Not Virat Kohli & Sourav Ganguly! These 5 Indians Have Won Asia Cup As Captain

Last Updated: August 16, 2025, 14:40 IST

The Asia Cup is around the corner, and Team India is gearing up to defend the title. A couple of years ago, Men in Blue defeated Sri Lanka to bring the trophy home. However, this year, the stalwarts of Indian cricket – Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma – won’t be out there in blue. The upcoming edition of the continental tournament will be played in the T20 format, serving as the training ground for the teams that will compete in the T20 World Cup next year in the subcontinent.

1 / 5 Sunil Gavaskar etched his name in history by captaining India to victory in the inaugural Asia Cup held in Sharjah in 1984, where India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan and laid the foundation for their regional dominance, marking the beginning of a glorious chapter in continental cricket supremacy.

2 / 5 In 1988, India once again proved their supremacy in Asian cricket when Dilip Vengsarkar led the team to the title, continuing the momentum from the inaugural win and stamping India’s authority over its continental rivals, thereby reinforcing the team’s growing reputation as the powerhouse of subcontinental cricket.

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3 / 5 Mohammad Azharuddin became the first Indian captain to lift the Asia Cup twice, guiding the team to victories in 1991 and 1995, both times overcoming Sri Lanka in decisive clashes, and cementing India’s position as the most successful side in the competition’s early years with back-to-back dominant campaigns.

4 / 5 After a gap of 15 years, MS Dhoni restored India’s Asia Cup glory in 2010 by defeating Sri Lanka, and then again in 2016, when the tournament switched to the T20 format, showing his adaptability as a leader while reaffirming India’s dominance in both ODI and T20 cricket.

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