IPL: Teams that changed their captain during tournament

Captaining is one of the most difficult tasks in cricket. A skipper is entrusted to bring the best out of the team and inspire his side to victory. In tournaments like the Indian Premier League(IPL), a role of a captain becomes even more significant as one decision can prove to be all the difference in a fickle T20 format. Understanding the importance of a good captain, each IPL franchise tries to put the best candidate at the helm. However, at times it has been seen that the player to enter the competition as the designated captain has been relieved from the role during the season. The reason for the change in leadership has been either the captain's poor showing or his injury. Here are IPL teams that changed their captain during the tournament 8. Deccan Chargers Deccan Chargers assembled a power-packed squad for the inaugural edition of the lucrative T20 tournament, They appointed VVS Laxman as the leader of the troops. However, the legendary cricketer was not able to shepherd his team to consecutive wins and Chargers lost five of their first six games. Ahead of the seventh game, Laxman sustained an injury to his right wrist and was ruled out of the rest of the tournament. So, the team management decided to put Adam Gilchrist at the helm. The change in leadership did not bring any change of fortune for the team as they finished the T20 extravaganza at the bottom of the table. Post a miserable season, Deccan Chargers made Gilchrist the designated captain of the side. The move reaped dividends as the Bellingen-born displayed phenomenal captaincy credentials in the second edition and marshalled his troops to glory. 7. Punjab Kings David Miller was an integral member of the Punjab side and thus, the think tank appointed him as the commander-in-chief for the 2016 season of the cash-rich league. However, Punjab had a dismal start to their campaign and managed to win just one game in six matches. It seemed captaincy took a toll on Miller and as the swashbuckling batter could only manage only 76 runs in six outings. Therefore, the team management gave the reins of the side to Murli Vijay for the remainder of the high-profile competition. Though Vijay did a great job with the bat and amassed 453 runs in 14 games, he was not able to thrive in the leadership position. As a result, the Punjab franchise languished at the bottom of the table, having won just four out of their 14 matches. 6. Delhi Capitals Gautam Gambhir was quite successful during his captaincy stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders, leading them to two title victories (in 2012 and 2014). Thus, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) signed him for the 2018 season of the lucrative T20 tournament and appointed him the captain of the side. However, Gambhir failed to create the same for the Delhi franchise as he did for KKR. Under his leadership, Delhi succumbed to five losses in six games. After a horrid start to the season, he decided to hand over the captaincy duties to Shreyas Iyer. However, Shreyas was not able to turn the tables around as the Delhi franchise could only manage five wins in 14 games and ended the 11th IPL edition as the wooden spoon holders. However, the ploy to invest in Iyer as skipper did have a positive impact as the Capitals reached the playoffs in 2019 and 2020. 5. Kolkata Knight Riders Kolkata Knight Riders were the third most successful franchise in the history of the Indian Premier League, having won the tournament in the 2012 and 2014 seasons. However, when the team decided to part ways with their two-time title-winning captain Gautam Gambhir after the 10th edition, they needed someone to take the legacy forward. In a bid to do so, the Kolkata franchise went hammer and tongs to rope in Dinesh Karthik at the 2018 mega auction and appointed him the leader of the side. The wicketkeeper-batter did a fine job in his debut season for KKR and led his team to the playoffs. However, Kolkata did not fare well in the following edition and finished fifth in the points table. Then during the 2020 season, Kolkata had a decent start to their campaign and won four of their first seven games. However, Karthik was struggling to make a mark with the bat. So, he decided to step down from the captaincy position and handed over the reins of the side to Eoin Morgan. However, Morgan was not able to inspire his side to the playoffs as KKR finished fifth in the standings. 4. Mumbai Indians Mumbai Indians acquired the services of Ricky Ponting at the IPL 2013 auction and handed him the reins of the side. Ponting was one of the finest captains to have graced the sport and had Australia to two ODI World Cup triumphs. However, Mumbai had a middling start to the season and lost three of their first six games. Moroever, the former Australian batter had a poor showing with the bat and could only score 52 runs in six outings. Given Ponting was not at the peak of his powers, he along with the team management appointed Rohit Sharma as the leader of the troops to make room for another overseas player. The ploy to hand over the captaincy to Rohit proved to be a masterstroke as he went on to lead Mumbai to glory in 2013. Also, the Nagpur-born did wonders for the franchise in the coming seasons and has guided MI to five title triumphs, making Mumbai Indians the most successful franchise in the cash-rich league. Rohit is still the skipper of the Mumbai side and would look for more feathers to his illustrious cap going ahead. 3. Chennai Super Kings From the inaugural season of the cash-rich league to the 2021 season, the reins of the Chennai Super Kings’ were in the hands of MS Dhoni. But given Dhoni's age, the team management decided to pass the torch to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the 15th IPL edition. However, Chennai’s ploy did not reap dividends as Jadeja failed to guide his side to victories. After eight games, the four-time IPL champions stood on a brink of an early exit from the competition, having won just two of eight matches. Thus, CSK decided to sack the Indian all-rounder from captaincy and re-appointed Dhoni as the skipper. However, the legendary cricketer was not able to turn his team’s fortunes and the Chennai franchise ended the season in the second-last position with four wins in the 14 matches. 2. Rajasthan Royals In the 15 completed installments of the cash-rich league, there have been two instances when Rajasthan Royals announced a change in leadership mid-way through their season. The first of the two occurred in the eighth IPL edition of the lucrative T20 tournament. Shane Watson was Rajasthan's designated captain, leading into the 2015 season. However, the former Australian cricketer missed the starting games of the season and Steve Smith filled his boots perfectly, leading the side to four consecutive victories. But when Watson returned from injury, he was not quite successful as a skipper. Thus, he put Smith at the helm and decided to focus more on his individual performances. Then during the 12th edition of the marquee event, RR removed Rahane after the Indian batter managed to shepherd his team to only two wins in eight games. Smith was appointed the new commander-in-chief of the team. However, it did not change Rajasthan’s fate as they ended the competition in the second last position. 1. Sunrisers Hyderabad Sunrisers Hyderabad made their IPL debut in 2013. Since then, they have had turmoil in their camp on numerous occasions. In their first season when Kumar Sangakarra stepped down from the captaincy amid the season, Cameron White was put at the helm. He did not disappoint and guided SRH to the knockouts. Again during the 2014 season, Hyderabad relieved Shikhar Dhawan from the leadership duties as the southpaw failed to thrive in the role and appointed Darren Sammy as the new skipper of the side in the second half of the tournament. However, it was unable to inspire his side to the playoffs. Then during the 14th edition of the T20 carnival, the Hyderabad franchise sacked David Warner from the captaincy role when SRH capitulated to five defeats in six matches. Kane Williamson was entrusted to drive the chariot of the team but the Kiwi batter was unable to bring the best out of the team and Sunrisers were the wooden spoon holders of the tournament.

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IPL: Teams that changed their captain during tournament

At times IPL franchises have resorted to a change in leadership during the season.

3. Chennai Super Kings

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