Top 5 captains who were also spinners 

A captain plays an important role in cricket, unlike other sports where the team manager or coach holds the key to team success. He has to manage the team on the field, taking key decisions at crucial moments as well as making the team gel on and off the field.

The captain is expected to lead from the front, inspiring his teammates with his performances, as well as guiding the team in pursuit of victory, which ultimately determines how successful he has been as skipper.

It is imperative that the players feel comfortable with the skipper and are happy to play under him. A captain may fail to tick all the above boxes at the same time but when we look back in time, it is essentially how influential he has been during his reign that determines his value.

The names of Steve Waugh, Imran Khan, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Ricky Ponting among others pop up when we talk about the best leaders but who are the Top 5 captains who were spin bowlers.

Let's find out.

#5 Anil Kumble (India)

India's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket history with 619 scalps to his name, Anil Kumble was someone who bowled with a lot of heart and reaped rewards through his hard work and determination.

That quality shone through when he was made the captain of the Indian Test side in 2007 after Rahul Dravid stepped down following the infamous Greg Chappell era in Indian cricket.

Though Kumble's captaincy record is not much to boast of, with just three wins from 14 Test matches, he stepped in at a difficult time for the side, who were looking for options with Sachin Tendulkar opting out of the race while MS Dhoni was still deemed not ready for the role in the longest format.

Kumble took on the responsibility and ensured that the payers stuck together and led the side in the same manner he did as a player - with his heart on his sleeve.

Also important to note is the fact that Kumble led the side against some pretty strong opposition - Australia twice, including the controversial tour Down Under 2007/08 which could have gone India's way had decisions gone been in their favour, as well as series against Pakistan and South Africa at home and Sri Lanka away.

The series win over Pakistan was Kumble's lone success as skipper while he also had an overseas win each away at Sri Lanka and Australia, but that shouldn't take away from the importance of his reign as a calm and composed influence on and off the field.

Kumble also led India in a solitary ODI match against England at Chennai in 2002, which the hosts won by four wickets.

Never a great spinner of the ball, Kumble overcame his limitations as a bowler with his sharp mind and replicated it in his captaincy as well.

Anil Kumble's Captaincy record:

#4 Bishan Singh Bedi (India)

Bedi was a controversial figure during his time as Indian skipper

The often outspoken Bishan Singh Bedi was not only a brilliant spinner but also led India through a difficult phase with much distinction, making the side a difficult one to beat.

Like Kumble, Bedi's captaincy tenure was not a highly successful one, but he came close to scripting famous series wins overseas on three occasions, losing out to Australia 2-3 in a five-match Test series, against West Indies 1-2 and New Zealand 1-0.

Under Bedi, India also lost to England at home and Pakistan away with his only success as skipper coming against New Zealand at home, 2-0.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Bedi also had his fair share of run-ins with the establishment, becoming the first captain to concede an international cricket match.

With 23 required off 14 balls with two wickets in hand in an ODI against Pakistan in 1978, Bedi recalled his batsmen in protest against the umpire's failure to call a 'wide' even after Sarfraz Nawaz had bowled four successive bouncers.

Needless to say, Bedi failed to stick around as skipper for long, but as a leader and more importantly, as a member of India's famous spin quartet, Bedi made a distinct impression and a name for himself in the nation's rich cricket history.

Bishan Singh Bedi's Captaincy record:

#3 Shane Warne (Australia and Rajasthan Royals)

Warne inspired Rajasthan Royals to victory in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008

The greatest exponent of leg spin in the history of the game, Shane Warne also had his stint as captain and would have enjoyed a long run in the role if not for his tryst with controversies.

Obviously, there was the small matter of displacing a certain Steve Waugh, but Warne did captain Australia in 11 ODIs during the 1998-99 period, winning 10 of them.

It was with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL though that Warne truly made his mark as a skipper, leading the young side to the title in the inaugural edition of the T20 league.

Named as the side's skipper and coach, Warne led from the front, picking up 19 wickets from 15 matches, as he inspired his side on and off the field with the underdogs emerging winners.

He also had successful stints as skipper at Victoria, Hampshire, and Melbourne Stars during his long and illustrious career.

It would have been interesting to see how Warne would have fared as a Test skipper, but that never happened as Ricky Ponting succeeded Waugh with much success, leaving Warne to work his magic with the ball alone - something he did remarkably well.

Shane Warne's Captaincy record:

#2 Ray Illingworth (England)

Illingworth was a no-nonsense captain who commanded his players to always be at their best

While there is no doubt that Ray Illingworth was a highly regarded spinner and all-rounder, his greatest trait was his leadership skills and his ability to get the best out of his players.

He had a no-nonsense style of captaincy and demanded a lot of commitment and dedication from his players, but the way the likes of Geoffrey Boycott and John Snow played under Illingworth's reign proves that the players responded in kind, more often than not.

In all, he captained England in 31 Test matches, winning 12, losing five and drawing 14, including two Ashes series victories, and wins over West Indies and Pakistan.

From 1968 to 1971, England remained undefeated for 27 Tests under Illingworth's captaincy - a feat which was since equaled by the all-conquering West Indies side under Clive Lloyd's captaincy.

Illingworth is one of only nine players in the game's history to register the double of 20000 runs and 20000 wickets in his first-class career and is widely regarded as one of England's greatest captains.

Ray Illingworth's Captaincy record:

#1 Richie Benaud (Australia)

Richie Benaud is one of cricket's most charismatic figures and a true legend of the game

A legend of the game in every sense, Richie Benaud was an outstanding captain and all-rounder for Australia and credited with the side's re-emergence as a cricket superpower after the tough times faced following Sir Don Bradman's retirement.

In fact, Australia never lost a series during Benaud's reign and his innovative and aggressive captaincy breathed life into the Test format which was criticised for being too boring at times.

His charismatic nature filtered through to the young Australian side who entertained the fans with their positive approach to the game.

His finest series as skipper was also his debut one as Australia got the better of arch-rivals England in the 1958/59 Ashes, a series in which the latter were considered favourites.

Benaud led from the front, picking up 31 wickets as the hosts won the series 3-1, making the leg-spinner an instant fan-favourite as skipper.

Benaud remained an ever-present in cricket circles even after retiring as a player, emerging as one of the most highly respected cricket commentator and journalist whose views were highly regarded.

Richie Benaud's Captaincy record: