Captaincy quartet setting the standard

They're four of the best batsmen in Test cricket today, and in a short space of time they've quickly set about establishing themselves as among the great batting captains of any era.

Steve Smith, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli are all relatively young captains, but all four names already appear among the top six batting averages among male Test captains to have played at least 10 innings. 

Smith, who has been on a hot streak with the bat for virtually four years now – stretching all the way back to his maiden Test hundred at The Oval in August 2013 – has batted 44 times as Australia captain, scoring 12 hundreds and nine fifties and averaging a stunning 71.55. 

Only Sir Donald Bradman himself has achieved a higher output than the 28-year-old, setting the benchmark at 101.70 from 38 innings at the helm, with 14 hundreds and seven fifties (interestingly, the Don made five ducks as captain; Smith has just one to date, from six more innings).

England's Root, who took the reins from Alastair Cook this northern summer, has the smallest sample size, having only batted 11 times as skipper, though he has passed fifty on seven occasions within that period, including a majestic 190 in his maiden knock in charge, against South Africa at Lord's in July. Those returns have not only helped the 26-year-old equal a world record set by AB de Villiers back in 2014, but they've also seen him average 66.18 as captain – the fourth-best in history. 

Splitting Smith and Root is Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara, who only spent a small portion of his illustrious career with the little 'c' next to his name, but managed to carve out 1,601 runs at 69.60 from 26 innings, with seven hundreds and four fifties. 

The two skippers are set to go head-to-head this summer in the battle for the Ashes, with the performances of each pivotal to their respective side's hopes of success. 

Fifth on the list is stylish Black Caps No.3 Williamson, who assumed the leadership duties from Brendon McCullum last year and has blossomed in the role. 

The 27-year-old has batted 21 times as captain of his country in Test cricket, and passed fifty in 10 of those, going on to make a century on four occasions and averaging 59.94 to slot in at fifth on the list. 

Williamson is closely followed by India megastar Kohli, who averages an outstanding 59.53 after 46 innings as captain, after he replaced MS Dhoni in Australia in the summer of 2014-15. 

In that time, as well as leading India to the No.1 Test ranking, the 28-year-old has peeled off 10 hundreds and four fifties in 2,560 runs. 

All four batsmen are set to shatter plenty of records before their time is done, which begs the question – who will finish their career recognised as the best of the group?

Top 10 men's Test batting averages as captain

(minimum of 10 innings)

D Bradman (Aus) 1936-48

Matches 24 | Innings 38 | Runs 3147 | High Score 270 | Average 101.51 | 100s 14 | 50s 7

S Smith (Aus) 2014-current

M 25 | I 44 | R 2719 | HS 192 | Avg 71.55 | 100s 12 | 50s 9

K Sangakkara (SL) 2009-11

M 15 | I 26 | R 1601 | HS 219 | Avg 69.60 | 100s 7 | 50s 4

J Root (Eng) 2017- current

M 6 | I 11 | R 728 | HS 190 | Avg 66.18 | 100s 2 | 50s 5

K Williamson (NZ) 2016-current

M 13 | I 21 | R 1079 | HS 176 | Avg 59.94 | 100s 4 | 50s 6

V Kohli (Ind) 2014-current

M 29 | I 46 | R 2560 | HS 235 | Avg 59.53 | 100s 10 | 50s 4

M Jayawardena (SL) 2006-13

M 38 | I 66 | R 3665 | HS 374 | Avg 59.11 | 100s 14 | 50s 10

G Sobers (WI) 1965-72

M 39 | I 71 | R 3528 | HS 178* | Avg 58.80 | 100s 11 | 50s 15

H Mohammad (Pak) 1964-67

M 11 | I 18 | R 881 | HS 203* | Avg 58.73 | 100s 4 | 50s 1

G Gooch (Eng) 1988-93

M 34 | I 63 | R 3582 | HS 333 | Avg 58.72 | 100s 11 | 50s 16