Captaincy in cricket is more demanding than in any other team sport. Not only does the captain has to be a consistent performer for the team, but also needs to have the motivational skills to get the best out of others. Captaincy records, though, do not always give the correct picture. The quality of the team can be a major factor in a captain’s record.

<strong> Here’s a look at 7 Great cricketers who were not so good captains:<br></strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/07/Brian-Lara-ODI.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-26072"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-26072" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Brian-Lara-ODI.jpg" alt="cricketers who were not so good captains" width="650" height="430" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-26072" class="wp-caption-text">Brian Lara. (© Getty Images)</figcaption>

The batting genius from West Indies had a poor record as a Test captain. He led the team in 47 Test matches winning only 10 and losing 26. The sad decline of West Indies cricket didn’t help the great man and left him with a winnings percentage of only 21.28. The two heaviest series defeats were against South Africa (5-0) in 1998 and England (4-0) in 2004. In 1999, the Windies lost 2-0 away to New Zealand and 3-1 to Australia at home in 2003. The year 2003 also saw the team lose a 4-match away series 3-0 to South Africa. England came to the Caribbean in 2004 and won a 4-match series by the same margin of 3-0 against the home side.

Lara scored runs consistently however the team failed to live up to the expectations. The 2 memorable series under his captaincy were the ones in 1998 when the visiting English side was beaten 3-1 in a 5-match series and other visitors, Australia were held 2-2 in the famous series of 1999 when Lara was at the peak of his prowess. Lara’s ODI captaincy record is far better with a winning percentage of 47.20 from 125 matches. He also led his country to the ICC Champions Trophy Title win in 2004.

Also Read &#8211; <strong><a href="http://goo.gl/AtnndG" target="_blank">Top 10 Most successful captains in international Cricket</a></strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/01/Daniel-Vettori.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-9652"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-9652" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Daniel-Vettori.jpg" alt="Daniel Vettori" width="412" height="608" sizes="(max-width: 412px) 100vw, 412px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-9652" class="wp-caption-text">Daniel Vettori. (Photo Source: AFP)</figcaption>

One of the finest left-arm spinners to have ever played the game, Daniel Vettori was a well respected leader in New Zealand cricket. Unfortunately though, his Test captaincy record was far from impressive. He led his country in 32 Tests winning just 6 and losing 16 matches. 5 off the 6 wins were against Bangladesh, a Team struggling to find their feet in Test cricket. A solitary win against Pakistan was registered at home in 2009 in the 1st match of the series. The 3-match series ended 1-1 as the visitors took the 2nd Test before the decider being a drawn affair.

Under his captaincy, the Kiwis lost away to South Africa in 2007 (2-0), at home to England in 2008 (2-0), away to England in the same year (2-0) and to Australia down under in the same year (2-0). The following year India toured NZ and beat them 1-0 in a 3-match series. Sri Lanka, on their home soil, beat the Kiwis 2-0 in the same year. A 2-0 loss to Australia at home in 2010 was followed by another 1-0 loss away to India.

He lost his last Test series as captain to Pakistan 1-0 at home in 2011. Similar to Lara, his record as a captain in ODIs was far more impressive with a winning percentage of 50.00 from 82 matches. This included a semi-final appearance in the 2011 World Cup. He also led the team brilliantly in the 2009 Champions Trophy guiding them through to the finals. A hamstring injury ruled him out of the summit clash against the Aussies and it turned out to be a big blow as the Kiwis lost the match.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/08/David-Gower.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-30263"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-30263" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/David-Gower.jpg" alt="David Gower" width="650" height="427" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30263" class="wp-caption-text">David Gower. (Photo Source: PA Photos)</figcaption>

The elegant left-hander was one of the finest batsmen to be produced by England. He scored over 8000 runs for his country in Test cricket in a highly successful Test career however didn’t enjoy much success as a captain in the same format. He led England in 35 Test off which his team won only 5 and suffered 18 defeats. He lost his first Test as a captain against Pakistan 1982 at Lord’s. With the regular captain Bob Willis out due to injury, Gower, with little experience was given the responsibility to lead the side in the 2nd match of the 3-match series. Willis returned for the 3rd match as England completed a 2-1 series win over the visitors.

He led against Pakistan in 2 Tests in 1984, in an away series in similar circumstances after Willis suffering from food poisoning, withdrew on the morning of the 2nd match. Gower led in the 2 Tests with both ending in a draw. The same year the West Indies toured England and hammered the home side 5-0, Gower’s first full series as a captain.

He came back strongly and led his team to a memorable away series in India (2-1) in 1984-85. The Ashes win over at home against Australia (3-1) in 1985 remains the high point of his captaincy career. This was followed by disappointment though as his suffered another 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the Windies in an away series in 1986. In his last series as a Test skipper his team lost at home against the Aussies (4-0) in 1989. His ODI captaincy record was far better with a winning percentage of 41.67 from 24 matches.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Sachin-Tendulkar-MCC.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-16283"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-16283" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar-MCC.jpg" alt="Sachin Tendulkar" width="650" height="490" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16283" class="wp-caption-text">Sachin Tendulkar (© Getty Images)</figcaption>

The great batsman led India in 25 Test matches winning just 4 of these matches. With a winning percentage of just 16.00, he had largely a forgettable time as a Test captain. In an illustrious career spanning more than 20 years, he holds almost all major batting records however his Test captaincy record was ordinary at best. Under him, India lost 9 and drew 12 Tests.

He started on a positive note as India won the one-off Test against the visiting Australians in 1996. A 2-1 series win over South Africa at home in the same year continued the momentum however the slide began at the end of the year. Away to South Africa, the team lost 2-0 in a 3-match series followed by a 1-0 loss in the Caribbean in a 4-match series. The following 5 Tests in 1997 against Sri Lanka, 2 on an away tour and 3 at home failed to produce any results.

In 1999, New Zealand travelled to India and lost 1-0 to the home side in a 3-match series which witnessed 2 draws. India was whitewashed 3-0 in an away series against Australia in 1999-00 as the team failed to put up a fight. The master’s last series as a Test captain was a major disappointment as India were blanked 2-0 at home by the visiting South Africans. His ODI captaincy registered a winning percentage of 31.94 from 72 matches.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/Andy-Flower-Zimbabwe.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-19868"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-19868" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Andy-Flower-Zimbabwe.jpg" alt="Andy Flower Zimbabawe" width="650" height="423" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-19868" class="wp-caption-text">Andy Flower. (© Getty Images)</figcaption>

The elegant left-hander Andy Flower, Zimbabwe’s greatest batsman, was a delight to watch when in full flow. He had an illustrious career scoring runs against the top teams in the world. Unfortunately, his Test captaincy record got affected largely due to the quality of the Zimbabwean team. He led his country in 20 Tests winning only 1 and losing 10 matches with 9 ending in draws.

A 3-nmatch away series to Pakistan in 1993 saw his team beaten 2-0. This was followed by a 3-match series at home against Sri Lanka which failed to produce any result. He won his only Test as a captain against the visiting Pakistan team in 1994, the first of the 3-match series, however, lost the following 2 matches as the series ended in a disappointment for the home team.

In 1995, South Africa proved too strong against the home team in a one-off Test. This was followed by an away tour to New Zealand in 1996 that failed to produce any result in the 2-match series. Another one-off Test loss against South Africa in 1999 was followed by a 1-0 loss against the visiting Sri Lankans in the same year in a 3-match series. Zimbabwe toured the West Indies in the year 2000 and lost the series 2-0, followed by a 1-0 loss away to England in the same year with both of these being 2-match series. His ODI captaincy registered a low winning percentage of 23.08 from 52 matches.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/12/Kim-Hughes-Former-Australian-Captain.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-47178"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-47178" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Kim-Hughes-Former-Australian-Captain.jpg" alt="Kim Hughes" width="650" height="441" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47178" class="wp-caption-text">Kim Hughes. (© Getty Images)</figcaption>

A right-handed batsman, Kim Hughes had an orthodox yet attractive batting style. During the split between the establishment Australian Cricket Board and the breakaway World Series Cricket, Hughes was amongst those stayed with the establishment.  His captaincy record with Australia was hindered by a succession of matches away from home, an inexperienced team rebuilding itself after the frequent absence and later retirement of several senior players.

He led his country in 28 Tests winning just 4 and losing 13 with 11 drawn matches. He started with a solitary win against Pakistan in 1979 however ended the year with a 2-0 loss away to India in a 6-match series. The 1981 Ashes away series away to England started on a positive note for the Aussies, however, ended with a huge disappointment as the team lost the 6-match series 3-1. A win was followed by a draw in the two Tests, but the Aussies were outplayed in the following 3 Tests followed by a drawn final Test. The team was blanked by Pakistan 3-0 in an away series in 1982.

The Aussies got their revenge beating the Asian giants in the return series at home in 1983-84. The team won 2-0 in a 5-match series. The West Indies at home in 1984 hammered Australia 4-0 in a 6-match series and in the same year toured down under winning the first match at Gabba. Placed under extreme pressure by the media and former teammates, this turned out to be Hughes’ last Test as a captain. He made an emotional and tearful speech while resigning from the captaincy.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/12/John-Reid-Former-New-Zealand-Cricketer.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-47176"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-47176" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/John-Reid-Former-New-Zealand-Cricketer.jpg" alt="John Reid" width="650" height="652" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47176" class="wp-caption-text">John Reid. (Photo Source: PA Photos)</figcaption>

The oldest surviving New Zealand Test cricketer, John Reid was a brilliant all-rounder and remains one of the legends of his country’s cricket. Someone who could have been breathtaking cricket in the shortest format of the game, Reid unfortunately retired just before the ODI matches were started since he belonged to a generation prior to it.

He was attacking batsman with thunderous strokes, a superb fielder and an aggressive bowler who, in his early days, was genuinely quick. He later turned to off-cutters and spin from a short run-up with a trademark side-step. He played 58 Tests for his country scoring 3428 runs at an average of 33.28 including 6 tons and 22 fifties and also took 85 wickets at 33.35. His captaincy record, though, failed to impress largely due to a weak team which failed to compete against much-established teams.

He captained New Zealand in 34 Tests winning just 3 and losing 18 with 13 drawn matches. In 1956, a strong West Indies team toured the picturesque country and beat the home side 2-1. In 1958 England, at home, beat the visiting Kiwis 4-0 in a 5-match series. In early 1959 the two teams faced each other again, this time in a 2-match series in New Zealand which the visitors won 1-0.

In 1961, Reid had a marvelous season scoring 546 runs in five Tests against South Africa in an away series at an average of 60.64. He was instrumental in helping his team finish the 5-match series 2-2. In 1963, England toured New Zealand and beat the Kiwis 3-0. In 1965, Reid’s team toured India for a 4-match series and lost 1-0, followed by a tour to Pakistan, where the team lost 2-0. The great man retired after a 3-0 series loss against England on an away tour.

<p>Captaincy in cricket is more demanding than in any other team sport. Not only does the captain has to be a consistent performer for the team, but also needs to have the motivational skills to get the best out of others. Captaincy records, though, do not always give the correct picture. The quality of the team can be a major factor in a captain’s record.</p>
<h3><strong> Here’s a look at 7 Great cricketers who were not so good captains:<br>
</strong></h3>
<h4><strong>1. Brian Lara:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_26072" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26072" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/07/Brian-Lara-ODI.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-26072"><amp-img class="wp-image-26072" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Brian-Lara-ODI.jpg" alt="cricketers who were not so good captains" width="650" height="430" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-26072" class="wp-caption-text">Brian Lara. (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The batting genius from West Indies had a poor record as a Test captain. He led the team in 47 Test matches winning only 10 and losing 26. The sad decline of West Indies cricket didn’t help the great man and left him with a winnings percentage of only 21.28. The two heaviest series defeats were against South Africa (5-0) in 1998 and England (4-0) in 2004. In 1999, the Windies lost 2-0 away to New Zealand and 3-1 to Australia at home in 2003. The year 2003 also saw the team lose a 4-match away series 3-0 to South Africa. England came to the Caribbean in 2004 and won a 4-match series by the same margin of 3-0 against the home side.</p>
<p>Lara scored runs consistently however the team failed to live up to the expectations. The 2 memorable series under his captaincy were the ones in 1998 when the visiting English side was beaten 3-1 in a 5-match series and other visitors, Australia were held 2-2 in the famous series of 1999 when Lara was at the peak of his prowess. Lara’s ODI captaincy record is far better with a winning percentage of 47.20 from 125 matches. He also led his country to the ICC Champions Trophy Title win in 2004.</p>
<h5>Also Read – <strong><a href="http://goo.gl/AtnndG" target="_blank">Top 10 Most successful captains in international Cricket</a></strong></h5>
<h4><strong>2. Daniel Vettori:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_9652" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-9652" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/01/Daniel-Vettori.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-9652"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-9652" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Daniel-Vettori.jpg" alt="Daniel Vettori" width="412" height="608" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-9652" class="wp-caption-text">Daniel Vettori. (Photo Source: AFP)</figcaption></figure>
<p>One of the finest left-arm spinners to have ever played the game, Daniel Vettori was a well respected leader in New Zealand cricket. Unfortunately though, his Test captaincy record was far from impressive. He led his country in 32 Tests winning just 6 and losing 16 matches. 5 off the 6 wins were against Bangladesh, a Team struggling to find their feet in Test cricket. A solitary win against Pakistan was registered at home in 2009 in the 1st match of the series. The 3-match series ended 1-1 as the visitors took the 2nd Test before the decider being a drawn affair.</p>
<p>Under his captaincy, the Kiwis lost away to South Africa in 2007 (2-0), at home to England in 2008 (2-0), away to England in the same year (2-0) and to Australia down under in the same year (2-0). The following year India toured NZ and beat them 1-0 in a 3-match series. Sri Lanka, on their home soil, beat the Kiwis 2-0 in the same year. A 2-0 loss to Australia at home in 2010 was followed by another 1-0 loss away to India.</p>
<p>He lost his last Test series as captain to Pakistan 1-0 at home in 2011. Similar to Lara, his record as a captain in ODIs was far more impressive with a winning percentage of 50.00 from 82 matches. This included a semi-final appearance in the 2011 World Cup. He also led the team brilliantly in the 2009 Champions Trophy guiding them through to the finals. A hamstring injury ruled him out of the summit clash against the Aussies and it turned out to be a big blow as the Kiwis lost the match.</p>
<h4><strong>3. David Gower:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_30263" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30263" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/08/David-Gower.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-30263"><amp-img class="wp-image-30263" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/David-Gower.jpg" alt="David Gower" width="650" height="427" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30263" class="wp-caption-text">David Gower. (Photo Source: PA Photos)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The elegant left-hander was one of the finest batsmen to be produced by England. He scored over 8000 runs for his country in Test cricket in a highly successful Test career however didn’t enjoy much success as a captain in the same format. He led England in 35 Test off which his team won only 5 and suffered 18 defeats. He lost his first Test as a captain against Pakistan 1982 at Lord’s. With the regular captain Bob Willis out due to injury, Gower, with little experience was given the responsibility to lead the side in the 2nd match of the 3-match series. Willis returned for the 3rd match as England completed a 2-1 series win over the visitors.</p>
<p>He led against Pakistan in 2 Tests in 1984, in an away series in similar circumstances after Willis suffering from food poisoning, withdrew on the morning of the 2nd match. Gower led in the 2 Tests with both ending in a draw. The same year the West Indies toured England and hammered the home side 5-0, Gower’s first full series as a captain.</p>
<p>He came back strongly and led his team to a memorable away series in India (2-1) in 1984-85. The Ashes win over at home against Australia (3-1) in 1985 remains the high point of his captaincy career. This was followed by disappointment though as his suffered another 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the Windies in an away series in 1986. In his last series as a Test skipper his team lost at home against the Aussies (4-0) in 1989. His ODI captaincy record was far better with a winning percentage of 41.67 from 24 matches.</p>
<h4><strong>4. Sachin Tendulkar:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_16283" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16283" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Sachin-Tendulkar-MCC.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-16283"><amp-img class="wp-image-16283" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar-MCC.jpg" alt="Sachin Tendulkar" width="650" height="490" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16283" class="wp-caption-text">Sachin Tendulkar (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The great batsman led India in 25 Test matches winning just 4 of these matches. With a winning percentage of just 16.00, he had largely a forgettable time as a Test captain. In an illustrious career spanning more than 20 years, he holds almost all major batting records however his Test captaincy record was ordinary at best. Under him, India lost 9 and drew 12 Tests.</p>
<p>He started on a positive note as India won the one-off Test against the visiting Australians in 1996. A 2-1 series win over South Africa at home in the same year continued the momentum however the slide began at the end of the year. Away to South Africa, the team lost 2-0 in a 3-match series followed by a 1-0 loss in the Caribbean in a 4-match series. The following 5 Tests in 1997 against Sri Lanka, 2 on an away tour and 3 at home failed to produce any results.</p>
<p>In 1999, New Zealand travelled to India and lost 1-0 to the home side in a 3-match series which witnessed 2 draws. India was whitewashed 3-0 in an away series against Australia in 1999-00 as the team failed to put up a fight. The master’s last series as a Test captain was a major disappointment as India were blanked 2-0 at home by the visiting South Africans. His ODI captaincy registered a winning percentage of 31.94 from 72 matches.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Andy Flower: </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_19868" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19868" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/Andy-Flower-Zimbabwe.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-19868"><amp-img class="wp-image-19868" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Andy-Flower-Zimbabwe.jpg" alt="Andy Flower Zimbabawe" width="650" height="423" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-19868" class="wp-caption-text">Andy Flower. (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The elegant left-hander Andy Flower, Zimbabwe’s greatest batsman, was a delight to watch when in full flow. He had an illustrious career scoring runs against the top teams in the world. Unfortunately, his Test captaincy record got affected largely due to the quality of the Zimbabwean team. He led his country in 20 Tests winning only 1 and losing 10 matches with 9 ending in draws.</p>
<p>A 3-nmatch away series to Pakistan in 1993 saw his team beaten 2-0. This was followed by a 3-match series at home against Sri Lanka which failed to produce any result. He won his only Test as a captain against the visiting Pakistan team in 1994, the first of the 3-match series, however, lost the following 2 matches as the series ended in a disappointment for the home team.</p>
<p>In 1995, South Africa proved too strong against the home team in a one-off Test. This was followed by an away tour to New Zealand in 1996 that failed to produce any result in the 2-match series. Another one-off Test loss against South Africa in 1999 was followed by a 1-0 loss against the visiting Sri Lankans in the same year in a 3-match series. Zimbabwe toured the West Indies in the year 2000 and lost the series 2-0, followed by a 1-0 loss away to England in the same year with both of these being 2-match series. His ODI captaincy registered a low winning percentage of 23.08 from 52 matches.</p>
<h4><strong>6. Kim Hughes:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_47178" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47178" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/12/Kim-Hughes-Former-Australian-Captain.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-47178"><amp-img class="wp-image-47178" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Kim-Hughes-Former-Australian-Captain.jpg" alt="Kim Hughes" width="650" height="441" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47178" class="wp-caption-text">Kim Hughes. (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>A right-handed batsman, Kim Hughes had an orthodox yet attractive batting style. During the split between the establishment Australian Cricket Board&nbsp;and the breakaway&nbsp;World Series Cricket, Hughes was amongst those stayed with the establishment.&nbsp; His captaincy record with Australia was hindered by a succession of matches away from home, an inexperienced team rebuilding itself after the frequent absence and later retirement of several senior players.</p>
<p>He led his country in 28 Tests winning just 4 and losing 13 with 11 drawn matches. He started with a solitary win against Pakistan in 1979 however ended the year with a 2-0 loss away to India in a 6-match series. The 1981 Ashes away series away to England started on a positive note for the Aussies, however, ended with a huge disappointment as the team lost the 6-match series 3-1. A win was followed by a draw in the two Tests, but the Aussies were outplayed in the following 3 Tests followed by a drawn final Test. The team was blanked by Pakistan 3-0 in an away series in 1982.</p>
<p>The Aussies got their revenge beating the Asian giants in the return series at home in 1983-84. The team won 2-0 in a 5-match series. The West Indies at home in 1984 hammered Australia 4-0 in a 6-match series and in the same year toured down under winning the first match at Gabba. Placed under extreme pressure by the media and former teammates, this turned out to be Hughes’ last Test as a captain. He made an emotional and tearful speech while&nbsp;resigning from the captaincy.</p>
<h4><strong>7. John&nbsp;Reid:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_47176" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47176" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/12/John-Reid-Former-New-Zealand-Cricketer.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-47176"><amp-img class="wp-image-47176" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/John-Reid-Former-New-Zealand-Cricketer.jpg" alt="John Reid" width="650" height="652" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47176" class="wp-caption-text">John Reid. (Photo Source: PA Photos)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The oldest surviving New Zealand Test cricketer, John Reid was a brilliant all-rounder and remains one of the legends of his country’s cricket. Someone who could have been breathtaking cricket in the shortest format of the game, Reid unfortunately retired just before the ODI matches were started since he belonged to a generation prior to it.</p>
<p>He was attacking batsman with thunderous strokes, a superb fielder and an aggressive bowler who, in his early days, was genuinely quick. He later turned to off-cutters and spin from a short run-up with a trademark side-step.&nbsp;He played 58 Tests for his country scoring 3428 runs at an average of 33.28 including 6 tons and 22 fifties and also took 85 wickets at 33.35. His captaincy record, though, failed to impress largely due to a weak team which failed to compete against much-established teams.</p>
<p>He captained New Zealand in 34 Tests winning just 3 and losing 18 with 13 drawn matches. In 1956, a strong West Indies team toured the picturesque country and beat the home side 2-1. In 1958 England, at home, beat the visiting Kiwis 4-0 in a 5-match series. In early 1959 the two teams faced each other again, this time in a 2-match series in New Zealand which the visitors won 1-0.</p>
<p>In 1961, Reid had a marvelous season scoring 546 runs in five Tests against&nbsp;South Africa&nbsp;in an away series at an average of 60.64. He was instrumental in helping his team finish the 5-match series 2-2. In 1963, England toured New Zealand and beat the Kiwis 3-0. In 1965, Reid’s team toured India for a 4-match series and lost 1-0, followed by a tour to Pakistan, where the team lost 2-0. The great man retired after a 3-0 series loss against England on an away tour.</p>

<p>Captaincy in cricket is more demanding than in any other team sport. Not only does the captain has to be a consistent performer for the team, but also needs to have the motivational skills to get the best out of others. Captaincy records, though, do not always give the correct picture. The quality of the team can be a major factor in a captain’s record.</p>
<h3><strong> Here’s a look at 7 Great cricketers who were not so good captains:<br>
</strong></h3>
<h4><strong>1. Brian Lara:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_26072" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26072" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/07/Brian-Lara-ODI.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-26072"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-26072" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Brian-Lara-ODI.jpg" alt="cricketers who were not so good captains" width="650" height="430" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-26072" class="wp-caption-text">Brian Lara. (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The batting genius from West Indies had a poor record as a Test captain. He led the team in 47 Test matches winning only 10 and losing 26. The sad decline of West Indies cricket didn’t help the great man and left him with a winnings percentage of only 21.28. The two heaviest series defeats were against South Africa (5-0) in 1998 and England (4-0) in 2004. In 1999, the Windies lost 2-0 away to New Zealand and 3-1 to Australia at home in 2003. The year 2003 also saw the team lose a 4-match away series 3-0 to South Africa. England came to the Caribbean in 2004 and won a 4-match series by the same margin of 3-0 against the home side.</p>
<p>Lara scored runs consistently however the team failed to live up to the expectations. The 2 memorable series under his captaincy were the ones in 1998 when the visiting English side was beaten 3-1 in a 5-match series and other visitors, Australia were held 2-2 in the famous series of 1999 when Lara was at the peak of his prowess. Lara’s ODI captaincy record is far better with a winning percentage of 47.20 from 125 matches. He also led his country to the ICC Champions Trophy Title win in 2004.</p>
<h5>Also Read &#8211; <strong><a href="http://goo.gl/AtnndG" target="_blank">Top 10 Most successful captains in international Cricket</a></strong></h5>
<h4><strong>2. Daniel Vettori:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_9652" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-9652" style="width: 412px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/01/Daniel-Vettori.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-9652"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-9652" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Daniel-Vettori.jpg" alt="Daniel Vettori" width="412" height="608" sizes="(max-width: 412px) 100vw, 412px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-9652" class="wp-caption-text">Daniel Vettori. (Photo Source: AFP)</figcaption></figure>
<p>One of the finest left-arm spinners to have ever played the game, Daniel Vettori was a well respected leader in New Zealand cricket. Unfortunately though, his Test captaincy record was far from impressive. He led his country in 32 Tests winning just 6 and losing 16 matches. 5 off the 6 wins were against Bangladesh, a Team struggling to find their feet in Test cricket. A solitary win against Pakistan was registered at home in 2009 in the 1st match of the series. The 3-match series ended 1-1 as the visitors took the 2nd Test before the decider being a drawn affair.</p>
<p>Under his captaincy, the Kiwis lost away to South Africa in 2007 (2-0), at home to England in 2008 (2-0), away to England in the same year (2-0) and to Australia down under in the same year (2-0). The following year India toured NZ and beat them 1-0 in a 3-match series. Sri Lanka, on their home soil, beat the Kiwis 2-0 in the same year. A 2-0 loss to Australia at home in 2010 was followed by another 1-0 loss away to India.</p>
<p>He lost his last Test series as captain to Pakistan 1-0 at home in 2011. Similar to Lara, his record as a captain in ODIs was far more impressive with a winning percentage of 50.00 from 82 matches. This included a semi-final appearance in the 2011 World Cup. He also led the team brilliantly in the 2009 Champions Trophy guiding them through to the finals. A hamstring injury ruled him out of the summit clash against the Aussies and it turned out to be a big blow as the Kiwis lost the match.</p>
<h4><strong>3. David Gower:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_30263" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30263" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/08/David-Gower.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-30263"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-30263" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/David-Gower.jpg" alt="David Gower" width="650" height="427" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30263" class="wp-caption-text">David Gower. (Photo Source: PA Photos)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The elegant left-hander was one of the finest batsmen to be produced by England. He scored over 8000 runs for his country in Test cricket in a highly successful Test career however didn’t enjoy much success as a captain in the same format. He led England in 35 Test off which his team won only 5 and suffered 18 defeats. He lost his first Test as a captain against Pakistan 1982 at Lord’s. With the regular captain Bob Willis out due to injury, Gower, with little experience was given the responsibility to lead the side in the 2nd match of the 3-match series. Willis returned for the 3rd match as England completed a 2-1 series win over the visitors.</p>
<p>He led against Pakistan in 2 Tests in 1984, in an away series in similar circumstances after Willis suffering from food poisoning, withdrew on the morning of the 2nd match. Gower led in the 2 Tests with both ending in a draw. The same year the West Indies toured England and hammered the home side 5-0, Gower’s first full series as a captain.</p>
<p>He came back strongly and led his team to a memorable away series in India (2-1) in 1984-85. The Ashes win over at home against Australia (3-1) in 1985 remains the high point of his captaincy career. This was followed by disappointment though as his suffered another 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the Windies in an away series in 1986. In his last series as a Test skipper his team lost at home against the Aussies (4-0) in 1989. His ODI captaincy record was far better with a winning percentage of 41.67 from 24 matches.</p>
<h4><strong>4. Sachin Tendulkar:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_16283" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16283" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Sachin-Tendulkar-MCC.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-16283"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-16283" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar-MCC.jpg" alt="Sachin Tendulkar" width="650" height="490" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16283" class="wp-caption-text">Sachin Tendulkar (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The great batsman led India in 25 Test matches winning just 4 of these matches. With a winning percentage of just 16.00, he had largely a forgettable time as a Test captain. In an illustrious career spanning more than 20 years, he holds almost all major batting records however his Test captaincy record was ordinary at best. Under him, India lost 9 and drew 12 Tests.</p>
<p>He started on a positive note as India won the one-off Test against the visiting Australians in 1996. A 2-1 series win over South Africa at home in the same year continued the momentum however the slide began at the end of the year. Away to South Africa, the team lost 2-0 in a 3-match series followed by a 1-0 loss in the Caribbean in a 4-match series. The following 5 Tests in 1997 against Sri Lanka, 2 on an away tour and 3 at home failed to produce any results.</p>
<p>In 1999, New Zealand travelled to India and lost 1-0 to the home side in a 3-match series which witnessed 2 draws. India was whitewashed 3-0 in an away series against Australia in 1999-00 as the team failed to put up a fight. The master’s last series as a Test captain was a major disappointment as India were blanked 2-0 at home by the visiting South Africans. His ODI captaincy registered a winning percentage of 31.94 from 72 matches.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Andy Flower: </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_19868" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19868" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/Andy-Flower-Zimbabwe.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-19868"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-19868" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Andy-Flower-Zimbabwe.jpg" alt="Andy Flower Zimbabawe" width="650" height="423" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-19868" class="wp-caption-text">Andy Flower. (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The elegant left-hander Andy Flower, Zimbabwe’s greatest batsman, was a delight to watch when in full flow. He had an illustrious career scoring runs against the top teams in the world. Unfortunately, his Test captaincy record got affected largely due to the quality of the Zimbabwean team. He led his country in 20 Tests winning only 1 and losing 10 matches with 9 ending in draws.</p>
<p>A 3-nmatch away series to Pakistan in 1993 saw his team beaten 2-0. This was followed by a 3-match series at home against Sri Lanka which failed to produce any result. He won his only Test as a captain against the visiting Pakistan team in 1994, the first of the 3-match series, however, lost the following 2 matches as the series ended in a disappointment for the home team.</p>
<p>In 1995, South Africa proved too strong against the home team in a one-off Test. This was followed by an away tour to New Zealand in 1996 that failed to produce any result in the 2-match series. Another one-off Test loss against South Africa in 1999 was followed by a 1-0 loss against the visiting Sri Lankans in the same year in a 3-match series. Zimbabwe toured the West Indies in the year 2000 and lost the series 2-0, followed by a 1-0 loss away to England in the same year with both of these being 2-match series. His ODI captaincy registered a low winning percentage of 23.08 from 52 matches.</p>
<h4><strong>6. Kim Hughes:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_47178" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47178" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/12/Kim-Hughes-Former-Australian-Captain.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-47178"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-47178" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Kim-Hughes-Former-Australian-Captain.jpg" alt="Kim Hughes" width="650" height="441" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47178" class="wp-caption-text">Kim Hughes. (© Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>A right-handed batsman, Kim Hughes had an orthodox yet attractive batting style. During the split between the establishment Australian Cricket Board and the breakaway World Series Cricket, Hughes was amongst those stayed with the establishment.  His captaincy record with Australia was hindered by a succession of matches away from home, an inexperienced team rebuilding itself after the frequent absence and later retirement of several senior players.</p>
<p>He led his country in 28 Tests winning just 4 and losing 13 with 11 drawn matches. He started with a solitary win against Pakistan in 1979 however ended the year with a 2-0 loss away to India in a 6-match series. The 1981 Ashes away series away to England started on a positive note for the Aussies, however, ended with a huge disappointment as the team lost the 6-match series 3-1. A win was followed by a draw in the two Tests, but the Aussies were outplayed in the following 3 Tests followed by a drawn final Test. The team was blanked by Pakistan 3-0 in an away series in 1982.</p>
<p>The Aussies got their revenge beating the Asian giants in the return series at home in 1983-84. The team won 2-0 in a 5-match series. The West Indies at home in 1984 hammered Australia 4-0 in a 6-match series and in the same year toured down under winning the first match at Gabba. Placed under extreme pressure by the media and former teammates, this turned out to be Hughes’ last Test as a captain. He made an emotional and tearful speech while resigning from the captaincy.</p>
<h4><strong>7. John Reid:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_47176" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47176" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/12/John-Reid-Former-New-Zealand-Cricketer.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-47176"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-47176" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/John-Reid-Former-New-Zealand-Cricketer.jpg" alt="John Reid" width="650" height="652" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47176" class="wp-caption-text">John Reid. (Photo Source: PA Photos)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The oldest surviving New Zealand Test cricketer, John Reid was a brilliant all-rounder and remains one of the legends of his country’s cricket. Someone who could have been breathtaking cricket in the shortest format of the game, Reid unfortunately retired just before the ODI matches were started since he belonged to a generation prior to it.</p>
<p>He was attacking batsman with thunderous strokes, a superb fielder and an aggressive bowler who, in his early days, was genuinely quick. He later turned to off-cutters and spin from a short run-up with a trademark side-step. He played 58 Tests for his country scoring 3428 runs at an average of 33.28 including 6 tons and 22 fifties and also took 85 wickets at 33.35. His captaincy record, though, failed to impress largely due to a weak team which failed to compete against much-established teams.</p>
<p>He captained New Zealand in 34 Tests winning just 3 and losing 18 with 13 drawn matches. In 1956, a strong West Indies team toured the picturesque country and beat the home side 2-1. In 1958 England, at home, beat the visiting Kiwis 4-0 in a 5-match series. In early 1959 the two teams faced each other again, this time in a 2-match series in New Zealand which the visitors won 1-0.</p>
<p>In 1961, Reid had a marvelous season scoring 546 runs in five Tests against South Africa in an away series at an average of 60.64. He was instrumental in helping his team finish the 5-match series 2-2. In 1963, England toured New Zealand and beat the Kiwis 3-0. In 1965, Reid’s team toured India for a 4-match series and lost 1-0, followed by a tour to Pakistan, where the team lost 2-0. The great man retired after a 3-0 series loss against England on an away tour.</p>

7 Great cricketers who were not so good captains

Captaincy in cricket is more demanding than in any other team sport. Not only does the captain have to be a consistent performer for the team, but also have the motivational skills to get the best out of others. Captaincy records though, do not always give the correct picture. The quality of the team can be a major factor in a captain’s record. Here’s a look at 7 popular cricketers whose Test captaincy didn’t produce the expected results.