Toss plays an important role in Test cricket especially on green tops or spin friendly tracks where batting first and last isn't easy respectively.
In Test cricket, on most occasions, teams prefer batting first after winning the toss as fourth innings batting is a tougher task on any type of pitch. Such is the impact of toss that this year India's all 3 away Test wins came when they batted first and lost all 5 away Tests when they lost the toss and batted last.
The Test series score in South Africa and England could have been different had India won a few more tosses. Here is a look at India's Tests record after winning or losing tosses under different captains.
1. Indian captains' record after winning the toss (Min 10 Tests) -
Captain | Tests | Won | Lost | Tied | Drawn | %W |
V Kohli | 20 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 85.00% |
M Azharuddin | 29 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 34.48% |
MS Dhoni | 26 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 34.61% |
S Ganguly | 21 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 42.85% |
R Dravid | 15 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 40.00% |
BS Bedi | 13 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 30.76% |
S Gavaskar | 22 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 18.18% |
Kapil Dev | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 20.00% |
MAK Pataudi | 20 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 15.00% |
S Tendulkar | 15 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13.33% |
- Virat Kohli is the only Indian captain who hasn't lost even a single Test after winning the toss and has also won more Tests than any other Indian captain after winning the toss (Min 10 Tests).
- Virat Kohli has also won more Tests as captain after winning the toss.
2. Indian captains' record after losing the toss (Min 10 Tests) -
Captain | Tests | Won | Lost | Tied | Drawn | %W |
MS Dhoni | 34 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 52.94% |
S Ganguly | 28 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 42.85% |
V Kohli | 23 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 34.78% |
MAK Pataudi | 20 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 30.00% |
S Gavaskar | 25 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 20.00% |
M Azharuddin | 18 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 22.22% |
R Dravid | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 20.00% |
S Tendulkar | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 20.00% |
L Amarnath | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 09.09% |
Kapil Dev | 19 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 05.26% |
- MS Dhoni have highest winning percentage (52.94%) while Kapil Dev have lowest (5.26%) after losing the toss in Test cricket.
- MS Dhoni have also won more Tests than any other captain after losing the toss.
3. Virat Kohli's record as Test captain -
Criteria | Tests | Won | Lost | Tied | Drawn | %W |
Toss Won | 20 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 85.00% |
Toss Lost | 23 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 34.78% |
Overall | 43 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 58.14% |
4. Most Test wins after winning the toss (in World) -
30 - Graeme Smith (60 Tests)
25 - Ricky Ponting (37 Tests)
23 - Steve Waugh (31 Tests)
20 - Clive Llyod (35 Tests)
18 - Misbah ul Haq (29 Tests)
17* - Virat Kohli (20 Tests)
5. Most Test wins after losing the toss (in World) -
23 - Ricky Ponting (40 Tests)
23 - Graeme Smith (49 Tests)
18 - MS Dhoni (34 Tests)
18 - Steve Waugh (26 Tests)
17 - Stephen Fleming (43 Tests)
17 - Sir Viv Richards (27 Tests)