Captain's Corner: MS Dhoni vs Ricky Ponting

#5. Performances as Captain

Dhoni and Ponting both have produced some brilliant performances with the bat during their captaincy stints

Test Performance as Captain

	Span	Matches Captained	Innings	Runs	100s/50s	Average	HS
Dhoni	2008-2014	60	96	3454	5/24	40.63	224
Ponting	2004-2010	77	140	6542	19/35	51.51	209

ODI Performance as Captain

	Span	Matches Captained	Innings	Runs	100s/50s	Average	HS
Dhoni	2007-2016	199	171	6633	6/47	53.92	139*
Ponting	2002-2012	230	220	8497	9/51	42.91	164

T20I Performance as Captain

	Span	Matches Captained	Innings	Runs	100s/50s	Average	HS
Dhoni	2007-2016	72	62	1112	0/0	37.06	48*
Ponting	2005-2009	17	16	401	0/2	28.64	98*

Ricky Ponting’s numbers are better MSD in both Tests and ODIs. The reason being the Australian was a top order batsman while Dhoni more of a number six or seven. These two are the top two highest run-scorers as captain in ODI cricket.

Dhoni and Ponting have both produced some scintillating performances with the bat during their tenure as captain, including match-winning knocks in World Cup finals.

Dhoni’s amazing finishing ability towards the death has mostly resulted in him ending the innings unbeaten hence his average is pretty high compared to that of Ponting. Punter’s highest ODI score of 164 came while he was the skipper albeit in a losing cause.

Dhoni’s highest score while captaining in ODIs is an unbeaten 139 off 121 deliveries against Australia in 2013.

In Tests, Ponting is the third highest run-scorer as captain with 6542 runs at an impressive average of 51.51 with a high score of 209 against Pakistan while Dhoni is the top-scoring Indian captain in Test cricket with 3454 runs at an average of 40.64 with his highest score being a 240-ball 224 against Australia at Chennai in 2013.

In T20Is, MSD is the highest run-scorer as captain with 1112 runs at an average of 37 with a high score of 48. Ponting has scored only 401 runs in T20Is but has two half-centuries to his name with his highest score being an unbeaten 98.