- June 17, 2025
Captaincy in Test cricket is hard work – you’ve got tactics, performance, and leadership all mixed into five long days. Getting off to a good start? That’s the holy grail. Only a small number have been able to get out of the blocks as a captain, leading their teams to wins without breaking a sweat. After Temba Bavuma led South Africa to a remarkable WTC Final win in 2025, he now belongs to a very select membership of captains who have the best records in their first 10 Tests. Let’s take a look.
Temba Bavuma – The Relentless Rise of a Modern Captain
When Temba Bavuma was appointed South Africa’s Test captain in 2023, no one could have known what was going to transpire. Just two years later, he was going to lead the Proteas to their largest moment in over a decade as they lifted the World Test Championship trophy at Lord’s against Australia.
Bavuma has gone 10 Tests as captain without losing (9 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses). Not only is that remarkable – it’s historic. What is noteworthy is how he has achieved it: sophisticated decision-making, solid man management, and valuable contributions personally, including a courageous 66 in the WTC Final run chase. He has led a young and building team, helping them become world champions.
Vintage Greats – Chapman, Armstrong & Douglas Set the Early Standard
Long prior to Bavuma’s consecutive run of runs, some cricketing immortals enjoyed their dream runs — even if they seem like an antique catalogue now.
Percy Chapman, the left-handed, elegant batsman of England, started his captaincy in the late 1920s with a record of 9 wins from 10 Tests, with style and leadership.
Warwick Armstrong, nicknamed The Big Ship, was captain of Australia during the 1920–21 Ashes series, had a record of 8 wins, 2 draws, and an incredible 5–0 score, with no losses!
Johnny Douglas was captain of Australia for the first time during the 1929–30 Ashes series with a record of 8 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw in his first series as captain.
Different time, different issues — but their early success will forever be part of the record books in Test cricket.
Hassett & Ponting – Aussie Authority from Two Generations
Australia’s captaincy history features some big names, and Lindsay Hassett and Ricky Ponting are two important names that allowed the tradition of winning to continue, but in very different ways.
Hassett was the eye of the storm. He was the captain of a team going through transition after WWII, and he had the normal and calm authority without fanfare. In his first 10 Tests, he had 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. No nonsense, no bother, just serviceable leadership.
With the same thought, Ponting had a fiery belly and stars all around him beginning in 2004 with legends in Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, and Hayden. But it isn’t easy to manage a team of alpha personalities, nonetheless. Ponting did well manage those egos, winning 8, drawing 1, and losing 1 of his first 10 Tests while ushering in an era of dominance.
Different styles still represented Aussie domination. Both men had entirely different personalities, but they both knew how to win.
Strong starts as Test captain are uncommon — they require some combination of confidence, clarity, and maybe a bit of luck. Chapman’s charisma, Armstrong’s authority, Ponting’s intensity, Hassett’s influence – they all had their signature. But right now, it’s Temba Bavuma who sits alone at the top, undefeated and unbothered.
He’s not just winning games – he’s constructing something much bigger for South African cricket. Can he keep it going, though, and build some form of a legacy? Thinking another captain is about to join this exclusive club? Let us know who you are watching!
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