Five legendary cricketers who have never captained India

Throughout the years, the Indian cricket team has witnessed the presence of legendary players gracing the international stage. Leading India is not an easy task. The duty goes beyond on-field skills as it involves handling off-field scrutiny as well. The expectation as well as pressure from the fans is something which is not an easy task for any player.

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It is the harsh reality of cricket that the captain receives credit for victories and bears the brunt of defeats. This high-pressure responsibility demands a personality like Sourav Ganguly who is upfront and assertive or someone like to MS Dhoni, who effortlessly manages everything with composure. However, other cricketing legends were never given a chance to lead the team. It would have been fascinating to see how they would have reacted to this pressure responsibility;

Let us look at some of the players who were never appointed as skipper

5. VVS Laxman

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Batting for the middle-order maestro VVS Laxman went beyond the normal skill of handling pressure. The way he elegantly crafted runs on the lush green canvas was truly captivating. Laxman was a consistently reliable performer in Test cricket. Additionally, he showcased more than proficient skills as a white-ball batter, earning respect in the team's dressing room.

While serving as a trusted deputy to captains Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Anil Kumble, he never had the opportunity to captain the team himself. Despite his leadership qualities, he did not get a chance to take on the role of captain during his tenure with these cricket legends. After retiring from his playing career, Laxman has gained high esteem as a cricket pundit and commentator. Despite donning the Indian jersey for 15 years. Laxman never had the chance to lead the side, even temporarily.

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4. Zaheer Khan

After encountering the challenge of giving away 15 runs in the initial over of the 2003 World Cup final and the achievement of securing three wickets in the 2011 World Cup final, Zaheer Khan witnessed a varied spectrum of moments throughout his distinguished cricketing career.

The legendary bowler is known for his strategic prowess as a fast bowler. Arguably, this was the thing that made him emerge as one of the country's finest in that position. Given his ability to outsmart batter and lead the Indian bowling attack effectively, he could have made a capable captain.

3. Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh enjoyed a legendary career representing Team India but never assumed the role of captain. The turbantor’s brief stint in a leadership position occurred when he served as Suresh Raina's deputy during the ODI series against West Indies in 2011.

Following this period, the legendary batter’s involvement with Team India became irregular, and he eventually concluded his career with 417 Test, 269 ODI, and 25 T20I wickets. Given his understanding of the game, the off-spinner could have been a great option to lead the Indian team. Currently, he is engaged as a commentator.

2. Ravichandran Ashwin

Although Ravi Ashwin remains an active player, it appears increasingly unlikely that he will assume the role of leading the national team. Given the amount of experience he has in international cricket and his cricketing mind, it will be a loss to the Indian team if he never leads India. Despite his impressive statistics, he has not been included in the leadership group. 

The star off-spinner has played under younger teammates without being allowed to captain the national team. Ashwin has 489 Test wickets along with 156 ODI wickets to go with it. Presently, Ashwin is primarily focused on Test cricket and has captained the Punjab Kings in the IPL.

Yuvraj Singh

Arguably, the most deserving name on the list is of Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj will be remembered as one of the greatest limited-overs players in cricket history. The legendary batter’s powerful batting and crafty spin-bowling were instrumental in securing numerous wickets.

Notably, Yuvraj excelled as a big-match player and has consistently taken charge in challenging situations and leading by example. Despite being named the man of the series in both the World T20 2007 and World Cup 2011, the left-hand batter never had the chance to captain the side, mainly due to the emergence of Dhoni. It's understandably challenging for any player to displace a captain who has led the team to multiple world titles and numerous other trophies.