IPL: 5 instances when captains led their teams to victory

In the game of cricket, a captain is always expected to lead his side from the front and hand his team success. In crunch situations, his role is to step up and deliver impactful results with his job. Indian Premier League (IPL) fans have witnessed numerous captaincy brilliance in 16 years of the cash-rich league.

Skippers such as MS Dhoni, David Warner, and Rohit Sharma proved their leadership skills, guiding their teams to the coveted trophy. After 16 years of the league, IPL supporters have witnessed exceptional title wins of Dhoni, Rohit, and Gautam Gambhir as skippers but it’s time to recall some swashbuckling match-winning innings from captains.

Here are five instances when captains produced match-winning innings for their teams

5. Gautam Gambhir’s 93 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2012

When Kolkata Knight Riders won their maiden IPL trophy in 2012, Gautam Gambhir made vital contributions as batter and skipper. With the bat, he ended up as the second-leading run-getter with 590 runs in 17 matches at a superb strike rate of 143.55.

Against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens, he produced the best IPL knock of his career and guided Kolkata to a convincing 47-run win. Batting first after winning the toss, Kolkata elected to bat first and Gambhir launched an onslaught as an opener.

Along with Brendon McCullum, he stitched a crucial 95 run-stand in 10.3 overs. After McCullum’s dismissal, Gambhir stood at the crease and completed his half-century in just 28 balls. The veteran went back to the pavilion in the 19th over of the game after racking up 93 off just 51. Riding on his excellent batting, KKR erected 190 runs on the board in 20 overs. Gambhir also received the Player of the Match award for his magnificent batting performance in the game.