The captain's right-hand men

Who has scored the most runs under a particular captain? Yash Sharma asked us this question during the week, and if you know the answer without reading further, you're bigger cricket geeks than we are. If you don't, read on.

We've also looked at those who have taken the most wickets and played the most matches under a particular captain in Tests and ODIs.

The most Tests anyone has played under a captain are David Boon's 88 matches while Allan Border was Australia's leader. Boon made his debut in Australia's eight-wicket defeat against West Indies in Brisbane in 1984, following which Kim Hughes resigned the captaincy in tears. Border's reign began in the next match, at the Adelaide Oval, and continued for 93 Tests, until 1994. Boon then finished his career by playing 18 Tests under Mark Taylor before announcing his retirement in 1996.

Six other entries in the table for most Tests under a captain - Steve Waugh, Ian Healy, Craig McDermott, Mark Taylor, Merv Hughes and Geoff Marsh - were also under Border's tenure.

The only active player-captain combinations in the table below are the South Africans under Graeme Smith. Smith's only 28 years old and has already led his country in 69 Tests. Fitness and form permitting, he's likely to break Border's record for the most Tests as captain. Will Makhaya Ntini (66 Tests under Smith), Mark Boucher (64) and Jacques Kallis (63) last long enough to pass Boon?

Most Tests played under one captain

Player	Captaincy	Span	Mat	Runs	HS	Bat Av	100	Wkts	BBI	Bowl Av	5
DC Boon (Aus)	AR Border	1984-1994	88	6502	200	46.44	18	0	-	-	0
IVA Richards (WI)	CH Lloyd	1974-1985	70	5332	291	52.79	17	15	2/20	56.93	0
NJ Astle (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2006	70	3932	222	36.40	8	47	3/27	40.46	0
DL Vettori (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2006	68	2167	137*	25.79	2	219	7/87	33.28	13
M Ntini (SA)	GC Smith	2003-2009	66	488	32*	10.16	0	278	7/37	28.21	15
SR Waugh (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	65	3495	177*	43.68	7	66	5/28	37.81	3
MV Boucher (ICC/SA)	GC Smith	2003-2009	64	2372	122*	28.92	2	1	1/6	6.00	0
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	GC Smith	2003-2009	63	5625	186	58.59	19	119	6/54	33.30	2
IA Healy (Aus)	AR Border	1988-1994	62	2057	113*	25.71	2	0	-	-	0
CG Greenidge (WI)	CH Lloyd	1974-1985	59	4460	223	50.11	11	0	-	-	0
CJ McDermott (Aus)	AR Border	1984-1994	58	817	42*	12.56	0	231	8/97	28.97	9
PA de Silva (SL)	A Ranatunga	1989-1999	55	4310	267	50.11	15	26	3/30	35.61	0
MA Taylor (Aus)	AR Border	1989-1994	54	4275	219	46.97	12	0	-	-	0
CD McMillan (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2005	54	3069	142	38.36	6	28	3/48	44.03	0
JL Langer (Aus)	SR Waugh	1999-2004	54	4064	250	48.38	15	0	-	-	0
MG Hughes (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	53	1032	72*	16.64	0	212	8/87	28.38	7
G Kirsten (SA)	WJ Cronje	1994-2000	51	3522	275	43.48	10	2	1/0	37.50	0
RT Ponting (Aus)	SR Waugh	1999-2004	51	4293	257	64.07	17	1	1/12	159.00	0
MA Holding (WI)	CH Lloyd	1975-1985	50	719	69	12.83	0	218	8/92	22.72	13
GR Marsh (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1992	50	2854	138	33.18	4	0	-	-	0

Boon also holds the record for most Test runs scored under one captain. He made 6502 at an average of 46.44 in 158 innings while Border was leading Australia. And when Boon retired, after the 1995 Adelaide Test against Sri Lanka, he had played 107 Tests and scored 7422 runs, fittingly second only to Border on both counts in Australian records.

Rahul Dravid was a significant contributor to Sourav Ganguly's record as India's most successful captain (21 wins). Ganguly led India in 49 Tests; Dravid played in all, and scored 4912 runs at an average of over 73. It was a prolific time for Indian batting: Sachin Tendulkar weighed in with an average of nearly 63 under Ganguly, while VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag had means of 52. The captain himself averaged only 37 under his own leadership.

Most Test runs scored under one captain

Player	Captaincy	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50
DC Boon (Aus)	AR Border	1984-1994	88	158	6502	200	46.44	18	29
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	GC Smith	2003-2009	63	111	5625	186	58.59	19	26
IVA Richards (WI)	CH Lloyd	1974-1985	70	107	5332	291	52.79	17	22
R Dravid (India)	SC Ganguly	2000-2005	49	80	4912	270	73.31	14	22
CG Greenidge (WI)	CH Lloyd	1974-1985	59	100	4460	223	50.11	11	25
PA de Silva (SL)	A Ranatunga	1989-1999	55	93	4310	267	50.11	15	17
RT Ponting (Aus)	SR Waugh	1999-2004	51	80	4293	257	64.07	17	12
MA Taylor (Aus)	AR Border	1989-1994	54	97	4275	219	46.97	12	24
ML Hayden (Aus)	SR Waugh	2000-2004	41	69	4105	380	67.29	16	13
JL Langer (Aus)	SR Waugh	1999-2004	54	89	4064	250	48.38	15	14
NJ Astle (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2006	70	116	3932	222	36.40	8	21
ML Hayden (Aus)	RT Ponting	2004-2009	49	91	3913	153	46.03	13	14
RB Richardson (WI)	IVA Richards	1984-1991	47	82	3786	194	51.16	11	15
SR Tendulkar (India)	SC Ganguly	2000-2005	42	68	3768	248*	62.80	11	15
SR Tendulkar (India)	M Azharuddin	1990-1999	47	72	3767	179	59.79	15	15
SR Waugh (Aus)	MA Taylor	1994-1999	46	79	3718	200	59.01	10	21
ME Waugh (Aus)	MA Taylor	1994-1999	50	86	3663	153*	45.78	10	21
DL Haynes (WI)	IVA Richards	1980-1991	49	90	3600	167	48.64	8	21
DM Jones (Aus)	AR Border	1986-1992	50	85	3566	216	48.18	11	14
G Kirsten (SA)	WJ Cronje	1994-2000	51	89	3522	275	43.48	10	18

Ntini's 278 wickets for South Africa in 66 Tests during Graeme Smith's tenure are by far the most wickets by a bowler under a particular captain. They are the only current bowler-captain combination among the top 20 entries in the table below.

Both Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan accumulated their record wicket hauls primarily under three captains. Warne claimed 200 wickets under Ricky Ponting, 199 under Taylor and 175 under Waugh. Among these three captains, Warne's best record was under Ponting - an average of just over 24 and a strike-rate of just over 49. Murali's split was 230 wickets at 20.22 each under Sanath Jayasuriya, 203 at 26.90 under Arjuna Ranatunga, and 186 at 21.25 under Mahela Jayawardene.

Most Test wickets taken under one captain

Player	Captaincy	Span	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	5
M Ntini (SA)	GC Smith	2003-2009	66	14217	7845	278	7/37	28.21	15
CJ McDermott (Aus)	AR Border	1984-1994	58	13400	6694	231	8/97	28.97	9
M Muralitharan (SL)	ST Jayasuriya	1999-2002	35	12683	4651	230	9/51	20.22	20
AA Donald (SA)	WJ Cronje	1994-2000	45	9719	4496	225	8/71	19.98	16
DL Vettori (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2006	68	16472	7289	219	7/87	33.28	13
MA Holding (WI)	CH Lloyd	1975-1985	50	10876	4953	218	8/92	22.72	13
GD McGrath (Aus)	SR Waugh	1999-2003	48	11067	4355	217	6/17	20.06	11
MD Marshall (WI)	IVA Richards	1980-1991	44	9776	4249	216	7/22	19.67	10
MG Hughes (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	53	12285	6017	212	8/87	28.38	7
M Muralitharan (SL)	A Ranatunga	1992-1998	42	13040	5462	203	9/65	26.90	16
SK Warne (Aus)	RT Ponting	2004-2007	34	9833	4869	200	6/46	24.34	13
DK Lillee (Aus)	GS Chappell	1975-1983	38	9551	4702	199	7/83	23.62	15
SK Warne (Aus)	MA Taylor	1994-1999	42	12040	5086	199	8/71	25.55	9
AME Roberts (WI)	CH Lloyd	1974-1983	45	10564	4930	196	7/54	25.15	11
J Garner (WI)	CH Lloyd	1977-1985	44	10225	4223	194	6/56	21.76	5
GD McGrath (Aus)	MA Taylor	1994-1999	40	9481	4252	190	8/38	22.37	11
M Muralitharan (SL)	DPMD Jayawardene	2006-2009	28	8847	3953	186	8/70	21.25	18
A Kumble (India)	M Azharuddin	1990-1999	36	11390	4467	179	10/74	24.95	10
Harbhajan Singh (India)	SC Ganguly	2001-2005	37	10543	4752	177	8/84	26.84	15
SK Warne (Aus)	SR Waugh	1999-2002	38	9646	4651	175	7/94	26.57	9

Ranatunga, whose 193 matches as captain was an ODI record until he was overtaken by Stephen Fleming, had Aravinda de Silva in his team for 185 games. And in 1992, de Silva captained Ranatunga in eight ODIs. Three other players - Roshan Mahanama, Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillakaratne - also played over 150 ODIs under Ranatunga and formed the mainstay of his batting order.

Ponting has led in 199 ODIs - the second most - and surprisingly, no one has played for him in more matches than Adam Gilchrist's 147. Among current players Michael Clarke has played 134 times under Ponting.

Most ODIs played under one captain

Player	Captaincy	Span	Mat	Runs	HS	Bat Av	100	Wkts	BBI	Bowl Av	5
PA de Silva (SL)	A Ranatunga	1988-1999	185	6562	145	40.25	11	66	4/45	38.69	0
CD McMillan (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2007	173	4260	117	29.79	3	48	3/20	31.06	0
DL Vettori (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2007	171	1035	83	14.17	0	165	5/30	34.22	1
RS Mahanama (SL)	A Ranatunga	1988-1999	165	3920	119*	29.92	4	0	-	-	0
NJ Astle (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2007	165	5283	145*	35.69	12	72	4/43	37.59	0
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	A Ranatunga	1989-1999	164	4462	151*	29.74	6	147	6/29	33.95	2
SR Tendulkar (India)	M Azharuddin	1990-1999	160	6270	143	45.10	18	65	5/32	45.13	1
HP Tillakaratne (SL)	A Ranatunga	1988-1999	154	2976	104	30.36	2	6	1/3	22.83	0
SR Waugh (Aus)	AR Border	1986-1994	151	3092	86	31.23	0	142	4/33	31.57	0
CZ Harris (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2004	148	2603	77*	31.74	0	106	4/7	41.61	0
AC Gilchrist (Aus/ICC)	RT Ponting	2002-2008	147	5297	172	38.10	9	0	-	-	0
DC Boon (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	146	4739	122	35.63	5	0	-	-	0
DM Jones (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	145	5511	145	45.92	7	3	2/34	25.66	0
J Srinath (India)	M Azharuddin	1991-1999	136	477	43	11.35	0	200	5/23	25.67	3
MJ Clarke (Aus)	RT Ponting	2003-2009	134	4056	105*	43.14	2	40	5/35	37.75	1
R Dravid (Asia/India)	SC Ganguly	1999-2005	133	4229	109*	41.87	3	3	2/43	22.66	0
B Lee (Aus)	RT Ponting	2002-2009	133	657	57	16.42	0	242	5/22	21.50	8
CL Cairns (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2006	132	2793	102*	27.93	2	125	5/42	31.28	1
A Symonds (Aus)	RT Ponting	2003-2008	130	3760	156	45.30	6	75	5/18	43.68	1
A Kumble (India)	M Azharuddin	1990-1999	129	352	24	10.35	0	166	6/12	29.01	2

De Silva scored 6562 out of his 9284 in ODIs in which Ranatunga was Sri Lanka's captain - nearly 71%. Tendulkar on the other hand, despite scoring over 17,000 runs, made only 6270 - 37% - in 160 ODIs under Mohammad Azharuddin. Tendulkar's played for 10 captains (himself included) and his best record was under Ganguly - an average of nearly 50 in 99 innings.

Most ODI runs scored under one captain

Player	Captaincy	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50
PA de Silva (SL)	A Ranatunga	1988-1999	185	182	6562	145	40.25	11	45
SR Tendulkar (India)	M Azharuddin	1990-1999	160	156	6270	143	45.10	18	33
DM Jones (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	145	142	5511	145	45.92	7	42
AC Gilchrist (Aus/ICC)	RT Ponting	2002-2008	147	145	5297	172	38.10	9	31
NJ Astle (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2007	165	159	5283	145*	35.69	12	30
ML Hayden (Aus/ICC)	RT Ponting	2002-2008	122	119	4878	158	45.58	8	27
DC Boon (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	146	142	4739	122	35.63	5	29
SR Tendulkar (India)	SC Ganguly	2000-2005	101	99	4490	152	49.88	13	22
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	A Ranatunga	1989-1999	164	157	4462	151*	29.74	6	29
Javed Miandad (Pak)	Imran Khan	1982-1992	120	115	4352	119*	45.81	7	28
CD McMillan (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2007	173	159	4260	117	29.79	3	27
R Dravid (Asia/India)	SC Ganguly	1999-2005	133	120	4229	109*	41.87	3	34
GR Marsh (Aus)	AR Border	1986-1992	112	110	4216	126*	40.53	9	21
G Kirsten (SA)	WJ Cronje	1994-2000	110	110	4197	188*	42.39	9	25
MS Atapattu (SL)	ST Jayasuriya	1999-2003	116	115	4141	124	41.41	8	28
MJ Clarke (Aus)	RT Ponting	2003-2009	134	119	4056	105*	43.14	2	34
RS Mahanama (SL)	A Ranatunga	1988-1999	165	152	3920	119*	29.92	4	22
DL Haynes (WI)	IVA Richards	1980-1991	94	94	3774	152*	47.77	11	21
A Symonds (Aus)	RT Ponting	2003-2008	130	109	3760	156	45.30	6	23
JH Kallis (Afr/SA)	GC Smith	2003-2009	97	91	3716	139	52.33	8	25

Like in Tests, it is a current bowler-captain combination that heads the list for ODIs: Brett Lee has taken 242 wickets in 133 games under Ponting's captaincy. The Ntini-Smith pair is also there, with 146 wickets in 92 games. The best average in the table below is Muralitharan's 18 for each of his 165 games when Jayasuriya was Sri Lanka's captain.

Most ODI wickets taken under one captain

Player	Captaincy	Span	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	5
B Lee (Aus)	RT Ponting	2002-2009	133	6685	5205	242	5/22	21.50	8
J Srinath (India)	M Azharuddin	1991-1999	136	7078	5134	200	5/23	25.67	3
A Kumble (India)	M Azharuddin	1990-1999	129	7070	4816	166	6/12	29.01	2
DL Vettori (NZ)	SP Fleming	1997-2007	171	8032	5647	165	5/30	34.22	1
M Muralitharan (SL)	ST Jayasuriya	1999-2003	99	5333	2985	165	7/30	18.09	4
CJ McDermott (Aus)	AR Border	1985-1994	110	5989	4058	163	5/44	24.89	1
M Muralitharan (SL)	A Ranatunga	1993-1999	113	6153	4318	155	5/23	27.85	2
AA Donald (SA)	WJ Cronje	1994-1999	81	4308	2915	155	6/23	18.80	1
ST Jayasuriya (SL)	A Ranatunga	1989-1999	164	6209	4991	147	6/29	33.95	2
GD McGrath (Aus/ICC)	RT Ponting	2002-2007	96	4671	2903	147	7/15	19.74	3
M Ntini (SA)	GC Smith	2003-2009	92	4549	3662	146	6/22	25.08	2
SR Waugh (Aus)	AR Border	1986-1994	151	6116	4484	142	4/33	31.57	0
SM Pollock (SA)	WJ Cronje	1996-2000	96	5064	3241	140	6/35	23.15	3
NW Bracken (Aus)	RT Ponting	2003-2009	84	4148	3152	140	5/47	22.51	2
Wasim Akram (Pak)	Imran Khan	1985-1992	99	5013	3255	136	5/38	23.93	1
GB Hogg (Aus)	RT Ponting	2002-2008	101	4600	3434	134	5/32	25.62	2
WPUJC Vaas (SL)	A Ranatunga	1994-1999	106	5098	3694	133	4/20	27.77	0
WPUJC Vaas (SL)	ST Jayasuriya	1999-2003	105	5147	3580	131	8/19	27.32	3
Z Khan (Asia/India)	SC Ganguly	2000-2005	88	4389	3552	130	4/19	27.32	0
M Prabhakar (India)	M Azharuddin	1990-1996	94	4772	3487	126	5/33	27.67	2