Friday, 25 April 2025
Friday, 25 April 2025
With Rituraj Gaikwad ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to injury, CSK have reinstated their talismanic leader, M.S. Dhoni as the captain of the squad. The decision, confirmed by head coach Stephen Fleming, marks the third time CSK have reversed a captaincy handover.
It also underlines how central Dhoni remains to their DNA. But CSK aren’t alone.
Over the years, several franchises have made the difficult call to change captains midway through a campaign — sometimes with success, often amid chaos.
The return of Thala: CSK (2025)
Gaikwad’s elevation to CSK captaincy was seen as a long-term move — a calm, composed successor to MS Dhoni. A mid-season injury forced Gaikwad out of action, and with the playoffs looming, CSK turned back to Dhoni. The 42-year-old, who has led the side to five titles, now faces the challenge of rallying the side without their most consistent top-order batter.
Jadeja’s turbulent stint ends early: CSK (2022)
In a season meant to mark Dhoni’s farewell from captaincy, CSK appointed Ravindra Jadeja skipper for IPL 2022.
Jadeja looked out of sorts with both bat and ball, and CSK lost six of their first eight matches.
Reports suggested the burden of leadership was affecting his game. Dhoni resumed captaincy halfway through the season, and Jadeja was ruled out soon after with a rib injury.
Warner ousted amid performance and politics: SRH (2021)
David Warner’s fallout with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021 was one of the IPL’s most surprising off-field dramas.
A poor start to the season saw SRH drop Warner from captaincy after five losses in six games.
Warner reportedly clashed with team management over selection calls.
Kane Williamson was brought in as captain, but the team remained unsettled, finishing last.
Warner, once SRH’s face, left the franchise at the end of the season and barely spoke to management on his way out.
Rana leads as Iyer’s back injury rules him out: KKR 2023
KKR’s 2023 campaign was thrown into disarray before it even began, when Shreyas Iyer suffered a back injury requiring surgery. And the leadership mantle fell to Nitish Rana.
While Rana brought energy and aggression, KKR struggled for cohesion in crunch moments.
A lack of clarity in the leadership structure with new head coach Chandrakant Pandit also showed in their inconsistent performances, and KKR missed the playoffs.
Warner steps up in Pant’s absence: DC (2023)
Rishabh Pant’s horrific car crash in December 2022 ruled him out of the entire 2023 IPL season.
Delhi Capitals David Warner as their skipper. While Warner led with intent and even scored runs, DC couldn’t find balance.
Injuries to key players like Anrich Nortje and patchy form in the middle order meant they never got going. They finished 9th.
Suryakumar deputises during Rohit’s rotation MI (2023)
Mumbai Indians rotated Rohit Sharma out of the playing XI for a couple of games during IPL 2023, reportedly to manage workload.
Suryakumar Yadav led the side in his absence. Though temporary, the move sparked speculation about a potential future leadership transition.
Surya impressed tactically, and his dominant form with the bat helped MI qualify for the playoffs.
Rohit returned for the knockout stages, but chatter around his future had begun.
Zaheer Khan’s injury opens door for Karun Nair: DC (2017)
In 2017, Delhi Daredevils’ captain Zaheer Khan missed a few matches mid-season due to a hamstring injury. The captaincy fell to Karun Nair, who had scored a triple hundred in Tests but was still raw in terms of leadership.
The Daredevils failed to find rhythm and finished 6th. Nair’s stint was a reminder of how sudden captaincy shifts with a young team can be destabilise in a high-pressure league.
Anil Kumble rescues a sinking ship: RCB (2009)
After a disastrous start to IPL 2009, RCB removed Kevin Pietersen as captain mid-season when he left for England duty.
Anil Kumble, then 38, took over and instilled discipline and clarity.
RCB won six of their next eight matches and reached the final, losing narrowly to Deccan Chargers. It was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in IPL history and a masterclass in leadership from the veteran leg-spinner.
