IPL 2021: Ranking all eight captains till the league stage

Well, finally the IPL 2021 has now almost reached its mainstream affair. For the playoff spots, the three best teams (RCB, DC & CSK) have already sealed the qualification deals but for the fourth spot, there’s still a little bit of ambiguity.

However, regardless of the qualifications scenarios, the second leg has also undoubtedly been a strenuous affair for all the IPL captains. Since the conditions have been very enigmatic, even the shrewdest of minds have sometimes failed to exhibit the best to be offered. In fact, for the bottom-line teams, captaincy has been not less than any ordeal precisely also because of the nagging NRR scenario. Hence with the league-stage games now almost coming to an end, let’s see the-

Rankings of all eight captains by end of the league stage

8. Kane Williamson (SRH)

Well, unfortunately for the SRH franchise the 2021 IPL season has been wreaking havoc. The team’s two main pillars (David Warner & Bhuvneshwar Kumar) have massively underperformed and even skipper Kane Williamson’s prowess has been in despair. Perhaps the young guns like Priyam Garg, Abhishek Sharma, and Abdul Samad have also largely malfunctioned especially at a time when the opportunities were in abundance.

However, with regards to Williamson’s captaincy, only the infusion of Jason Roy seems to be the righteous decision that has helped the franchise. Barring him, nothing else has adequately shaped including the chances given to the youngsters. Some have even argued the position at which the in-form Jason Holder has batted, merely because of the all-rounder being the only glowing light coming from the SRH’s dark tunnel.

Also, since the conditions have been spin-friendly, maybe Nabi’s inclusion somehow could have added an extra dimension in both SRH’s bowling and batting departments. Overall, though the Kiwi skipper has valiantly commanded the side, the mediocre performances have resulted in torment for the fans. All in all, sadly after the five consecutive playoffs appearances since IPL

2016, the orange army will end the 2021 season with a rearmost placement in the points table.

7. KL Rahul (PBKS)

Well, personally for KL Rahul, yet again an IPL season has brimmed him with runs and sixes. Since the 2018 season, Rahul has been the team’s highest runs-scorer wherein each year the runs have been stacked an average of 50 plus. However, as a captain, sadly again the leadership has massively fuddled Rahul to perform some serious blunders.

Perhaps in the first game itself against RR, the captain and the management should have vouched for Chris Gayle in place of Aiden Markram, as the Jamaican by no means would have crawled the run chase till the last over. Even the omission of the 21-year old Ravi Bishnoi wasn’t an ideal way to start the second leg especially considering his past performances in the 2020 season. Also, since the middle-order of PBKS has regularly not performed, the likes of Shahrukh Khan would have drastically strengthened their overall batting in the early matches.

Barring the above issues, maybe the skipper also provided a very elongated rope to Nicholas Pooran as the southpaw has only averaged around 7 in the 2021 season. Overall, fortunately for PBKS, the emergence of young Indian players like Arshdeep, Ravi Bishnoi, and Harpreet Brar has been a comforting prospect in the entire season.

6. Sanju Samson (RR)

For the RR franchise, the entire IPL 2021 season has been full of roadblocks and uncertainty. Their main English artillery was missing from the UAE leg. Even some of their frontline Indian players who had exhibited some flashes of brilliance in the past turned out as topsy turvy. Barring the skipper’s own batting form and the bowling department, the other entities of the team were highly inconsistent.

Perhaps with regards to Samson’s overall captaincy, the individual and his team have exhibited a lot of character and valiance. Specifically in their first game against PBKS, despite being very average with their bowling and fielding, the team eventually did hold their nerve till the last ball. Also, precisely in that game, the bowling changes at the death were very impressive by the captain. Even the infusion of young Mahipal Lomror has turned out to be one of the positive aspects of the season.

Further, the skipper has also very wisely used his two premier left-arm pacers (Mustafizur & Chetan Sakariya) but in their last game against MI, the infusion of Kuldip Yadav eventually created a superfluity of left-arm spearheads. Overall, though the wicket-keeper batter has taken a big leap forward in his leadership skills, sadly it hasn’t been enough to bag a qualification ticket.

5. Rohit Sharma (MI)

Undoubtedly for the blue army, the entire IPL 2021 season has been very unpleasant. The fireworks coming from the bats of Pollard, Kishan, and Hardik Pandya have been very limited especially at the death which is highly unusual. Probably in the gap of every two games, skipper Rohit Sharma and the MI think tank has also made some regular amendments in their playing XI,  which is again very unusual compared to the last season.

However, though the entire ride for Rohit Sharma has been very souring, the captain has also missed a few tricks at the crunch moments. Now precisely during the CSK game in the second leg, maybe an additional over of Bumrah in the first 10 overs could have further ceased CSK’s batting to a very subservient total.

Even in a recent close encounter against DC at Sharjah, the skipper could have been more precise with his fielding placements especially when Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer were stealing the singles. Further, some have even questioned his current batting approach, as even though playing attacking cricket hasn’t helped Hitman to produce impactful scores.

Perhaps with also regards to the second overseas seamer, maybe the management could have initially begun with Coulter-Nile’s variation and pace rather than Adam Milne’s express speed. Overall, though MI eventually is reputedly known to defend any scores, unfortunately, the side has been very slippery during such endeavours.

4. Eoin Morgan (KKR)

For KKR, the captaincy of Eoin Morgan in the first half was nothing short of a debacle. The franchise had only won two games out of seven in the first leg and was probably eluded from qualifying by many. However, with the skipper being well renowned to turn up the fortunes, the purple army now has won five games out of the seven in the second leg.

Now with regards to such a prolific reversion, Captain Morgan neither didn’t compromise on playing attacking cricket nor has made any big changes to the squad. A few strong calls like the infusion of Venkatesh Iyer and Rahul Tripathi at the top have given colossal yields to KKR precisely at the power play stages. Even the skillful use of veteran Sunil Narine both as a striking bowler as well as a tonking middle-order batter has immensely helped the franchise to land in winning positions.

In fact, regardless of Andre Russell’s absence, the KKR’s batting still looks well oiled and intact. Further, the extra backing and bolstering given to the youngsters like Shubman Gill have eventually now twirled them into some robust form. Overall, by now ticking many boxes as a skipper in the second leg, possibly Morgan can also soar the team into the playoffs.

3. Virat Kohli (RCB)

Well, after many years and many seasons, the RCB team has finally soared for the playoffs well before the deadline that too very comfortably. In fact, for the first time ever since IPL 2011, the red army has bagged the playoffs ticket in their first 12 games. Now, this is predominantly because of a very big masterstroke that skipper Kohli had substantiated off the field.

Yes, the bagging of Glenn Maxwell as per captain Kohli’s desire has completely revitalized the RCB side. So far the Aussie all-rounder has singlehandedly helped the red army to simply bag six wins out of seven games at the sluggish venues of Chennai, Sharjah, and Dubai. In fact, his presence in the middle overs during such games has allowed him (Maxwell) to amass a profusion of 350 runs in these seven challenging wickets.

Besides Maxwell’s exuberance, the purple cap owner Harshal Patel has also been a prominent force especially at the death and in the middle passage. Though at times in the past captain Kohli has got castigated regarding his awful bowling changes, this year the story has been kept well intact by Yuzi Chahal and Harshal Patel.

Overall, even the additional backing provided to the young Mohammad Siraj has transformed the spearhead into a very good death-end pacer. All in all, by piling up the right bricks, undoubtedly King Kohli has constructed a mega superstructure that can win their maiden IPL glory.

2. Rishabh Pant (DC)

For Rishabh Pant, his first captaincy endeavour in the IPL has been a blissful affair. The wicket-keeper batter has apparently dwelled the franchise into the topmost position, fortunately picking themselves from where they had left in the first leg. Though it was also speculated that Shreyas Iyer might return as a captain in the second leg, it looks like the management now is very satisfied with what Pant has offered so far.

Now as a young and courageous captain, Pant has barely put a foot wrong especially with regards to the team selection. Since the franchise possesses a very versatile squad, the skipper has extensively used many players as per the varying conditions. In fact, precisely in the second leg, Pant has flexibly used the services of Avesh Khan, especially to hound wickets both at the death and in the power play overs.

Even in the batting order, using Shemron Hetmyer as a finisher has worked well for DC as the southpaw now is tonking the ball at a strike rate of 180 plus. Overall, in totality, the DC captain has barely left any stone unturned to helm the franchise at the number one position.

1. MS Dhoni (CSK)

Well, for CSK fans the normal services had already resumed especially when the franchise had performed impressively in the first leg. By learning from their past mistakes, the side had brimmed itself with a plethora of all-rounders that in many ways has allowed CSK to tackle any of the offered conditions. Perhaps with skipper Dhoni also possessing the wittiest brains in the business, barely the yellow army now looks incompetent for bagging their fourth title.

Now as a captain with plenty to choose from, MSD as usual has kept things very simple and straightforward. In the bowling department, as habitually the likes of Deepak Chahar have been fully utilized alongside Josh Hazlewood whose also emerged as a formidable scalper. The tall Australian has also shown his prowess at the death as well in the middle passage of the play.

Further, the skipper also shrewdly used Shardul Thakur’s services especially after the power play overs precisely because of his golden knack of picking wickets. In fact now with Thakur’s brilliant performances in the second leg, the pacer has overall scalped 15 wickets from his 13 games at an economy of 8.52. Even the veteran Dwayne Bravo now has immaculately bowled, as his numbers are now exhibiting 12 wickets from 8 games at an economy of almost 7.

Overall, even the batting form of Ravindra Jadeja and Ambati Rayudu has kept the middle-order in a function that too without any compromise on the strike rate. All in all, with possibly now ending at the second position, the yellow army has definitely ticked most boxes before entering the playoff stages.