The 2022 IPL has seen quite a few ups and downs, changes in fortunes and some smart captaincy. Not only that, the season gone by has really upset the apple cart, wherein powerhouses like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings were not in the running for the playoffs from quite early itself.
The season also tested the likes of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, first time skippers in the tournament. Both had vastly different fortunes this season.
All the captains, mind you, had quite a bit on their plate this season, especially because the mega-auction meant that the squads underwent a major overhaul and things would have to worked out on a clean slate.
We take a look at how the captains fared in IPL 2022
Hardik Pandya
Coming into the tournament with many a question mark around him, Hardik, to put it very simply, aced all the papers with flying colours. As a player, he delivered with the bat, ball and fielded well, while as a leader he was assured and not afraid to try a few things.
From the get-go he enjoyed the added responsibility, and took charge by moving himself up to the crucial number 4 spot on the batting order. Normally more on the aggressive side, Hardik, was calm more often than not on the field, marshalling his resources perfectly through the season.
The results from the effort was there for all to see, every role assigned was fulfilled with great panache, as Gujarat finished the league stage as table toppers, before eventually winning the tournament.
Hardik the captain has been absolute revelation this season, and India may just have added another happy headache.
Sanju Samson
Clarity in thought and approach was a theme for the Rajasthan Royals, and it started right from the skipper, Sanju Samson, down to every member of the group. Not alien to the role, Samson was calm as ever as he called the shots through the season. A lot of decisions by the Royals left people surprised, like the retired out of Ashwin and then promoting him up the order too, but the clarity in the idea was clear whenever Samson spoke about it after.
The Royals’ skipper also spoke at length about his role and delivered on that quite well. Among the highlights for Samson and RR this season would be how the bowling attack worked brilliantly, helped by the fact that they had a lot of experience too.
Like Hardik, could we see Sanju Samson lead the Indian team?
KL Rahul
One of the most talked about cricketers in India, KL Rahul is quite familiar with the pressures of captaincy, and new franchise Lucknow Super Giants placed their faith in him. However, at the end of the season, Rahul, one among the leadership group for Team India, may feel that he could have done better in the IPL.
While the Lucknow was bowling generally in good health, the shuffling of the batting order and his intent to bat deep every time were among the things raised concerns among experts and former players. If those small chinks were ironed out, maybe Lucknow would have finished off a few close contests and progressed to the playoffs.
Rishabh Pant
Expected to play a big role in Delhi Capitals’ success, Pant had a good season as captain even though the team did not make the top 4. Plagued with injuries, COVID-19 and the absence of the overseas players initially, DC had to really work hard to get those points on the table.
The lack of a balance due to a variety of reasons made things far more difficult for Pant, who though kept his calm for most of the tournament, save one incident regarding a no-ball. That would have been a learning experience for the young man, who’s ability to read the situation and do the needful from behind the stumps is quite impressive. That Kuldeep, who had a terrible time at KKR, was doing better with DC speaks volumes off Pant’s ability as a captain.
Shreyas Iyer
Possibly the most under-the-scanner skipper in IPL 2022, Shreyas Iyer’s big price tag also added a fair amount of pressure on him. Shreyas, who had previously, led Delhi quite successfully, wasn’t going to have it easy this time round.
At KKR, Shreyas though was a far cry from his previous self, as the side looked listless at times, needing someone like Andre Russell or Sunil Narine to save the day. Some not so brave calls in the season also did not help Shreyas, who saw his own form dip as well. All in all, a terrible season for Shreyas Iyer, who will likely hit the drawing board again.
Rohit Sharma
One of the most decorated captains in the tournament, Rohit and Mumbai Indians knew they’d have quite a difficult task this season, given the kind of changes that had happened in the team. The Mumbai Indians finished bottom of the table, not something they’re used to but Rohit was calm and assured in his approach.
Even though the big guns weren’t firing, Rohit stuck to his guns and backed his players, giving some newcomers a good run, which resulted in finding someone like Tilak Varma. One bad season doesn’t take away from Rohit’s ability as a leader, and while MI have not been able to plug some gaps from last season, expect them to come back stronger, with the skipper not changing his ways next season either.
Ravindra Jadeja
There was a lot of buzz about how he’d do after being handed captaincy for CSK. However, Jadeja’s fortunes weren’t very good and his decision making wasn’t clear either. The inexperience as captain showed as MS Dhoni had to step in a few times.
Jadeja’s lack of finality meant there was less clarity in planning for CSK, which eventually resulted in the captaincy being taken away from the all-rounder. After 8 games, MSD was back at the helm as CSK had an uphill task.
MS Dhoni
As has been the case over the years, MS Dhoni’s ways of functioning did not change. Calm and assured, MS seemed to know exactly what to do when and why. Once he took over from Jadeja, CSK’s outlook changed and they seemed like a team with enough bite to hurt opponents.
The batting and the bowling got their act together and as did the fielding, as MS and co did their best to finish the season on a high.
Kane Williamson
Well known to be one of the calmest people in the game, Kane Williamson had a season he’d like to forget very quickly. SRH, who began a new journey without David Warner, had the Kiwi leading the side but weren’t able to pick up momentum in the season.
What didn’t help was Williamson’s refusal to bat lower down the order or the dropping of Marco Jansen raised a lot of questions. Williamson’s form with the bat too wasn’t the best, and that coupled with the overall lack of bite didn’t help the team. Without Warner, did Williamson have too much to do by himself? Maybe he did, but one thing’s for sure, the Kiwi is too experienced to let one season get to him. Expect him and the franchise to work things out and come back stronger next season.
Mayank Agarwal
The Punjab Kings side looked quite strong when they clicked and it seemed that Mayank had most things under control. Mayank was always going to be the one to lead the Punjab side and was compassionate and assured in his ways. Odean Smith will remember his captain fondly after Rahul Tewatia’s knockout punch.
However, Mayank’s form dipped during the course of the season and it was hard for him to recover from there on in. Punjab too lost the early momentum and the wheels started coming off. Mayank for his part, did what he could with the resources, but a dip in form and sometimes luck not going his side’s way meant that Punjab didn’t have the best season and imploded, again.
Faf du Plessis
It was unusual to see Faf in the colours of the Royal Challengers Bangalore who were also not being led by Virat Kohli for the first time after many seasons. The South African, an experienced customer, though took charge quite well and guided his side through a few difficult phases.
An out of touch Kohli also didn’t help matters for Faf, who also saw some of his big hitters fail to produce at the big moments. However, RCB and Faf pretty much always found someone to stand up and make themselves count.
Come next season, expect a stronger and more robust unit, as the experienced Faf will likely ensure roles and plans are better chalked out. Will Faf eventually drop Kohli as well?
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