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It's safe to say that Test cricket is fighting a losing battle against the crash-bang-wallop nature of the shorter formats. While there are purists and cricket fanatics who love watching red-ball action, the calendar is fast losing space for the oldest format.
For example, the SA20 league, which will be held in January, has prompted Cricket South Africa to name a distinctly weak squad for their upcoming assignment against New Zealand. Neil Brand, who hasn't made his Test debut yet, will captain the Proteas.
Test cricket might slowly be losing its hold over fixtures, but as things currently stand, plenty of players and fans currently hold it in the highest regard among the three formats. This is especially true among some of the world's best players, who have often made it a point to express how much it means to them.
However, life is never ideal, and certain unprecedented factors have prevented a few names from regularly carrying out one of the most decorated duties in the sport - being a Test captain. These players are rarely (or never) seen in the famed blazer these days.
Here are three world-class players who should ideally be Test captains right now.
#3 Virat Kohli - India
After being phased out of captaincy in the other two formats, Virat Kohli decided to step down from Tests as well. While India have continued to be one of the world's best white-ball sides under Rohit Sharma, they are clearly missing their former skipper's services in red-ball cricket.
Under Kohli, India won 40 out of 68 matches. His win percentage of 58.82% (min. 25 Tests) is higher than those of all but two skippers in Test history — Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh, who had world-beating sides at their disposal.
Only five captains have been at the helm of more Tests than the 35-year-old, whose team turned in excellent performances on challenging away tours of England and Australia while being ruthless at home.
Rohit has taken over in Tests as well, but his captaincy doesn't seem to have the same impact as his predecessor's. India have been visibly short of energy on the field and haven't been attacking enough.
Kohli might not have the desire to take the reins anymore, and the BCCI have clearly moved forward. Ideally, though, the superstar batter should be calling the shots in the format.
#2 Kane Williamson - New Zealand
In December 2022, Kane Williamson stepped down as New Zealand's Test captain, with the reins falling to Tim Southee. While the classy batter has been in the thick of runs since then, it's a loss for the format that one of its stars isn't leading.
Williamson led the Blackcaps in 40 Tests, winning 22 and drawing 10 while losing just eight. His win percentage of 55.00% is right up there with the best, and during his tenure, New Zealand won the inaugural World Test Championship by beating India in the final.
Williamson is closing in on his 100th Test and will undoubtedly go down as one of the best batters of all time. It would've been fitting to see him establish his legacy as one of the best Test captains too, but he stepped down from what was arguably the most ideal format for him to continue at the helm in.
#1 Steve Smith - Australia
The Sandpaper Gate scandal will always serve as a blemish on Steve Smith's resume. Not only did it greatly tarnish his reputation, but it also shaved a year off his prime and ensured that his captaincy career, which seemed to be blooming, was nipped in the bud.
Smith has captained Australia in 38 Tests, registering 21 wins, 10 draws and seven losses. His win percentage of 55.26% closely follows those of the other great Australian captains mentioned earlier.
Smith spent a few years in the captaincy wilderness following his ban, but Cricket Australia have recently shown a slight willingness to forgive his past. He has led the team in four Tests since being sacked in 2018, with three wins and a draw.
Smith is an astute tactician if there ever was one. After taking over from Pat Cummins during the last edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the 34-year-old nearly secured a remarkable turnaround by winning in Indore and drawing in Ahmedabad.
Smith's batting form is slowly tapering off, but he still remains one of the best in the world. While Cummins seems to be improving as a Test captain after disappointing outings against England and India, the former skipper's reading of the game and smart decision-making are hard to match.
