Captain's Corner: Rating the last 5 Australian skippers

#2 Steve Waugh – 9/10

A compassionate and ruthless leader, Steve Waugh

The most effective skipper Australia has ever had, Steve Waugh was cold blooded and ruthless when it came to burying opposition with his captaincy skills. He played a record 168 Tests for Australia (still the most by any from his country) despite being considered less talented than his twin brother, Mark.

While his batting had little to do with his long tenure in the Test side, it was an important part of Steve Waugh, the cricketer. A brilliant batsman and a good part-time bowler, Steve Waugh rallied his troops with intent and shrewd judgement of situations. Under him, Australia won the World Cup after a gap of 12 years in England in 1999.

Stats: Waugh, it can be safely said, started the golden period of Australian cricket. In 57 Tests as skipper, he had a mind-boggling 41 wins and seven draws, losing just nine times. A W/L ratio of 4.5 is the best for any Aussie skipper since Don Bradman. In ODIs, Waugh stood as skipper 106 times with 67 wins at a W/L ratio of 1.9.

High point: The 16-Test unbeaten run from 1999-2001 saw Australia becoming the indomitable force in world cricket. They were deemed as an unbeatable unit under the charismatic captain.

Low point: The 2001 series loss in India which he termed as the 'Final Frontier'. Despite winning the first Test of the series, Australia lost the next two with the loss in Kolkata coming after enforcing a follow on.

Waugh helped Aussies to a World Cup after 12 years

Verdict: If ever a World XI of skippers is made, Steve Waugh would be among the first names on that list. His skills as captain and management of players and the press are among the best World cricket has witnessed. A truly gifted natural leader, Waugh knew to make use of his limited talents in the best possible manner.