One captaincy blunder of each captain in IPL 2020

5) Steve Smith – Constant chopping and changing of playing XI

Two Man of the Match performances from Ben Stokes has helped the Rajasthan Royals find their second wind in the tournament. It seems that the team has found their mojo back after a series of losses halfway through the tournament. However, they might have lost a game too many, as now they have to play a virtual knockout tie against Kolkata Knight Riders. Even then, they will need some other results to go in their favor to have a bite at the playoffs.

Luckily for Rajasthan, they are peaking at the right time as they have dominated the proceedings in their last two outings. Moreover, it looks like the Royals have finally got their playing combinations right, which wasn’t the case at the start of the tournament. There is no doubt that every team needs a good amount of time to get their playing XI sorted. And for that, a skipper has to try out different combinations. But Steve Smith has taken that concept too seriously.

He has made wholesale changes throughout the season. In particular, whenever the Rajasthan team lost a game, he has come up with a new combination in the following game. He has changed his playing XI as many as eight times in 13 games. It is never a good sign for the team as it puts extra pressure on the players to perform. Also, it shows a captain’s lack of trust in his players, and eventually, it affects the morale of the side. Having the experience of captaining an international side, Smith should have known that constant chopping and changing of a team is not the right way to lead the side.