Cricket World Cup 2015: A Tale of Captains
While Mahendra Singh Dhoni will aim to repeat India's 1983 and 2011 successes, Brendon McCullum and AB de Villiers will search for their country's maiden triumph. Australia are favourites at home but Sri Lanka and Pakistan will be the surprise elements.
The role of captains in ODIs has been critical to team's fortunes. They say a captain is as good as his team. While no captain can win a match single-handedly, the power of his decision making can make or break a team. The best captains lead by example. Top leaders are great managers. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, regarded as one of the best in the limited format of the game, will be up against some young, energetic and not so experienced captains in World Cup 2015. Here's a glimpse at the top captains:
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Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is India's most successful captain, having led the team to the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup triumph in 2007, the 50-over World Cup four years later and ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. The 33-year-old stumper batsman is the only captain to have won both -- T20 World Cup and 50-Over World Cup. Dhoni is a leader and batsman tailor-made for limited-overs cricket and his captaincy will be key during the mega event.
As India defend their crown, the team's fortunes will revolve around Dhoni whose improvised big-hitting has won many a battle for India. It irked many when the Indian captain promoted himself ahead of an in-form Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 final against Sri Lanka but his decision was right as he ensured India took the trophy. (Factbox of India's World Cup Squad)
Dhoni's record as an ODI skipper is excellent. His captaincy will once again be under scrutiny when he leads the team into the World Cup on pacey and bouncy pitches of Australia and New Zealand. Dhoni has played 254 ODIs and has scored 8262 runs with nine centuries and 56 fifties. He has an excellent average of 52.29. He has 229 catches and 85 stumpings to his credit.
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Brendon McCullum (New Zealand)
Brendon McCullum is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world currently. And not only that, the New Zealand skipper has maintained the same hunger for scoring runs at a very good strike rate in all formats of the game. McCullum has scored runs in every part of the world and given the World Cup is being played at home conditions, he will be more than happy to perform on the big stage and lead New Zealand to their first Cup triumph in the history of the game. With the depth in their batting line-up and one of the best bowling attacks, it will be a challenge for oppositions to beat New Zealand. Captain McCullum takes his side into the World Cup off the back of series wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the past month. They have won four of their past five series and three times in the past two years, New Zealand have successfully chased down a target of more than 250. McCullum averages 30.27 but his renowned big-hitting ability and setting a commanding run-a-ball rate from the start separates him from others. He has a rich experience of 240 ODIs scoring 5480 with five tons and 27 hundreds.
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Michael Clarke/George Bailey/Steve Smith (Australia)
Australia are the favourites to win the World Cup but who will lead the former champions? Michael Clarke is recovering well from an injury, stand-in captain George Bailey is out of form and Steve Smith, who has proved his mettle in both Tests and ODIs of late, is ready to fill in big shoes.
Clarke will have to prove his fitness by February 21 and if reports are to be believed 'Pup' is on the right track to prove his critics wrong. If Clarke comes in then the axe is likely to fall upon Bailey, who is terribly out of form. Smith had replaced Clarke as the team's Test skipper. Smith was in stunning form with the bat as Australia won the four-Test series 2-0. Smith was also given a chance to captain the side in an ODI when Bailey was suspended for a game due to poor over-rate during a tri-series game versus India. Smith kept his captaincy record intact by leading his side to victory against England in that match.
Clarke averages 44.86 and is close to completing 8000 runs in ODIs. He has played 238 matches with eight centuries and 56 fifties. Bailey has a good average of 41.74 with two centuries and 14 fifties under his belt. Smith has an impressive strike rate of close to 90. He has struck three tons and three fifties in his 50 ODIs. He adds weight to the bowling department with his leg-break bowling.
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AB de Villiers (South Africa)
AB de Villiers has got a wide range of shots in his kitty and it's a treat to watch him bat. His 'Atom Bomb' innings against West Indies where he scored the fastest ton in the ODI history - off just 31 balls -- shows how much he can traumatize the opposition with his willow. He had hit a record-equaling 16 sixes and 9 fours in his hurricane knock. His ability to rip apart any bowling attack makes South Africa one of the most dangerous sides in the quadrennial event and the Proteas will rely upon his batting and captaincy skills during the World Cup and as they find a solution to shed the 'chokers' tag. De Villiers averages 52.16, has a strike rate of 97.16, scored 7459 runs, hit 19 centuries and 43 fifties and is an exceptional wicketkeeper/fielder.
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Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
Of all captains, pressure will be on Angelo Mathews to deliver during the World Cup. Sri Lanka lost the ODI series in India and were thrashed by New Zealand Down Under. Mathews will be hoping to make it big at least for retiring seniors - Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. While Mathews will look up to the star seniors for support, he will also hope to return to form with both bat and ball. His all-round skills are almost indispensable and team hangs many hopes on the youngster. Sri Lanka, who have won the 50-over World Cup 1996 and the World Twenty20 in 2014, may have been out of form but it will be wrong to count them out. Sri Lanka were the finalists of the previous World Cup, which India won in 2011.
Mathews has a robust batting technique, is consistent with the ball and is athletic in the field. With the ball, the medium pacer has one five-wicket and one four-wicket haul to his credit. He is one of Sri Lanka's most prized assets. In 149 matches, Mathews has scored 3588 runs at an average of 40.31 with the help of one ton and 25 fifties.
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Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan)
Retiring Misbah-ul-Haq will hope to match Imran Khan's World Cup triumph -- Pakistan's only win -- in Australia in 1992. Pakistan have suffered one blow after another before the start of the mega event. After Junaid Khan, spinning all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez bowed out of the World Cup due to injuries. Though, the good news is that Saeed Ajmal is available for selection after his reworked action was cleared by the ICC. It will be a litmus test for Misbah when Pakistan start their campaign against arch-rivals India on February 15. Not only that, Misbah will have to keep the team spirit intact at such a tough phase. He has an unflappable temperament to handle pressure but he will surely need seniors to step up to the occasion. He has a pretty good average of 42 and has scored close to 5000 ODI runs. Though, the right-hand batsman has scored 38 fifties but is yet to hit a century after playing 155 ODIs. Misbah holds the record for joint-fastest Test hundred - off 56 balls - along with Viv Richards and also has smashed the quickest half-century in Tests (24 balls) which shows how he can single-handedly turn the match in his team's favour.