in a gully, backward point almost 2 gully's for lee, which invited the batsman to stick their bat out and tempt the edge. Also in the game against England, the 4th slip which got Knight out.

2) Kane Williamson-world cup final, he put a slip, gully, point, cover, extra cover to Eoin Morgan. He seemed a brilliant tactician. He almost pulled it off with good bowling changes and delaying the left arm spinner.

3) Stephen Fleming-brilliant field settings

4) Hansie Cronje

5) Brendon McCullum-think back to 2015 cwc, in some games, he employed 4 slips.

 

[Dulex9]

Ricky Ponting-World cup final too, he got Ganguly out with a 7-2 field and Dravid was threatening, maybe the D/L score, he had squeezed dravid with point, backward point, cover.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

In your opinion, who are the best captain's in terms of strategy and performing under pressure.

From what I've seen:

1) Ricky Ponting-world cup semi final of 2003, his team only scored a low 212, he put in a gully, backward point almost 2 gully's for lee, which invited the batsman to stick their bat out and tempt the edge. Also in the game against England, the 4th slip which got Knight out.

2) Kane Williamson-world cup final, he put a slip, gully, point, cover, extra cover to Eoin Morgan. He seemed a brilliant tactician. He almost pulled it off with good bowling changes and delaying the left arm spinner.

3) Stephen Fleming-brilliant field settings

4) Hansie Cronje

5) Brendon McCullum-think back to 2015 cwc, in some games, he employed 4 slips.

In my mind, he did end up pulling it off. Two flukes and an incorrect umpiring decision robbed him of a well deserved title. Kane Williamson also had a statistic where he scored almost half of New Zealand’s runs in the world cup.

Undoubtedly the standout skipper in the last couple of years, not sure any skipper has been more tactically astute this decade.

 

[Hasan123]

Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Legend, one of my favorite cricketers despite the hate he gets these days (although I do think he batted a tad bit too slow against England ).

His 2011 final knock was the stuff of legend, added to his brilliant captaincy.

 

[Dulex9]

You got to feel for Kane Williamson, England needed 21 off 9 balls, Stokes went for big, Boult accidentally stepped on the rope and the overthrows in the end.

Kumar Sangakarra comes to mind, he messed it up in the 2011 WC Final by not picking Mendis. His field settings and bowling changes were superb though and Murali wasn't effective in that game.

 

[Hasan123]

Legend, one of my favorite cricketers despite the hate he gets these days (although I do think he batted a tad bit too slow against England )

He was past his best at the WC. But he is one of greatest LO cricketers of all time.

 

[silentkiller187]

Cronje? His best tactic was the leather jacket move

 

[Dulex9]

Steve Waugh-attacked Donald in their last QF game in the 1999 WC. In the SF, the game was slipping away and he brought Warne on, and the rest is history.

Imran Khan-although never seen him play, he seemed attacking, the game against Aussies, he employed 4 slips, WC final he promoted himself and bought on the leg spinner during the 10-20 over phase in the WC Final 92 and brought back Wasim to finish England off.

He also kept bowling his 2 spinners against India 87.

 

[ManFan]

Tugga.

 

[Dulex9]

1) Imran Khan
2) Steve Waugh
3) Mike B-the art of captaincy
4) Ricky Ponting
5) Kane Williamson
6) Stephen Fleming
7) M Vaughan
8) B McCullum
9) H Cronje
10) K Sangakarra

 

[ElRaja]

steve waugh of those i saw, always showed up when his team needed it, most of his best scores came with aus 3 down early, united a polar opposites like gilly and warne, 16 win streak, and built a legacy that punters team was found on. unparalleled in the last 30 years imo.

 

[Asad T]

This was fantastic strategy from the West Indies. What an innovative field placement, 'shallow third slip', so shallow that the fielder had to wear a helmet.

Masood was a decent captain and had some great field placements, but one thing he lacked was that his slip cordon was too deep. West Indies on the other hand, placed them to perfection.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1747790937500025102

 

[jnaveen1980]

MSD !! If you have a crappy team and you want to win a tournament he is your guy. Guys like Ponting are blessed with players with natural killer instincts. I remember in a test match where Ponting was up against 1-8 field from MSD in a Test match. Entire day Australia batted and scored 167 for 7.

 

[Advaith]

If you give current Indian team to MS dhoni he will win atleast three to four world tournaments out of ten , such a capable leader ..I don't think Ricky ponting or Kane Williamson are capable of that ..

 

[Asad T]

Shane Warne when he was captain of the Royals was insane. Won the IPL with a fairly unknown and average team. He was a great thinker but loose cannon. Could have been a great leader of Aus cricket if he applied himself better.

 

[moghul]

Imran Khan: Won in England, WI, India and then the WC

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Michael Clarke is very underrated as a tactician.
Malinga's captaincy was brilliant in 2014 wt20.
Darren Sammy's leadership credentials soared in t20is with time even though he became a passenger in the team with both bat and bowl.
Martin Crowe was great as well.
Didn't see Clive Lloyd but think he was pretty good as well.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Dhoni and Ricky Ponting come to my mind when we talk about Captains. Imran Khan is another GOAT in this category.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

I found Pat Cummins to be a very street smart cricketer who knows how to execute his plans. This ODI World Cup was one of his example where he shown his leadership skills.

 

[kingusama92]

Ponting was exceptional.

Great thinker and man manager with so many superstars to deal with. Everyone says he had it easy, but he was balancing all sorts of personalities including Warne in their primes and those days the Australian players were abrasive. To do this and perform as well as he did says it all.

Dhoni also deserves massive credit as the pressure he was under is unmatchable. To do his job so well and remain as calm under pressure says a lot about his legendary leadership skills.

 

[Devadwal]

Currently Pat Cummins.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Currently Pat Cummins.

In India his captaincy was very sub par. Steve smith looked miles better than him in the remaining tests after Cummins left. Cummins makes lot of poor moves. He covers it up with his own performance.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Pat Cummins yes, The way he led his team to the World Cup victory after losing the first 2 games was fantastic. The other name that comes to my mind is Imran Khan and RIcky pointing. Fabulous.