The role of the captain is crucial in Cricket. In other sports where the captain does not have many tasks to do or whose strategy cannot influence the game much, in Cricket this is not the case.
As in other sports, the captain is usually an experienced player with good communication skills and whose place is guaranteed in the squad. The captain is aided by the Vice-Captain. The captain's shrewdness in the field is vital.
Captain's Role
Toss
The captain calls the toss, and if he wins the toss he may bat or bowl. We have already seen the reasons why he may choose to bat or bowl first. He may also bat 2nd to achieve a higher 'Net Run Rate' (NRR) [NRR - Discussed later].
Setting the field
The captain sets the field in consultation with the bowler and other senior players. He decides to place attacking or defensive field placements. The nature of bowling decides the field positioning.
E.g. A leg spinner demands more fielders on the offside as the ball is turning towards the offside. Fast bowlers have a spread out field as the ball travels faster to the boundary.Juggling the bowlers
The captain decides when a bowler bowls, and how many overs at a stretch he bowls. If a batsman is 'hammering' the bowler for runs, he changes the bowler. If the bowler is bowling restrictively, he keeps him till his 10 overs are up. He can employ non regular bowlers to unsettle a batsman.
He also juggles his bowlers around so that a batsman cannot get used to one bowler. He has to make certain when each bowler has to bowl and keep some overs of his best bowlers to the end (as maximum runs are scored then). He can ask his bowler to 'flight' the ball (toss it up) i.e. the ball travels in a parabolic path, so it is difficult to score of.
Batting order
In batting the captain decides the batting order. If quick runs are needed, a batsman with the capability to 'hit over the top' (6's and 4's) is promoted up the order. A player 'in form' is promoted up the order (bats at a higher number).
Miscellaneous
The captain also uses his discretion to allow the use of a runner to an injured batsman. In Test cricket, the captain also has the power to declare his team innings, to take a new ball or impose the "Follow On" (see Test Cricket pg 22).
Team Management
The team management consists of the Coach, Manager and a Physiotherapist. Some teams also have a councillor, dietician and a cook. Occasionally, a squad may have a bowling coach and/or a fielding coach under the head coach.
The manager takes care of the administrative duties of the team. The coach and the captain chalk out the game plans. However, during the match the captain has to call the shots.
A Runner
A Runner is a team player who runs between the wickets for an injured batsman. This happens, if the batsman suddenly gets cramps or gets injured. The runner is a team member who has already been dismissed in the innings (or if the case is not so, a batsman who bats very low down the order). The runner can only run but not bat.
A runner can only be used if the batsman gets injured DURING the game and not if he is already injured before the game. The umpires must agree to a runner, before he can be used in the game.
Here the batsman hits a shot and remains rooted inside the batting crease.
The runner runs between the wickets for him, collecting the 1's and
2's. When the batsman at
the other end comes to the striking end (facing the bowler), the
injured batsman must stand near the Square-Leg umpire (Ump #2). The
runner stands at the non-striker's end.
It is interesting to note that if either one, the injured batsman or his "runner" is caught out of the crease, the batsman is 'run-out'. Hence he and his runner depart.