“Imran Khan would be my top choice”: Sanjay Manjrekar picks his top cricket captains

A number of cricket captains from the subcontinent have truly showcased how effective leadership can shape a team’s success. Icons like Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Arjuna Ranatunga, and MS Dhoni are just a few examples of captains who became legends in the sport. Many of them also led their teams to global glory, with Rohit Sharma being the most recent to achieve this feat, as he steered India to victory at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Sanjay Manjrekar recently shared his opinion on who he believes is the greatest cricket captain of all time.

“Who would you rank right on top?” the anchor asked.

“Imran Khan would be my top choice from the past, and following him would be Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his exceptional captaincy. I believe Dhoni elevated the team’s performance single-handedly, even leading them to victories with a squad that was, at times, average or inexperienced—like in the 2007 T20 World Cup,” said Sanjay Manjrekar on Stalin Mathias’ YouTube channel.

“He had a unique approach when it came to performing on the big stage. In the final, he played with the same calmness and focus as he would in any of the earlier league matches. A lot of players, and even some captains, can be overwhelmed by the pressure of big finals, but MS was completely different in that respect.”

Sanjay Manjrekar also lauded Virat Kohli’s mentality during the 2014 Australia tour.

“For me, Virat Kohli is the ultimate mentality monster. Indian cricket has produced great players who were mentally tough, but their strength wasn’t always on display. Players like Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev all had their aggression, but it wasn’t as apparent. Virat was one of the first I saw who showed it so openly. His 2014 tour of Australia, after a tough England series, stands out. He scored four centuries there and wasn’t afraid to challenge the Australian players, responding to them verbally while also backing up his words with his performances.”

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