Experience usually comes hand in hand with leadership in cricket, but some young players have defied the trend, assuming the leadership of their nations at remarkably early points in their careers.
List of the youngest captains in all formats of international cricket
Youngest Captains in T20 Internationals (T20Is)
The T20I format has provided numerous developing cricketing countries with the opportunity to play at the global stage. With the ICC declaring all member nations a T20I country in 2019, numerous young players have risen to become captains, frequently in their teens or early 20s.
While associate nations figure prominently on this list, the youngest T20I captain for a full ICC member is Pakistan’s Qasim Akram, who captained his side at the 2023 Asian Games aged just 20 years.
Top 10 Youngest T20I Captains
Zach Vukusic (Croatia) – 17 years, 311 days
Noman Amjad (France) – 18 years, 24 days
Carl Hartmann (Isle of Man) – 18 years, 276 days
Read More
Luwsanzundui Erdenebulgan (Mongolia) – 18 years, 324 days
Didier Ndikubwimana (Rwanda) – 19 years, 327 days
Aaftab Limdawala (Malawi) – 20 years, 18 days
George Ngegba (Sierra Leone) – 20 years, 19 days
Burhan Niaz (Belgium) – 20 years, 103 days
Virandeep Singh (Malaysia) – 20 years, 190 days
Gustav McKeon (France) – 20 years, 204 days
Note: Gustav McKeon also holds the record for being the only male cricketer to score consecutive centuries in T20I cricket.
Youngest Captains in One-Day Internationals (ODIs)
Among the 50-over format, the youngest ODI captain is Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Prolific with both bat and ball, and also as a captain, Rashid assumed the reins at 19 years old.
The format also features young leadership from Nepal and Hong Kong, with some big names from the full-member countries such as New Zealand and Pakistan.
Top 10 Youngest Captains in ODIs
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 19 years, 165 days
Rohit Paudel (Nepal) – 20 years, 73 days
Rajin Saleh (Bangladesh) – 20 years, 297 days
Anshuman Rath (Hong Kong) – 20 years, 315 days
Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe) – 20 years, 342 days
Vriitya Aravind (UAE) – 21 years, 21 days
Prosper Utseya (Zimbabwe) – 21 years, 125 days
Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal) – 21 years, 226 days
Kane Williamson (New Zealand) – 21 years, 332 days
Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – 21 years, 354 days
Insight: Rashid Khan is the only player to appear at the top of both the ODI and Test youngest captains lists.
Youngest Captains in Test Cricket
Test cricket, the game’s most formal and demanding version, does not often have captains younger than 22. But a handful of exceptional players have burst into leadership positions early.
One of the most recognizable names on this list is Graeme Smith, who was made captain of South Africa at only 22 and went on to be the most successful Test skipper ever. Waqar Younis is also included here, making his mark across formats.
Youngest Captains in Test Cricket
Though the complete list wasn’t elaborated on, the top names known are:
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – Youngest Test captain ever
Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – Included in Test and ODI youngest captains lists
Graeme Smith (South Africa) – Started captaincy at 22, went on to lead South Africa to record success
A Glimpse into Cricket’s Youngest Leaders
From the record-breaking T20I captaincy of Zach Vukusic at 17 to the meteoric multi-format leadership of Rashid Khan, these records indicate that age is no hindrance where leadership in international cricket is concerned.
Whether it’s up-and-coming cricketing nations or full members such as Pakistan, Zimbabwe, or New Zealand, all of these newest captains have had a huge impact in the early part of their careers, and most are still writing their books on the international stage.
ALSO READ: Sanju Samson Or Ravichandran Ashwin: Who Will Exit In IPL 2026?
