Ultimately, team performance is the measure of a good cricket captain. However, a good cricket captain is not simply the captain of a good team. Captains must have inherent characteristics and qualities that allow them to get the most out of their teams.

Although the Aussies from 2003 to 2009 were a dominant team, Ricky Ponting is not considered a good captain in some quarters. Cricket pundits consider Stephen Fleming to be a good captain, despite the ordinary New Zealand team he managed. Good cricket captains require more than ‘good’ results; they must have some or all of the seven attributes.

i) Tactical ability

Cricket is a game of reflection and the cricket captain must guide his team on the field. Field placement and strategies to get batters out or win/save a game are the province of the captain. Good captains know the tactics and apply them in the right situation. They know when to bet and when defense is the best form of attack. A good captain is usually positive and pragmatic with his tactics.

ii) Motivating and Influential

A good cricket captain can motivate the players on and off the cricket pitch. Not all captains are admired but a good one should be respected. Players need to be able to get a boost from their captain, a boost that allows them to elevate their performance on the pitch. By dint of this, good captains must also motivate themselves.

iii) Vision

Ideally, a captain should have a vision of what he wants the cricket team to be. Is the emphasis on rebuilding a team or building a strong team? A good captain goes beyond the day-to-day role by adopting the role of leader and visionary. The captain, along with the team management, must have a clear vision of the general direction of the cricket team.

iv) Resilience

When the chips are down, a good captain needs to believe. Otherwise, it would be difficult for his teammates to believe that they could overcome adversity on the field. Chris Gayle from the West Indies was a perfect example of a lack of resilience. When the chips are low, Gayle expects something to happen and can seem resigned to fate. Steve Waugh, on the other hand, had a reserve of steel that was reflected in his hitting. Australia was able to turn weak positions into strong ones because Waugh believed.

iv) Communication and conflict resolution skills

A good captain must be able to dialogue with the players both on and off the field. On any computer, problems can arise from time to time. Even if the captain is the cause of the problem, he or she should be able to help resolve any disputes or complaints amicably.

In addition to those basic attributes, a good cricket captain should also be:

a) A sports statesman

b) Ability to interact with the media

c) A student of the game with an understanding of the history of cricket.

d) An executor of the spirit of cricket.

It might seem pointless to have all these good attributes if your team never wins. What these attributes do is help a captain get the most out of his team. A captain, like a good manager, has to work through others. Whether a batsman, a bowler, or an all-rounder, a captain cannot rule out all batsmen or score all runs. Being a good cricket captain elevates team performance.