Kapil Dev Nikhanj too became captain of Indian cricket team at a very young age of 24 and immediately led India to its biggest glory in sports, by winning the 1983 cricket world cup. It was an momentus event that changed the face of sports in India. Its ripple effect went beyond cricket.

If India has become a powerful cricket nation, not only on the pitch but also in financial terms, it all began with victory under Kapil Dev in 1983 world cup.

As a player he is one the finest all-rounders cricket has seen. He held the record lf highest wicket-taker for many years and also scored over 5000 test runs.

He was a far better batsman than his test runs show.

North vs West politics in Indian cricket resulted in him losing captaincy early but his job was already done.

Match fixing controversy dogged him in later years but he was cleared in the inquiry later.

Today people talk about fitness of Virat Kohli but Kapil Dev was the fittest player of his time. Far ahead of his times. He played 131 tests with one break that too on disciplinary grounds when Sunil Gavaskar dropped him for playing a rash shot against England. India eventually lost the match and Kapil was dropped but brought back in the next match. Kapil never had to sit of any match due to injury or lack of fitness.

He set the fitness standard not only in cricket but for other athletes too.

Therefore to me Kapil is best captain just for winning the world cup in 1983.