Rahul Dravid has picked his choice for the greatest captain in cricket history after taking part in a winner-stays-on contest for Cricinfo’s YouTube channel. The former India batter and head coach was asked to choose between some of the most celebrated leaders from different eras and cricketing nations.

The contest featured a wide range of decorated captains, with each leader remaining in contention only if Dravid selected them over the next challenger. Steven Smith, Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Virat Kohli and Imran Khan were among the prominent names to feature as Dravid worked his way through the bracket.

Rahul Dravid weighs up a field of legendary captains

Dravid initially backed Steven Smith when the Australian captain was placed against a group that included Ben Stokes, Kane Williamson, Arjuna Ranatunga, Graeme Smith, Stephen Fleming, Michael Clarke, Eoin Morgan and Pat Cummins. Smith’s run eventually came to an end when Ricky Ponting entered the contest.

Dravid backed Ponting, who had an outstanding captaincy record for Australia and led the side to two ODI World Cup titles and one Champions Trophy. Ponting’s stay in the contest ended when Steve Waugh entered the bracket. Waugh was then replaced by Virat, with Dravid choosing the former India captain over the Australian great.

Imran Khan moves into the final stage

Kohli’s run came to an end when Imran was presented as the next challenger. Dravid selected the former Pakistan captain, putting him ahead of Kohli in the contest. Kohli led India in 213 matches across formats and won 135 of them, while Imran brought the achievement of leading Pakistan to their historic 1992 ODI World Cup triumph.

His leadership and all-round contribution made him one of the most influential figures in Pakistan cricket. After choosing Imran over Kohli, Dravid faced another major decision when the next challenger entered the bracket. The Pakistan great’s run eventually came to an end, leaving Dravid with his final choice.

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Dravid makes his final choice

The final stage saw Dravid choose between Imran and two of the most decorated captains in cricket history. After working through the bracket, he ultimately selected MS Dhoni as his greatest captain. The former India wicketkeeper-captain had a remarkable international leadership career, guiding India to the inaugural T20 World Cup title in 2007, the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

That made him the only captain to win all three major ICC white-ball trophies. Dravid’s final decision therefore came after he had compared a wide range of successful leaders, with the former India captain emerging as his overall choice.

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