The Indian Premier League since its inception in the year 2008 has been a great platform for the Indian as well as overseas youngsters to showcase their talents on a big stage. Many of them have gone on to represent their national sides across formats after doing well in IPL. The tagline of the trophy also says &#8220;Where Talent Meets Opportunity&#8221; and it has truly justified itself as the league has given so many stars to the cricketing world.

But it wasn&#8217;t just limited to the young cricketers and several players have found themselves captaining the sides, which was a completely new thing for them. Many of the captains were not recognized leaders before the IPL but when the opportunity presented itself, the unknown talent of their leadership was on the show. The responsibility to lead a side brought out the hidden skills in them.

Here are 5 such players who were not known for international captaincies yet became successful in IPL:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Faiz-Fazal.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-68966" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Faiz-Fazal.jpg" alt="Faiz Fazal, Indian players" width="600" height="435" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68966" class="wp-caption-text">Shane Warne (Photo by Hamish Blair-IPL 2010/IPL via Getty Images)</figcaption>

The legendary leg-spinner was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the first edition of IPL for US$450,000. He was then handed over the responsibility to lead the side that did not have too many big names. The likes of Shane Watson, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, all were emerging on the scene and the side was filled with youngsters. Graeme Smith and Sohail Tanvir were the amongst the few known international players in the squad.

Warne had played mostly under the captaincy of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting for Australia. They had a system of nominating the best batsman in the side as the skipper and never really believed in naming a bowler as the captain. Warne certainly had some leadership skills and had a point to prove.

The then 39-year-old was more a mentor in the side than a captain. He guided the youngsters in the team beautifully and showed that he is an able leader who didn&#8217;t get a chance to prove himself earlier in his international career. The Australian led the Royals side to victory in its inaugural season and it was the most romantic story in the history of IPL.

Although the side didn&#8217;t make it to the playoffs in the next 3 years under his captaincy but the triumph in the first season remains as the hallmark of the league.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Adam-Gilchrist.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-118897" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Adam-Gilchrist.jpg" alt="Adam Gilchrist" width="600" height="437" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-118897" class="wp-caption-text">Adam Gilchrist (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

The former Australian wicket-keeper batsman was known for his destructive batting at the top. He could dismantle the opposition with his strokeplay within minutes. He played largely under the captaincy of Steve Waugh and then Ricky Ponting and very rarely got a chance to lead Australia in international cricket.

He was associated with the Deccan Chargers side in the first season of the IPL but the team had a terrible inaugural tournament as they finished last on the points table. VVS Laxman was the captain of the side in the first half but succumbed to an injury and as a result, Gilchrist was named the captain.

The second season of IPL was played in South Africa where the side turned the tables and went on to win the league. It was due to the skilled leadership of the Australian who was instrumental in winning so many matches for his side. Even in the semi-final against Delhi Daredevils, he scored a brilliant 85 off just 35 balls and took his side in the final and ultimately, they became the champions.

The Australian went on to captain the Kings XI Punjab side as well in the following years.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Gautam-Gambhir-in-IPL8.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-16125" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Gautam-Gambhir-in-IPL8.jpg" alt="Gautam Gambhir KKR" width="687" height="497" sizes="(max-width: 687px) 100vw, 687px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16125" class="wp-caption-text">Gautam Gambhir (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>

The southpaw was a known captain at the domestic stage but very rarely did he get the chance to lead the Indian side due to the presence of country&#8217;s most successful leader MS Dhoni. Gambhir was with the Delhi Daredevils squad for the first three seasons and captained the side in the 2009 edition that reached the semi-final.

But the big turnaround in his IPL career arrived when he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the year 2011 for a record-breaking $2.4 million. The KKR side had three dismal outings in the first three editions but the inclusion of the left-hander took them to the playoffs for the first time that year.

Next year in 2012, they went one step closer and became the IPL champions and Gambhir was pivotal in team&#8217;s success. Once more, KKR became the champions under him in 2014 and reached the playoffs in 2016. With such an incredible record, the Delhi batsman is certainly one of the most successful captains in the history of the league.

He is still the skipper of the side and with the strength of the KKR squad, it won&#8217;t be surprising if they win a few more titles under his captaincy.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/Rohit-Sharma-celebrates-in-Style-.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-19329" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rohit-Sharma-celebrates-in-Style-.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma MI" width="647" height="467" sizes="(max-width: 647px) 100vw, 647px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-19329" class="wp-caption-text">Rohit Sharma MI. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>

The right-handed batsman played for Deccan Chargers in the first three seasons and was moving up the ranks as a quality batsman. He was picked by Mumbai Indians in the year 2011 and became a key batsman in the middle-order. The 2013 edition of IPL arrived and Ricky Ponting was named the skipper of the side. But after the poor performances of the team under him, he was benched midway through the season.

Mumbai made a surprise call of picking Rohit as the captain as no one knew that he could lead a side too. But the Mumbaikar inflicted a dramatic turnaround for the side that went on to become the champions later that year. To add to the success, the side won Champions League T20 as well in the same year under him. They made it to the playoffs in the next season and won the league once more in the year 2015.

Rohit&#8217;s career took a huge turn since he was made the captain of the franchise. Previously, he was a class batsman who lacked consistency but the added responsibility of captaining the side made him altogether a different batsman and he became a regular in the Indian squad as well.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/David-Warner-7.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-70055" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-7.jpg" alt="David Warner IPL 2016" width="600" height="407" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70055" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>

The hard hitting Australian batsman played largely under Michael Clarke during his initial days for Australia and then under Steven Smith. He has also been associated with IPL for so long. The left-hander was first picked by Delhi Daredevils in the year 2009 and remained with the side until 2014 where he was bagged by Sunrisers Hyderabad.

In 2015, he was appointed the captain of the franchise and although the side narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, he was the leading scorer of that season and won the Orange Cap. He was once more trusted with the job in 2016 and it turned out to be the right move as SRH won the league for the first time.

Warner was once again the leading run-getter for his side and the second overall. The manner in which he leads the side gives assurance to the Australian side as well. The vice-captain of Australian team can be called up to be the captain of the side anytime without finding himself on no man&#8217;s land.

The Indian Premier League since its inception in the year 2008 has been a great platform for the Indian as well as overseas youngsters to showcase their talents on a big stage. Many of them have gone on to represent their national sides across formats after doing well in IPL. The tagline of the trophy also says “Where Talent Meets Opportunity” and it has truly justified itself as the league has given so many stars to the cricketing world.
But it wasn’t just limited to the young cricketers and several players have found themselves captaining the sides, which was&nbsp;a completely new thing for them. Many of the captains were not recognized leaders before the IPL but when the opportunity presented itself, the unknown talent of their leadership was on the show. The responsibility to lead a side brought out the hidden skills in them.
Here are 5 such players who were not known for international captaincies&nbsp;yet became successful in IPL:
<h3>#1 Shane Warne</h3>
<figure id="attachment_68966" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68966" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Faiz-Fazal.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-68966" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Faiz-Fazal.jpg" alt="Faiz Fazal, Indian players" width="600" height="435" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68966" class="wp-caption-text">Shane Warne (Photo by Hamish Blair-IPL 2010/IPL via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The legendary leg-spinner was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the first edition of IPL for&nbsp;US$450,000. He was then handed over the responsibility to lead the side that did not have too many big names. The likes of Shane Watson, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, all were emerging on the scene and the side was filled with youngsters. Graeme Smith and Sohail Tanvir were the amongst the few known international players in the squad.
Warne had played mostly under the captaincy of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting for Australia. They had a system of nominating the best batsman in the side as the skipper and never really believed in naming a bowler as the captain. Warne certainly had some leadership skills and had a point to prove.
The then 39-year-old was more a mentor in the side than a captain. He guided the youngsters in the team beautifully and showed that he is an able leader who didn’t get a chance to prove himself earlier in his international career. The Australian led the Royals side to victory in its inaugural season and it was the most romantic story in the history of IPL.
Although the side didn’t make it to the playoffs in the next 3 years under his captaincy but the triumph in the first season remains as the hallmark of the league.

<h3>#2 Adam Gilchrist</h3>
<figure id="attachment_118897" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-118897" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Adam-Gilchrist.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-118897" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Adam-Gilchrist.jpg" alt="Adam Gilchrist" width="600" height="437" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-118897" class="wp-caption-text">Adam Gilchrist (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The former Australian wicket-keeper batsman was known for his destructive batting at the top. He could dismantle the opposition with his strokeplay within minutes. He played largely under the captaincy of Steve Waugh and then Ricky Ponting and very rarely got a chance to lead Australia in international cricket.
He was associated with the Deccan Chargers side in the first season of the IPL but the team had a terrible inaugural tournament as they finished last on the points table. VVS Laxman was the captain of the side in the first half but succumbed to an injury and as a result, Gilchrist was named the captain.
The second season of IPL was played in South Africa where the side turned the tables and went on to win the league. It was due to the skilled leadership of the Australian who was instrumental in winning so many matches for his side. Even in the semi-final against Delhi Daredevils, he scored a brilliant 85 off just 35 balls and took his side in the final and ultimately, they became the champions.
The Australian went on to captain the Kings XI Punjab side as well in the following years.

<h3>#3 Gautam Gambhir</h3>
<figure id="attachment_16125" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16125" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Gautam-Gambhir-in-IPL8.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-16125" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Gautam-Gambhir-in-IPL8.jpg" alt="Gautam Gambhir KKR" width="687" height="497" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16125" class="wp-caption-text">Gautam Gambhir (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The southpaw was a known captain at the domestic stage but very rarely did he get the chance to lead the Indian side due to the presence of country’s most successful leader MS Dhoni. Gambhir was with the Delhi Daredevils squad for the first three seasons and captained the side in the 2009 edition that reached the semi-final.
But the big turnaround in his IPL career arrived when he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the year 2011 for a record-breaking $2.4 million. The KKR side had three dismal outings in the first three editions but the inclusion of the left-hander took them to the playoffs for the first time that year.
Next year in 2012, they went one step closer and became the IPL champions and Gambhir was pivotal in team’s success. Once more, KKR became the champions under him in 2014 and reached the playoffs in 2016. With such an incredible record, the Delhi batsman is certainly one of the most successful captains in the history of the league.
He is still the skipper of the side and with the strength of the KKR squad, it won’t be surprising if they win a few more titles under his captaincy.

<h3>#4 Rohit Sharma</h3>
<figure id="attachment_19329" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19329" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/Rohit-Sharma-celebrates-in-Style-.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-19329" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rohit-Sharma-celebrates-in-Style-.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma MI" width="647" height="467" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-19329" class="wp-caption-text">Rohit Sharma MI. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The right-handed batsman played for Deccan Chargers in the first three seasons and was moving up the ranks as a quality batsman. He was picked by Mumbai Indians in the year 2011 and became a key batsman in the middle-order. The 2013 edition of IPL arrived and Ricky Ponting was named the skipper of the side. But after the poor performances of the team under him, he was benched midway through the season.
Mumbai made a surprise call of picking Rohit as the captain as no one knew that he could lead a side too. But the Mumbaikar inflicted a dramatic turnaround for the side that went on to become the champions later that year. To add to the success, the side won Champions League T20 as well in the same year under him. They made it to the playoffs in the next season and won the league once more in the year 2015.
Rohit’s career took a huge turn since he was made the captain of the franchise. Previously, he was a class batsman who lacked consistency but the added responsibility of captaining the side made him altogether a different batsman and he became a regular in the Indian squad as well.

<h3>#5 David Warner</h3>
<figure id="attachment_70055" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70055" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/David-Warner-7.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-70055" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-7.jpg" alt="David Warner IPL 2016" width="600" height="407" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70055" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The hard hitting Australian batsman played largely under Michael Clarke during his initial days for Australia and then under Steven Smith. He has also been associated with IPL for so long. The left-hander was first picked by Delhi Daredevils in the year 2009 and remained with the side until 2014 where he was bagged by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In 2015, he was appointed the captain of the franchise and although the side narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, he was the leading scorer of that season and won the Orange Cap. He was once more trusted with the job in 2016 and it turned out to be the right move as SRH won the league for the first time.
Warner was once again the leading run-getter for his side and the second overall. The manner in which he leads the side gives assurance to the Australian side as well. The vice-captain of Australian team can be called up to be the captain of the side anytime without finding himself on no man’s land.

The Indian Premier League since its inception in the year 2008 has been a great platform for the Indian as well as overseas youngsters to showcase their talents on a big stage. Many of them have gone on to represent their national sides across formats after doing well in IPL. The tagline of the trophy also says &#8220;Where Talent Meets Opportunity&#8221; and it has truly justified itself as the league has given so many stars to the cricketing world.
But it wasn&#8217;t just limited to the young cricketers and several players have found themselves captaining the sides, which was a completely new thing for them. Many of the captains were not recognized leaders before the IPL but when the opportunity presented itself, the unknown talent of their leadership was on the show. The responsibility to lead a side brought out the hidden skills in them.
Here are 5 such players who were not known for international captaincies yet became successful in IPL:
<h3>#1 Shane Warne</h3>
<figure id="attachment_68966" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68966" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Faiz-Fazal.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-68966" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Faiz-Fazal.jpg" alt="Faiz Fazal, Indian players" width="600" height="435" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68966" class="wp-caption-text">Shane Warne (Photo by Hamish Blair-IPL 2010/IPL via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The legendary leg-spinner was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the first edition of IPL for US$450,000. He was then handed over the responsibility to lead the side that did not have too many big names. The likes of Shane Watson, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, all were emerging on the scene and the side was filled with youngsters. Graeme Smith and Sohail Tanvir were the amongst the few known international players in the squad.
Warne had played mostly under the captaincy of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting for Australia. They had a system of nominating the best batsman in the side as the skipper and never really believed in naming a bowler as the captain. Warne certainly had some leadership skills and had a point to prove.
The then 39-year-old was more a mentor in the side than a captain. He guided the youngsters in the team beautifully and showed that he is an able leader who didn&#8217;t get a chance to prove himself earlier in his international career. The Australian led the Royals side to victory in its inaugural season and it was the most romantic story in the history of IPL.
Although the side didn&#8217;t make it to the playoffs in the next 3 years under his captaincy but the triumph in the first season remains as the hallmark of the league.

<h3>#2 Adam Gilchrist</h3>
<figure id="attachment_118897" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-118897" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/03/Adam-Gilchrist.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-118897" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Adam-Gilchrist.jpg" alt="Adam Gilchrist" width="600" height="437" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-118897" class="wp-caption-text">Adam Gilchrist (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The former Australian wicket-keeper batsman was known for his destructive batting at the top. He could dismantle the opposition with his strokeplay within minutes. He played largely under the captaincy of Steve Waugh and then Ricky Ponting and very rarely got a chance to lead Australia in international cricket.
He was associated with the Deccan Chargers side in the first season of the IPL but the team had a terrible inaugural tournament as they finished last on the points table. VVS Laxman was the captain of the side in the first half but succumbed to an injury and as a result, Gilchrist was named the captain.
The second season of IPL was played in South Africa where the side turned the tables and went on to win the league. It was due to the skilled leadership of the Australian who was instrumental in winning so many matches for his side. Even in the semi-final against Delhi Daredevils, he scored a brilliant 85 off just 35 balls and took his side in the final and ultimately, they became the champions.
The Australian went on to captain the Kings XI Punjab side as well in the following years.

<h3>#3 Gautam Gambhir</h3>
<figure id="attachment_16125" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16125" style="width: 687px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Gautam-Gambhir-in-IPL8.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-16125" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Gautam-Gambhir-in-IPL8.jpg" alt="Gautam Gambhir KKR" width="687" height="497" sizes="(max-width: 687px) 100vw, 687px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16125" class="wp-caption-text">Gautam Gambhir (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The southpaw was a known captain at the domestic stage but very rarely did he get the chance to lead the Indian side due to the presence of country&#8217;s most successful leader MS Dhoni. Gambhir was with the Delhi Daredevils squad for the first three seasons and captained the side in the 2009 edition that reached the semi-final.
But the big turnaround in his IPL career arrived when he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the year 2011 for a record-breaking $2.4 million. The KKR side had three dismal outings in the first three editions but the inclusion of the left-hander took them to the playoffs for the first time that year.
Next year in 2012, they went one step closer and became the IPL champions and Gambhir was pivotal in team&#8217;s success. Once more, KKR became the champions under him in 2014 and reached the playoffs in 2016. With such an incredible record, the Delhi batsman is certainly one of the most successful captains in the history of the league.
He is still the skipper of the side and with the strength of the KKR squad, it won&#8217;t be surprising if they win a few more titles under his captaincy.

<h3>#4 Rohit Sharma</h3>
<figure id="attachment_19329" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19329" style="width: 647px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/Rohit-Sharma-celebrates-in-Style-.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-19329" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rohit-Sharma-celebrates-in-Style-.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma MI" width="647" height="467" sizes="(max-width: 647px) 100vw, 647px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-19329" class="wp-caption-text">Rohit Sharma MI. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The right-handed batsman played for Deccan Chargers in the first three seasons and was moving up the ranks as a quality batsman. He was picked by Mumbai Indians in the year 2011 and became a key batsman in the middle-order. The 2013 edition of IPL arrived and Ricky Ponting was named the skipper of the side. But after the poor performances of the team under him, he was benched midway through the season.
Mumbai made a surprise call of picking Rohit as the captain as no one knew that he could lead a side too. But the Mumbaikar inflicted a dramatic turnaround for the side that went on to become the champions later that year. To add to the success, the side won Champions League T20 as well in the same year under him. They made it to the playoffs in the next season and won the league once more in the year 2015.
Rohit&#8217;s career took a huge turn since he was made the captain of the franchise. Previously, he was a class batsman who lacked consistency but the added responsibility of captaining the side made him altogether a different batsman and he became a regular in the Indian squad as well.

<h3>#5 David Warner</h3>
<figure id="attachment_70055" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70055" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/David-Warner-7.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-70055" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-7.jpg" alt="David Warner IPL 2016" width="600" height="407" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70055" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
The hard hitting Australian batsman played largely under Michael Clarke during his initial days for Australia and then under Steven Smith. He has also been associated with IPL for so long. The left-hander was first picked by Delhi Daredevils in the year 2009 and remained with the side until 2014 where he was bagged by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In 2015, he was appointed the captain of the franchise and although the side narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, he was the leading scorer of that season and won the Orange Cap. He was once more trusted with the job in 2016 and it turned out to be the right move as SRH won the league for the first time.
Warner was once again the leading run-getter for his side and the second overall. The manner in which he leads the side gives assurance to the Australian side as well. The vice-captain of Australian team can be called up to be the captain of the side anytime without finding himself on no man&#8217;s land.

Many of the captains were not recognized leaders before the IPL but when the opportunity presented itself, the hidden talent of their leadership was on the show

5 successful IPL captains who were not known for international captaincy before

The IPL since its inception in the year 2008 has been a great platform for the Indian as well as overseas youngsters to showcase their