IPL 2022: What drives Indian Premier League franchises to appoint inexperienced captains?

IPL has over the years seen the appointment of some inexperienced captains. We have a look at what drives the franchises to take such step in the lucrative tournament.

Shreyas Iyer and the KKR team in a file photo. (Courtesy: iplt20.com)
By Deepu Mohan | Apr 1, 2022 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Another exciting season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is underway with two new franchises in the mix. Just five days into the 2022 season, we already had some high-scoring matches as well as some low-scoring affairs. Like the players, or maybe a bit more than that, the strategies of captains decide the outcome of the games. We know how vital quick decisions can make a difference in cricket, especially in the shorter format. Talking about captains, this season’s IPL does have some new names in the skipper roles. Franchises used to prefer experienced campaigners to lead their side but that seems like a thing of the past. Surprise selections look like the trend nowadays and it is living up to the hype.

IPL: Surprises

Recently, we have seen this in the case of Sanju Samson when he was selected as the skipper of Rajasthan Royals, and Shreyas Iyer when he took over as the leader of Delhi Capitals. The same can be said about Mayank Agarwal, Hardik Pandya, and Rishabh Pant.

Mayank made a winning start to life as captain with Punjab Kings. He replaced KL Rahul, who was drafted in by Lucknow Super Giants in this year’s auction. He is not a big name on the international stage, not yet. But he can make a name for himself if Punjab is to achieve something this season.

Like Mayank, the hard-hitting all-rounder Hardik Pandya has made a promising start to his captaincy stint with Gujarat Titans. A good campaign with the Gujarat side can help him regain his spot with the national side.

Rishabh got the promotion as the captain of Delhi Capitals after the then captain Shreyas Iyer dislocated his shoulder and was ruled out for the rest of the IPL 2021 season. He was retained by the franchise as its captain and like Mayanka and Hardik has won the first match of this ongoing season.

READ MORE: IPL 2022 RCB vs KKR: Shreyas Iyer tactically ahead of KL Rahul as captain 

IPL: Rookie skippers

Back in 2007, MS Dhoni was named the captain of India for the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa which raised many eyebrows. But that decision proved to be a brilliant one as India won the tournament. As the saying goes, the rest is history.

So, the brewing pattern of choosing inexperienced captains might turn out to be fruitful. Recently, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant had rather successful outings as new captains.

Sanju Samson, like his batting performances, was inconsistent in his captaincy stint. Under his leadership, Rajasthan Royals have made a winning start to the season by beating SRH in an emphatic fashion. This could be their season and has the team to do it. Who knows?

IPL: What drives the franchises to make these choices?

Teams are always looking for a fresh approach. What better way to do it than to appoint a promising young lad at the helm.

Rather than an experienced name, a new captain would want to prove his competence. If that eagerness brings results, it can be rewarding for both parties.

A star player as captain can be quite unnerving for the teammates. Other players in the team can set aside their inhibitions and will feel free around a captain who is less intimidating.

Also, team management can have it their way with rookies. Things can go awry if an experienced captain and the management disagree. Sunrisers Hyderabad and David Warner can relate to this.

These could be some of the reasons why the teams tend to gamble over inexperienced captains. Some of the gambles could hit the jackpot. As they say, fortune favours the brave.





Related Post

HIGHLIGHTS

Buzzwords