Ambati Rayudu picks MS Dhoni as India’s no.1 captain; gives Virat Kohli this ranking

In a recent blind list challenge, former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu made news by selecting the best cricket captains in India's history. His selection of Virat Kohli at No. 5 attracted the greatest interest, even if it was not surprising that he put MS Dhoni at the top. 

Rayudu was asked to assign places to six Indian captains in a video that ESPNcricinfo broadcasted, without being aware of the complete list beforehand. He started by ranking Kapil Dev at number four and Sourav Ganguly at number three. 

Rayudu boldly placed Rohit Sharma at No. 2 when his name was announced, pointing to his leadership achievements with Team India and in the IPL.

Ambati Rayudu places Virat Kohli on number 5, MS Dhoni tops his list of India captains

Next up was Virat Kohli. Rayudu commended Kohli's achievements in Test cricket but pointed out that he did not lead his team to an ICC title. 

“If this was based only on Tests, he’d be in the top two. But all formats considered, I’ll have to place him at No. 5," Rayudu clarified. 

Later, Mohammad Azharuddin was added at number six on the list. When MS Dhoni's name finally came up, Rayudu grinned and immediately put him at the top. Rayudu, who played for the Chennai Super Kings and India under Dhoni, was unmistakably impressed by Dhoni's leadership and accomplishments.

Here is the video:

https://x.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1950813934518206960

As the only captain to win all three of the major ICC white-ball competitions, Dhoni's legacy as skipper includes victories in the 2011 ODI World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy, and the 2007 T20 World Cup. His cool head and keen tactical sense are still highly valued. 

However, Kohli's leadership was characterized by a great deal of passion and noteworthy Test accomplishments, such as India's ascent to the top Test ranking and a historic series victory in Australia. Nonetheless, his otherwise outstanding career is still viewed as lacking an ICC trophy while serving as captain.

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