In cricket, captaincy is frequently undervalued, A leader is believed to be only as good as their team. – Three international cricket captains
While this is true, it is also true that a great captain may bring out the best in his or her teammates.
The game of cricket has seen countless examples of a team being defined by its captain over the years.
England’s Mike Brearley did not score many runs with the bat in international cricket, but he is largely considered one of the sport’s finest leaders.
His astute and astute captaincy had a significant influence.
Imran Khan of Pakistan and Arjuna Ranatunga of Sri Lanka both beat the odds to lead their teams to victory in the 1992 and 1996 ODI World Cups, respectively.
Sourav Ganguly was critical in restoring Indian cricket following the devastating match-fixing incident.
The year 2023 also saw a few captains stand strong and make a significant influence by leading from the front, as seen by their individual teams’ performances.
As the year comes to a close, we select the three finest leaders in international cricket for 2023.
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan) No. 3
Afghanistan had its strongest ODI World Cup campaign to date, finishing sixth in the league points standings with four victories in nine matches -Three international cricket captains
In Delhi, the Asian team defeated England by a record-breaking 69-run margin. They went on to beat Pakistan by eight wickets, as well as Sri Lanka and the Netherlands by seven wickets apiece.
What would have occurred if Mujeeb Ur Rahman had held on to Glenn Maxwell’s catch in the match against Australia at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium?
Afghanistan should be tremendously pleased with their World Cup achievement, despite failing to qualify for the semi-finals.
Hashmatullah Shahidi‘s inspiring leadership was a major factor in Afghanistan’s successful campaign at the ICC tournament.
The team’s skill has never been in doubt, but they appeared to be a different force under Shahidi, whose calm leadership seemed to rub off on the other members of the squad.
Shahidi also took the lead with the bat. He scored 310 runs in nine matches at an excellent average of 51.66.
He hit a gutsy 80 against India, as well as 48*, 58*, and 56* in victories against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands.
Also Read: Despite the defeat to Australia in the Melbourne Test, Pakistan had three major benefits
Rohit Sharma (India) No. 2
A year before the 2023 ODI World Cup, India’s ODI blueprint was being questioned. Many commentators thought they were playing the old-fashioned style, taking their time getting in and then going after the bowling in the end. The outcomes were likewise consistent.
Men in Blue skipper Rohit Sharma accepted the oddity and charted a new trajectory. He chose to take on the burden of attacking the bowling in the opening ten overs, even if it meant playing some high-risk cricket.
Many experts thought Rohit’s strategy was flawed since he could score quickly even while using conventional cricketing techniques. However, the Indian skipper kept to his aggressive strategy and outperformed all criticism in the 2023 World Cup.
The 36-year-old scored 597 runs in 11 ICC matches, with an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.95. Despite taking an all-or-nothing attitude with the willow, Rohit ended as the World Cup’s second-leading run-getter. It was unfortunate that he was unable to lead India to a World Cup victory at home.
Pat Cummins (Australia) No. 1
If there was an award for captain of the year, Australia’s Pat Cummins would be a worthy recipient. He led the squad with all his heart and soul, backed them up completely, and led from the front with the ball. Cummins accomplished this in a year when he was dealing with the death of his mother, demonstrating the fast bowler’s mental fortitude.
There were a few times during the 2023 World Cup when Australia’s prospects of winning were called into question.
They were defeated in their first two matches against hosts India and South Africa, respectively.
Many questioned their choice to choose only one frontline spinner in Adam Zampa. They were on the verge of a humiliating defeat over Afghanistan.
While Glenn Maxwell was the hero of Australia’s exciting come-from-behind victory over Afghanistan, the victory would not have been possible without Cummins’ block than on the other end.
In the World Cup final versus India, with the Ahmedabad surface in mind, the Australian captain executed a masterstroke by putting the hosts into bat. He followed up his choice with a magnificent session, taking out Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer.
Cummins stood up for the squad and delivered, as most great captains do, at the World Cup in 2023. He did it in the Ashes, and it was only natural that he was named Player of the Match in Australia’s final Test of the year, a Boxing Day match against Pakistan.
Three international cricket captains – The right-arm bowler took 10 wickets in the game, effectively crippling the opposition’s defense. Cummins had exactly that type of year in international cricket. Almost everything he touched was transformed into gold!