3 cricketers who could have matched captain MS Dhoni but never got chance

3 cricketers who could have matched captain MS Dhoni but never got chance. (Photo source: X)

Legendary Indian skipper MS Dhoni is considered one of the nation's most successful captains. Taking over after India’s 2007 ODI World Cup debacle, Dhoni led a young team to T20 World Cup glory that same year. He is the only captain to win all three ICC trophies, the T20 World Cup (2007), ODI World Cup (2011), and Champions Trophy (2013).

But while Dhoni excelled, several talented players who shared the dressing room never got a long leadership run. Players, despite having leadership qualities, could have led India with distinction, given other circumstances.

Here are the three potential cricketers who could have become greater captains than MS Dhoni: 3. Virender Sehwag Virender Sehwag (Photo Source: Twitter)

Legendary Indian opener Virender Sehwag had the potential to become a captain like MS Dhoni, if only he had been given a longer rope in that role. Despite serving as vice-captain during the 2011 ODI World Cup and captaining India rarely between 2003 and 2012, Sehwag never got an extended opportunity to lead. In his brief international captaincy stint, he led India in 12 ODIs, winning seven, and in four Tests, winning two with a remarkable 66.66% win rate.

He also captained India in their inaugural T20I in 2006, which was also Sachin Tendulkar's sole T20I match. In the IPL, Sehwag was Delhi Daredevils' (now Delhi Capitals) first captain, registering 28 wins in 53 matches. He later led the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) for a single game in the 2015 season. The right-handed batter ended his career with 17,253 runs in 374 international games across formats.

2. Gautam Gambhir

India's current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, had all the capabilities to become one of the country’s most successful cricket captains. His short stint as India’s ODI captain in 2010-11 saw him win all six ODI matches, including a 5-0 whitewash of New Zealand. Despite this perfect record, he never got a consistent opportunity to lead the national side. 

However, in the IPL, Gambhir achieved remarkable success. As captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, he won titles in 2012 and 2014, bringing a winning culture to the team. Even in a mentoring role in 2024, Gambhir helped KKR end their 10-year trophy drought. Gambhir’s ability to back young players could have revolutionised Indian captaincy. He excelled in high-pressure situations, as seen in the 2007 T20 and 2011 World Cup finals. 

1. Yuvraj Singh Yuvraj Singh. (Source:X/Twitter)

Player of the series in India’s 2011 World Cup campaign, Yuvraj Singh, never got the chance to captain India. Despite being one of the most senior players when the leadership duties passed post-Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj was sidelined. However, if he had been given a chance, India could have seen one revolutionary skipper in him.

Yuvraj served India as a vice-captain in 2007. His leadership qualities were seen in the IPL, where he captained Kings XI Punjab and Pune Warriors India in 43 matches between 2008-2011, winning 21 and losing as many. The former all-rounder played crucial roles in both of India's World Cup-winning campaigns.