3 Legendary Cricketers Who Could Never Captain Team India

Over the years, Team India has witnessed some of the best cricketers ever to grace the field in the history of world cricket. The Indian National Cricket Team has been home to some giants of the game who have earned praise from all over the world. But, there have been only a few who have had the opportunity to lead this legendary side.

In India, cricket is not just a sport. It is a way of life for many people all across the country which makes it all the more difficult for a captain here as he does not only have to lead the team on the field but off it as well. Such a high-pressure job requires a character like Sourav Ganguly, who is always in your face, or like MS Dhoni, who takes care of everything without breaking a sweat.

There have been 33 captains in the longest format so far while 24 skippers in ODIs for India. However, there have been a few modern-day greats who could have led the team well but weren’t given the opportunity because the other candidates were slightly better.

India: 3 Legends Who Could Never Lead The Men in Blue

Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh will forever be known as one of the greatest match-winners to step on a cricket pitch. Yuvraj scored runs for fun and picked crucial wickets for the Indian team in the middle overs of the game to keep the side in the game. However, Yuvraj’s most sought after ability was evacuating the team from clutch situations.

The fact that he was the Man of the Series in both World T20 2007 and World Cup 2011 says it all. Despite such credentials, Yuvraj was never given the opportunity to lead the side due to the emergence of Dhoni. It’s difficult for any player to dislodge a player from his position who has led the team to multiple world titles and innumerable other trophies.

VVS Laxman

VVS Laxman was a consistent run-getter in the longest format while a more than capable white-ball batsman. He also had the respect of all the team members in the dressing room. Laxman always had the backing of former captains Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble but never got the chance to lead the team himself.

After bringing down the curtains on his career, Laxman is now a widely respected cricket pundit and commentator. He represented the Indian team for 15 years but didn’t get the chance to lead the side even on a temporary basis.

Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan truly changed the scenario of fast bowling in Indian cricket. Until Zaheer’s arrival on the world stage, India was not known for fast bowling in world cricket. But Zaheer Khan rose to the occasion and took the world by surprise with his talent. Zaheer emerged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in world cricket.

From giving away 15 runs in the first over of the 2003 World Cup final to scalping three wickets in the 2011 World Cup final, Zaheer has seen every high and low in his illustrious international cricket. He was the go-to man for Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain.

A true servant of the game for India, who did well in all the formats he played in. He could have made a decent skipper considering how well he used to play with the minds of batsmen and lead the Indian bowling attack at the same time.

Also Read: Ian Chappell Names VVS Laxman’s 281 As One Of All Time Great Knocks