Rory Burns, the captaincy record: a tale of leadership to rank with the very best
23.01.26, 21:30 Updated 30.01.26, 17:22 4 Minute Read
Mark Baldwin
Rory Burns will begin a ninth season as Surrey’s club captain in April, aiming to lead his team to the county championship title for a fifth time. And you sense there will be a fierce renewing of Burns’ determination to succeed after being so narrowly pipped to the post by Nottinghamshire last summer.
Yet whatever happens in 2026 his captaincy record already requires closer study, because what it reveals is just how tightly Surrey’s enviable recent achievements have been bound to Burns’ leadership.
Burns may not be the flashiest of captains. His tremendous consistency at the top of the batting order allows him, in that regard, to lead by example but in the field he can sometimes look too conservative; with experience (and great success), however, has come a clear willingness to be more proactive in terms of his field placings and bowling changes.
What is beyond doubt is the huge respect in which the 35-year-old is held by his multi-talented squad, his resilience, his dedication to all aspects of a demanding job both on and off the field of play, and his results. Yes, just look at his results.
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