The Indian Test cricket team has seen many legendary leaders over the years, from C.K. Nayudu to Virat Kohli. Each captain has played a key role in shaping the team’s journey. As of 2025, Shubman Gill has been elected as the new captain of the Indian Test team, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Indian cricket.
| Captain | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CK Nayudu | 1932–1934 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Vizianagram | 1936 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Nawab of Pataudi Sr. | 1946 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| L Amarnath | 1947–1952 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| VS Hazare | 1951–1953 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| MH Mankad | 1955–1959 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Ghulam Ahmed | 1955–1959 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| PR Umrigar | 1955–1958 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| HR Adhikari | 1959 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DK Gaekwad | 1959 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| P Roy | 1959 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| GS Ramchand | 1959–1960 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| NJ Contractor | 1960–1962 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| MAK Pataudi | 1962–1975 | 40 | 9 | 19 | 12 |
| CG Borde | 1967 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AL Wadekar | 1971–1974 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| S Venkataraghavan | 1974–1979 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| SM Gavaskar | 1976–1985 | 47 | 9 | 8 | 30 |
| BS Bedi | 1976–1978 | 22 | 6 | 11 | 5 |
| GR Viswanath | 1980 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| N Kapil Dev | 1983–1987 | 34 | 4 | 7 | 22 |
| DB Vengsarkar | 1987–1989 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| RJ Shastri | 1988 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| K Srikkanth | 1989 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| M Azharuddin | 1990–1999 | 47 | 14 | 14 | 19 |
| SR Tendulkar | 1996–2000 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 12 |
| SC Ganguly | 2000–2005 | 49 | 21 | 13 | 15 |
| R Dravid | 2003–2007 | 25 | 8 | 6 | 11 |
| V Sehwag | 2005–2012 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| A Kumble | 2007–2008 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| MS Dhoni | 2008–2014 | 60 | 27 | 18 | 15 |
| V Kohli | 2014–2022 | 68 | 40 | 17 | 11 |
| AM Rahane | 2017–2021 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| KL Rahul | 2022 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| RG Sharma | 2022–2024 | 24 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| JJ Bumrah | 2022–2025 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Who was the first captain of the Indian Test team?
C.K. Nayudu was the first captain of the Indian Test team. He led India in their debut Test match in 1932 against England.
Who has captained India in the most Test matches?
Virat Kohli holds the record for captaining India in the most Test matches (68 Tests).
Which Indian Test captain has the most wins?
Virat Kohli is also the most successful Indian Test captain with 40 wins.