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Best captain in test history?

Ali TT

International Vice-Captain
Nasser Hussain is pretty underrated.
There's something about right place, right time for captains. Hussain would've probably floundered had he been made captain a couple of years earlier and he wisely knew he wasn't the one to make England to the next level after the 02/3 Ashes. Him and Fletcher clicked and England needed a tough approach but with the backing of those above to give him time after the tough start v NZ and then in SA. I'm sure similar tales could be written for others.
 

The_CricketUmpire

First Class Debutant
Pretty sure he's the best that I've seen.

The stand out over that time.
As time has passed Taylor in my opinion is underrated. Such is the strength of Australian batsman since he retired. 7,525 Test runs @ 43.49 in a very very strong era depthwise in terms of bowlers and he opened too. Still in the top 10 (10th) for most Test runs scored by an Australian batsman. When people rank him He's probably seen as Captain first, 2nd as a brilliant slips fieldsmen and thirdly as an opening batsman.
 

kyear2

International Coach
As time has passed Taylor in my opinion is underrated. Such is the strength of Australian batsman since he retired. 7,525 Test runs @ 43.49 in a very very strong era depthwise in terms of bowlers and he opened too. Still in the top 10 (10th) for most Test runs scored by an Australian batsman. When people rank him He's probably seen as Captain first, 2nd as a brilliant slips fieldsmen and thirdly as an opening batsman.
Considering the relative lack of quality of opening batsmen through that era, that's a pretty potent package.
 

The_CricketUmpire

First Class Debutant
Considering the relative lack of quality of opening batsmen through that era, that's a pretty potent package.
Not sure about lack of quality in that era internationally - there was Kirsten, Jayasuriya, Anwar, Sidhu from memory.

If you mean Australian openers...there was a whole heap of them in Domestic cricket (including Matthew Hayden) who couldn't get a look in. The depth was strong.
 

Randomfan

U19 12th Man
Can't rate the best in history personally due to so many factors in rating captains and those factors won't be reflected in stats.

I guess the best I have seen is Mark Taylor.
 

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