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Top 3 ODI Captains of the Decade

Michael Clarke and MS Dhoni
Michael Clarke and MS Dhoni

Captaining a team in any sport has long been considered a symbol of immense pride and a reward for years of toil on the pitch. No other sport places as much emphasis on the role of a captain as Cricket and the amount of responsibility that comes with taking that mantle in the sport is unmatched.

The captain of any national cricket team is required to be someone with quick thinking, a deep understanding of the game, and the ability to deal with pressure at all times - not an easy one for sure!

So many legendary names have crumbled under the pressure of leading their team while a select few have gone on to become national heroes by winning big tournaments.

Here, we take a look at the three most popular and successful ODI captains of this decade:

#3 Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke with 2015 World cup trophy
Michael Clarke with 2015 World cup trophy

Clarke arguably had the toughest job out of everyone in this list as he took over from the phenomenal Ricky Ponting, whose side was so dominant that even the World Cup felt one-sided at times. In 2012, when Clarke became the skipper, Australia were going through a lean patch and the results were far below their standard.

Perhaps for the first time in the 21st century, the Australian lineup did not induce fear among opponents and they had slowly started losing their invincible aura at home. Clarke sparked the Aussie revival while himself struggling with numerous back injuries and eventually led them to World Cup glory in 2015, beating neighbours New Zealand in front of a record crowd at the MCG. He announced his retirement from the game at the end of the tournament, drawing the curtain on a glorious career. 

Matches - 59, Wins- 38, Lost - 18, Win percentage - 67.85

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