India is the most successful team in the history of the ICC Champions Trophy following their third trophy, winning the 2025 tournament edition against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium. Over the years, they have had three different ICC Champions Trophy winning captains over the years. Today, let’s dive into three India winning captains in Champions Trophy.
3 India Winning Captains in Champions Trophy History
Sourav Ganguly
India won its maiden Champions Trophy title in 2002 under Sourav Ganguly’s leadership. They were placed in Pool 2 alongside England and Zimbabwe. The Men in Blue started their campaign with a 14-run victory over Zimbabwe. Batting first, India posted a total of 288 runs for the loss of six wickets. Mohammad Kaif top-scored with an unbeaten 111 runs of 112 balls. In reply, Zimbabwe could muster only 274 runs in their allotted 50 overs. Zaheer Khan was the pick of the bowlers with 4/45 in 10 overs.
In their second match, India chased down a target of 270 runs in 39.3 overs to win by 8 wickets. Ashish Nehra picked up a couple of wickets for India, while opener Virender Sehwag scored 126 runs off 104 balls.
India were up against South Africa in the first semi-final match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2002. India scored 261/9, courtesy of a 62-run knock by Yuvraj Singh. In response, the Proteas fell short by 10 runs, thanks to an excellent spell of 3/25 by Virender Sehwag.
The 2002 Champions Trophy final between Sri Lanka and India ended without a result, as rain spoiled the sport on both days. India shared the trophy, and Sourav Ganguly became one of the ICC Champions Trophy winning captains.
MS Dhoni
India winning captains in Champions Trophy includes MS Dhoni, who guided the side to a victory in the 2013 edition. They were drawn in Group B alongside South Africa, West Indies, and Pakistan. India began their campaign with a 26-run victory against South Africa. They won the remaining two matches against West Indies and Pakistan by 8 wickets. The Men in Blue topped Group A with three wins from as many encounters.
Shikhar Dhawan was India’s top-scorer in all three matches, including a couple of centuries. Ravindra Jadeja picked up two wickets against South Africa and got five scalps against West Indies. Against Pakistan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar bagged a couple of wickets.India squared off against Sri Lanka in the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. Batting first, Sri Lanka put up a below-par score of 181/8 on the board. Ishant Sharma returned with figures of 3/33 in 9 overs. Shikhar Dhawan scored 68 runs and helped India chase down the target with 8 wickets in hand and 15 overs to spare.
The final between England and India was reduced to a 20-over match due to rain. India scored 129/7, courtesy of Virat Kohli’s 43 runs, while Ashwin 2/15 in four overs helped India defend the target. They won the match by five runs under the guidance of MS Dhoni who got his name among the ICC Champions Trophy winning captains.
Rohit Sharma
India won their third ICC Champions Trophy title in 2025 under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. He is the latest in the ICC Champions Trophy winning captains. Team India played all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium, winning their group stage matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand.
They defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in their season opener. India bagged a six-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan and won against New Zealand by 44 runs. India locked horns with Australia in the first semi-final in Dubai. Opting to bat first, the Aussies scored 264 runs in 49.3 overs. Mohammad Shami picked up three wickets, while Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja had a couple of scalps each. Virat Kohli helped India chase the target with four wickets and 11 balls to spare with 84 runs off 98 balls at a strike rate of 85.71.
In the final, New Zealand scored 251/7 in their allotted 50 overs. Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav picked up a couple of wickets each to restrict the Kiwis to an average total. In reply, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma played a crucial knock of 76 runs off 83 balls to help the Men in Blue win the ICC Champions Trophy title.
Related Article：Champions Trophy 2025 Final Highlights：India vs New Zealand
Conclusion
India’s remarkable success in the ICC Champions Trophy is a testament to the leadership and skill of its captains. Over the years, India has been guided to victory by three exceptional leaders—Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma—each leaving an indelible mark on the tournament’s history. These ICC Champions Trophy winning captains have not only showcased India’s cricketing prowess but also highlighted the importance of strong leadership in achieving international success. The legacy of India winning captains in Champions Trophy continues to inspire future generations of cricketers.
