MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni (Credits: Twitter)

Unlike Soccer, where the manager or coach is more-often-than-not at the helm of affairs, Captain is the ulimate authority in cricket; someone who has to take decisions solely by himself when the heat is on.

There is a saying that a captain is as good as his team. I do not concur with this fact entirely because in the past we have seen a plethora of captains, who courtesy their vision and astute tactical acumen, have led an average side quite brilliantly.

Here’s a list of five captains who have been brilliant tacticians:

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5. Ian Chappell

five captains who have been brilliant tacticians
Ian Chappell. Credit: AAP Photo

One of the greatest captains Australia have ever produced, Ian Chappell stint as a captain was marred with controversies due to his hot-headedness which sometimes did push the boundary. But that hot-headedness was a by-product of the unrelenting passion that he had for the game.

Chappell was a visionary, who saw cricket as a profession and not as a game of convenience. And, while he fought with the board so that players could get a fair share of the pie that they had been denied thus far, he was also someone who infused ruthlessness in the Australian team. He was incredibly positive and almost always looked to win a game rather than aiming for a draw. And, it was his model of unleashing the wrath of fast bowlers on the opposition which Clive Lloyd duly emulated in years to follow.

4. Eoin Morgan

five captains who have been brilliant tacticians
Eoin Morgan. (Credit: Getty Images)

Whenever the history of English white-ball cricket is written, Eoin Morgan’s name will always be written in the upper-most echelons.

For the longest time, English white-ball cricket was marred with conservatism. That all changed when Morgan took over the reigns in 2015. His first assignment as England captain ended in a debacle. Post the embarrassment that was the 201t World Cup, Morgan laid out a vision for the white-ball team. And, the first thing he did was to break the shackles of conservatism and enthuse aggression into the English outfit.

And, the rest as they say, is history. The English team has since then have become a modern-day template as to how white-ball cricket should be played. Morgan is also the first English captain who knows how to use his spinners and that is reflected in the manner in which Adil Rashid have gone to become a match-winner for the white-ball team since 2015.

3. Clive Lloyd

five captains who have been brilliant tacticians
Clive Lloyd. Credit: Getty Images

The year 1976 proved to be a watershed year in the history of cricket. After having been outgunned 1-5 by the Australians and then humbled by India, en-route to the then highest run-chase in the history of Test cricket, West Indies captain Clive Lloyd had had enough. No more dependence on spinners, LLoyd decided, as he went on to unleash the never-ending battery of his fast bowlers.

And, over a period of the next two decades, batsmen around the world would be battered, bruised, outgunned and even hospitalized. And, the West Indian fans can thank Lloyd’s tactical nouse for it.

2. Arjuna Ranatunga

five captains who have been brilliant tacticians
Arjuna Ranatunga. Twitter

Good captains can make an average team look better. And, Arjuna Ranatunga’s success as Sri Lankan captain testifies that statement to the hilt.

Apart from being a great leader, who always stood for his players in times of adversity, Ranatunga was a brilliant tactician, especially in white-ball cricket.

His decision of promoting Sanath Jayasuriya at the top of the order remains one of the many examples of his tactical nous. Jayasuriya would go on to not only become one of the greatest opening batsmen of all times but also someone who brought about a whirlwind change in how the first 15 overs of an innings should be approached in white-ball cricket.

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1. MS Dhoni

five captains who have been brilliant tacticians
MS Dhoni Image Credits: Reuters

From giving Joginder Sharma the final over in the 2007 T20 World Cup to holding back his spinners in the 2013 Champions Trophy final to slotting Rohit Sharma at the top of the order in white-ball cricket, one can write a book on MS Dhoni and his tactical nous in white-ball cricket.

But, I would like to mention his tactical brilliance during a 2014 Test match against England that propelled India to a famous win at Lord’s for the first time since 1986.

England’ inability to counter the short-pitch stuff had been exposed in the 2013-14 Ashes and Dhoni resorted to the same tactics on the final day at Lord’s. Chasing 319, Moeen Ali and Joe Root had almost blunted out the first session of the final day when Dhoni asked Ishant to resort to short-pitch stuff.

The move paid dividends immediately as Ali fended off awkwardly to a rising Sharma delivery to short-leg. India had found an opening and post Lunch, Dhoni persisted with the same tactic. And, the English batsmen gleefully walked into his trap as they kept hooking and kept holing out in the deep.

Sharma registered his career-best haul of 7-74 and India went on to win the Test by 95 runs, and Dhoni tactical acumen played a key role in it.

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Honourable Mentions: Douglas Jardine, Martin Crowe, Brendon McCullum, Sourav Ganguly, Mahela Jayawardene