1. Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 165 wins
Ricky Thomas Ponting – The most successful captain in international cricket. The evolution of Ricky Ponting – a worth ready story for any enthusiast. When he started his career, he was very aggressive, but his attitude was not worth mentioning – for he was very much short tempered. People never felt he was a captaincy material. But he continued to play a major part in the team for his instincts with the bat and on the field. As time went by, he matured as a batsman and as a team player. He rose to be one of the talisman of the team when Steve Waugh was the captain. After Steve quit captaincy, there were no second thoughts about selecting his successor. Ricky Ponting continued the good work what Steve Waugh had been doing – winning the world cups in 2003 and 2007.
Australia also enjoyed a golden era in test cricket under his captaincy. He is another captain who leads by example. In the 2003 World Cup final against India, he led the charge and made sure Australia got enough on the board. It was one of the best innings played by a captain in a World Cup Final. His periods of captaincy is very interesting from a cricket analyst’s point of view. During the first 3 years of his reign, he didn’t have to devise any strategies or play with his mind for he had a champion unit. But after their retirements, he had to mould a team for the future and that is where the true captain in Ricky Ponting showed up. He led Australia in 230 matches, off which they found success in 165 matches at a win percent of 71.74%. He leads the pack of Top 10 Greatest ODI Captains of all Time.
