Top 5 England captains of all time

The famous adage - An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep - highlights the importance of leadership across any discipline. Unlike most other major sports, the role of captain is extremely crucial to a team's fortunes in cricket. A strong skipper can seize those game-defining moments and pave the way for his side's victory through fastidious decision-making.

With a long and illustrious legacy in the sport, England have been fortunate enough to produce plenty of accomplished leaders. Let us now take a close look at five of the greatest captains to have led the traditional powerhouse in the international arena.

For obvious reasons, contributions to Ashes victories are accorded higher importance than leadership displays in other assignments.

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#5 Andrew Strauss

Andrew Strauss led England to the top of the Test rankings in August 2011

Having lifted the World Cup that year, a well-oiled Indian team embarked on their 2011 tour of England with the intention of retaining their number one position in the Test rankings. The hosts, led by Andrew Strauss, humiliated them by winning the series 4-0 and usurped their crown.

The opener's resourceful leadership and adequate tactical knowledge went a long way in propelling England to the top of the Test table.

Strauss' captaincy journey makes for interesting reading. As a result of injuries to regular skipper Michael Vaughan as well as stand-in option Andrew Flintoff, he was given an early and unexpected taste of the captaincy in 2006.

When Flintoff led England to a disastrous tour of Australia, the leadership mantle once again came up for grabs. But Strauss's poor form with the bat resulted in him facing the axe.

After taking a brief hiatus from the game, Strauss returned to the team and sealed his slot at the top of the order.

Following the termination of a rather tumultuous relationship between Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores, he was appointed captain on a permanent basis in January 2009. From there on, the southpaw never looked back. During the 2010/11 Ashes, he led England to their first series win on Australian soil since 1986.

Captaincy Record

Tests: 24 wins and 11 losses from 50 matches

ODIs: 27 wins and 33 losses from 62 matches

T20Is: 3 losses from 3 matches

#4 Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain's strong leadership helped England bounce back from a gruelling phase

When Nasser Hussain took over the captaincy mantle from Alec Stewart during the summer of 1999, England were staring deep into an seemingly endless abyss. A few months later, they reached the bottomless of all pits by plummeting to the bottom of the Test rankings. Behind the likes of even inexperienced outfits such as Zimbabwe, their nadir sparked doom and gloom in a country with a rich tradition in the longest format of the game.

However, Hussain triggered a massive revival in England's fortunes with his daring captaincy and mature man-management. In sync with coach Duncan Fletcher, the Madras-born cricketer led his team to four consecutive Test series victories including rare triumphs in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Precise and constant adjustments in the field became his trademark facet. On the flip side, he could not do much with an under whelming ODI unit.

Captaincy Record

Tests: 17 wins and 15 losses from 42 matches

ODIs: 28 wins and 27 losses from 56 matches

#3 Sir Len Hutton

Sir Len Hutton was England's first professional Test captain

If one were to go by just scorecards and mere numbers, the 1952 Headingley Test between England and India might be nothing more than a footnote in the annals of the game. But the 7-wicket victory for the hosts holds major significance as they were being led by their first ever professional captain. Apart from being one of the greatest ever batsman of all-time, Sir Len Hutton was also a dependable skipper who managed to extract efficient performances from his men.

Without a shred of doubt, the successive home and away Ashes series triumphs were the highlight of Hutton's captaincy. The victory in Australian soil was all the more sweet considering the fact that England bounced back from an embarrassing innings defeat in the series opener at the Gabba.

Throughout his tenure, Hutton's handling of the fearsome pace trio of Fred Trueman, Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson and Brian Statham vindicated his captaincy skills. He ensured that they remained fit and fresh by giving them short and purposeful spells.

Captaincy Record

Tests: 11 wins and 4 losses from 21 matches

#2 Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan was rewarded with OBE for captaining England to Ashes glory in 2005

2005 remains one of the most unforgettable years for English cricket. Against all odds, they managed to defeat the all-conquering and psychologically intimidating Australian team. Michael Vaughan's incisive and inspirational captaincy was the cornerstone on which the euphoric campaign was built. Reminiscent of the symbiotic relationship between Mike Brearley and Sir Ian Botham, he brought the very best of Andrew Flintoff by instilling an enormous amount of confidence in the mercurial all-rounder.

Aside from helping his country regain the Ashes after 16 long years, Vaughan also led England to a memorable series triumph in South Africa as well as a comprehensive conquest of West Indies. The latter 3-0 victory was England's first in the Caribbean in 36 years. The right-hander's calm and calculated style of captaincy played a key role in carrying forward the good work done by his predecessor Nasser Hussain.

Captaincy Record

Tests: 26 wins and 11 losses from 51 matches

ODIs: 32 wins and 22 losses from 60 matches

T20Is: 1 win and 1 loss from 2 matches

#1 Mike Brearley

Mike Brearley's imaginative captaincy alone was enough to merit a spot in the playing eleven

One of the shrewdest captains to grace the game, Mike Brearley redefined England cricket with his innovative leadership. The extent to which the team management valued his captaincy skills can be discerned from the fact that he played 39 Tests as a specialist batsman with a modest average of 22.88. With a powerful bowling attack comprising of the irrepressible Bob Willis and Sir Ian Botham at the height of his powers, the Cambridge-educated skipper created a formidable unit in the late 70s.

Extra Cover: Cricket’s Commanders-in-chief - Mike Brearley

Among all captains who have led their respective teams in at least 25 Tests, Brearley's win-loss ratio of 4.50 has been bettered only by Steve Waugh (4.55) and Virat Kohli (currently at 6.33). His tranquil approach and unflappable temperament rubbed off on his team mates, not least of all Botham.

The iconic all-rounder, who had been on a downward spiral, lifted himself under Brearley's stewardship and almost single-handedly helped England retain the fabled Ashes urn in 1981. A maiden appearance in the World Cup final (1979) was also among the high points of his captaincy career.

Captaincy Record

Tests: 18 wins and 4 losses from 31 matches

ODIs: 15 wins and 9 losses from 25 matches