'Dhoni No 1 India captain; Kohli fifth'

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July 31, 2025 15:57 IST

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni

IMAGE: Mahendra Singh Dhoni led India to two World Cup titles -- the T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Reuters

Former batter Ambati Rayudu ranked Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the No 1 India captain, while placing Virat Kohli in fifth position.

Asked to blind rank the Indian captains in a video posted by ESPNCricinfo on X, Rayudu was clear in his choice of two-time World Cup winning skipper Dhoni as India's best-ever

captain ahead of the likes of Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev.

Ganguly was the first pick whom Rayudu placed at No 3, while the legendary Kapil Dev, who guided India to their first-ever World Cup title in 1983 was placed fourth.

Rayudu ranked Rohit Sharma, who captained India to the T20 World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy titles, at second position, while Kohli was fifth among the top six choices. Mohammad Azharuddin was picked for sixth place.

 

'It depends on the format. In red ball cricket, he would be in the top two but overall five,' he reasoned.