Cricket

Rahul Dravid chooses Imran Khan over Virat Kohli, but MS Dhoni takes the ultimate captaincy crown: 'With what he did...'

September 12, 2026

During a "winner stays on" challenge featured on Cricinfo, legendary batter and former national team coach Rahul Dravid ranked iconic cricket skippers, eventually selecting MS Dhoni as the greatest leader. In the progression of choices, Dravid initially backed Steve Smith over Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, Arjuna Ranatunga, , Graeme Smith, Eoin Morgan, Stephen Fleming, and Michael Clarke.

Ricky Ponting then displaced Smith and surpassed Allan Border, only to be overtaken by Steve Waugh. Virat Kohli subsequently eclipsed Waugh, but was then bypassed when Dravid favored Pakistan's 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan on the basis of what he achieved.

Ultimately, Dravid placed Dhoni at the absolute summit ahead of both Khan and two-time World Cup winner Sir Clive Lloyd, who lifted trophies with the West Indies in 1975 and 1979. Dravid, who previously relinquished the ODI captaincy to the Jharkhand star after India's first-round exit at the 2007 World Cup, later spent multiple years playing under Dhoni's leadership.

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”

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