Cricket
Dhoni vs Buttler: A Multi-Layered Statistical Analysis to Determine White-Ball Captaincy Supremacy
MS Dhoni vs Jos Buttler: Who is the better white-ball captain? We analyze their stats with a detailed SB Score, expert Industry Insights and a final Overall Total Score.
MS Dhoni and Jos Buttler//Getty Images
White-ball cricket, unlike its red-ball counterpart, represents a stern test of a captain’s credentials. Reading match situations and possessing the necessary tactical acumen to adjust fielding positions makes some cricket captains stand out from the rest in faster-paced formats.
Step forward MS Dhoni and Jos Buttler. Renowned for his calmness in pressure-cooker environments, Dhoni changed the face of white ball cricket in India, and his trophy haul was impressive. Meanwhile, Buttler was seen as an innovator during his time as captain, he is viewed as one of the best batters of all time in T20s.
At SportsBoom, we like to uncover all the angles. We have taken a multi-layered approach for our cricket captaincy metrics to provide a fair comparison of Buttler and Dhoni. We have provided an SB score and shared insights from reliable cricket sources. Through our dedicated approach, we have assessed who is the superior white-ball captain. Let’s dive straight in!
The Statistical Deep Dive – The ‘SB Market Index’
To objectively compare their white-ball captaincy records, we’ve developed an ‘SB Market Index score’ based on a range of performance indicators, each assigned a specific weight. This allows for a nuanced statistical comparison beyond just raw win percentages.
Core White-Ball Captaincy Statistics
| Player | ODI Matches as Captain | ODI Wins | ODI Win % | T20I Matches as Captain | T20I Wins | T20I Win % | Total White-ball ICC Wins (Capt.) | ICC Trophy Count (Capt.) |
| MS Dhoni | 199 | 110 | 55.27% | 72 | 41 | 56.90% | 151 | 3 |
| Jos Buttler | 45 | 18 | 40.00% | 51 | 26 | 50.98% | 44 | 1 |
‘SB Market Index’ Methodology Explained
We have placed the Dhoni vs Buttler captaincy stats used in our table to generate an SB score, and the following weightages assigned in the SB Market Index denotes areas of captaincy success:
- ODI Matches as Captain (10%) – Longevity and experience in the 50-overs format gives a good indicator as to how each fared.
- ODI Wins (15%) – A greater percentage was assigned to ODI wins as this depicts how successful they were in the 50-overs format.
- ODI Win% (15%) – This is a critical aspect of the cricket captaincy analysis in white-ball, showing how effective Dhoni and Butler were at churning out wins.
- T20I Matches as Captain (5%) – T20s are more volatile, but experience counts for a lot in the shortest format.
- T20I Wins (10%) – This correlates with performances as captain in the shortest format.
- T20I Win % (10%) – This explores the efficiency of Dhoni and Buttler in winning T20Is.
- Total White-ball Wins Combined ODI and T20I as Captain (20%) – In assessing who is the better captain Dhoni or Buttler, considering the overall ODI and T20 picture is vital.
- ICC Trophy Count as Captain (15%) – In our white-ball cricket legends comparison, the ultimate yardstick of success is ICC trophy wins and the marks they made in the biggest tournaments on the global stage.
To give a more balanced comparison across particular metrics, such as win percentages, each player’s raw statistic was normalized and scaled relative to the maximum value in the category between the two. The normalized scores were multiplied by their respective weightings and summed up to produce the final SB Score.
The ‘SB Market Index’ Result
Based on the methodology used from the previous interaction, we have calculated a more accurate SB Market Index to measure these ICC trophy winning captains.
| Player | Score |
| MS Dhoni | 1.000 |
| Jos Buttler | 0.4524 |
Interpreting this ‘SB Market Index’
Looking at the SB Market Index in isolation, Dhoni comes out on top with a perfect score, indicating his all-round ability as captain. That’s not to take anything away from Buttler. But with a higher ICC trophy count as well as more superior performances across most raw statistical metrics, Dhoni’s score is significantly higher than that of Buttler, reflecting what he brought to the table.
Also, given the lower volume of matches Buttler captained for England, wins, and trophy count, his score was scaled down.
The Court of Expert Opinion – ‘Industry Insights’
Whether it is pitting cricketing greats such as MS Dhoni vs Adam Gilchrist against each other or establishing the best white ball captain between Dhoni and Buttler, expert analysis shapes popular opinion. In this section, we have used Industry Insights to gauge this sentiment.
Industry Insights’ Methodology Explained
To more meaning from the opinions formed by cricket experts on Dhoni and Buttler, we have crunched the numbers to see how frequently a captain is praised or ranks higher in comparative discussions by a range of reputable cricket sources. From this, a point is awarded to a captain who is given more preference about white-ball captaincy prowess.
Industry Insights’ Table – Expert Sentiment
| Player | Sportskeeda | Times of India | MyKhel | Hindustan Times (Vaughan) | Scroll.in | InUth | Hindustan Times (Captaincy) | Reuters | Industry Insight |
| MS Dhoni | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Jos Buttler | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
Interpreting the ‘Industry Insights’
Judging by what the industry expert said, Jos Buttler edges out MS Dhoni here. Buttler scored a couple of more points, but perhaps Jos Buttler’s T20I captaincy record and aggressive style resonated more with top cricket sources.
Modern cricket analysis tends to be more rooted in innovative styles, and perhaps the way Buttler handled things during his tenure as well as more recent T20 World Cup success gave him the upper hand.
The Final Verdict – ‘The Overall SB Market Index
To arrive at the most comprehensive conclusion, we now combine our statistically-derived ‘SB Score’ from Part 1 using the detailed methodology and the ‘Industry Insights’ score using Part 2, applying a final weighting to determine an overall leader.
Overall Total SB Market Index Explained
Calculating our overall score gave more weighting to expert consensus, while also factoring in some detailed statistical comparisons:
Industry Insights (80% Weightage) – This relies on the collective wisdom and broader qualitative assessments from cricket media and experts to give a more balanced view of MS Dhoni’s ODI captaincy record.
‘SB Score (20% Weightage) – Our statistical indicator, based on historical performances across multiple metrics, provides a quantitative element, albeit with overall influence on the final outcome.
The ‘Overall SB Market Index’ – Combining Stats & Sentiment Table’
| Player | SB Score (Value) | SB Score (Weighted 20%) | Industry Insights (Value) | Industry Insights (Weighted 80%) | Overall ‘SB Market Index’ |
| MS Dhoni | 1.0000 | 0.2000 | 6 | 4.8 | 5.0000 |
| Jos Buttler | 0.4524 | 0.0905 | 8 | 6.4 | 6.4905 |
The Captains: A Glimpse at Two White-Ball Strategists
To shed light on the Dhoni vs Buttler white-ball captaincy dynamic, we have provided a couple of mini-profiles.
MS Dhoni
Deemed one of the greatest white-ball strategists, MS Dhoni was unflappable under pressure, and he was renowned for his instinctive decision-making.
Dhoni was one of the most successful captains in T20 cricket, but he was also a master finisher, as shown by his exploits in the Indian Premier League.
The go-to guy as the Indian captain, Dhoni was celebrated for his out-of-the-box thinking. He also ushered in fresh talent, giving them the tools to exhibit their skills on a global stage. Oh, and a legacy of 3 ICC trophies, means Dhoni’s importance to the cause can’t be overstated.
Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler represented a bolder and more aggressive era of white-ball cricket for England. A brilliant risk manager, Buttler fostered an environment of attacking cricket. He evolved into a destructive opener, and the height of his captaincy was the 2022 T20 World Cup triumph.
Despite at times being hampered by rarely having a full-strength squad at his disposal, Buttler pushed things forward and he was a formidable leader.
Declaring the Winner (Based on This Final Model with new SB Market Indexes)
After a multi-layered analysis with an 80% weighting assigned to Industry Insights and 20% to the SB Market Index, Jos Buttler emerged with a significantly higher overall score of 6.4905.
Disclaimer: The data and calculations presented are based on available statistics and a specific analytical model, including a normalized process for the SB Market Index. Interpretations, data sources, and methodologies can vary, potentially leading to different outcomes. This analysis is for illustrative and discussion purposes.
SportsBoom Suggests
Comparing white-ball captains like Dhoni and Buttler highlights different eras and styles of leadership. While Dhoni’s extensive trophy cabinet and win record are legendary, Buttler’s modern success, T20 World Cup win as captain, and innovative approach significantly influence current perceptions and betting considerations for England in major white-ball tournaments.
REFERENCES
- 1
Reflections on Jos Buttler’s time as England white-ball captain: Recalling Buttler’s achievements as England T20 and ODI skipper - https://www.reuters.com/sports/cricket/englands-buttler-proves-great-players-are-not-always-best-captains-2025-03-01/ Accessed June 14, 2025
Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.