Legendary Era Ends as M.S. Dhoni and Rohit Sharma Step Down from IPL Captaincy

The onset of IPL 2024 marks a significant turning point as cricket legends MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma step down from their captaincy positions at Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, respectively, just before the 17th season of the Indian Premier League. These two iconic leaders, renowned for their immense success and strategic prowess, have decided to pass on the baton of leadership. Their departure has sparked a wave of nostalgia among fans, prompting reflections on the enduring influence and monumental contributions of these cricketing legends to the sport.

The lead-up to the 17th season of the Indian Premier League has been marked by significant announcements and intense drama. Most notably, CSK with Ruturaj Gaikwad as their captain, and Mumbai Indians  with Hardik Pandya’s captaincy. Shubman Gill has taken on the captaincy of the Gujarat Titans after Hardik Pandya’s high-value transfer to Mumbai. Pat Cummins, has been acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad and appointed as their captain in March. Rishabh Pant, who was recently cleared to play, will lead the Delhi Capitals once more. Each new captain faces unique challenges and must meet expectations, adding to the excitement of this IPL season.

New emerging captains in IPL 2024

1)Ruturaj Gaikwad

MS Dhoni had been hinting at a shift in his role within CSK for a while. On March 21, CSK officially announced his resignation as captain, with 27-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad set to take over.  Gaikwad, who has participated in six ODIs and 19 T20s for India, joined CSK in 2020 and has appeared in 52 matches for the team, which has won the IPL title five times. The opening batsman had an outstanding season last year, scoring 590 runs in 16 matches at a striking rate of 147.50. Ruturaj faces a daunting task of filling Dhoni’s shoes, especially considering the challenges CSK faced the last time someone replaced Dhoni as captain. Ruturaj will need to demonstrate both his batting prowess and leadership skills, leading a team comprising seasoned players with significantly more experience in the game.

2) Hardik Pandya

The recent buzz on the internet was revolving around Hardik Pandya taking over as captain of the Mumbai Indians, a highly successful IPL team with five championship victories. The shift of leadership from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya at Mumbai Indians is the most significant change in IPL franchise leadership since Sourav Ganguly’s departure from Kolkata Knight Riders in 2010. Hardik’s unexpected return to Mumbai Indians and subsequent appointment as captain garnered mixed reactions from the team’s fans.

The news of this leadership transition is being closely monitored, to the extent that even Pandya’s interaction and hug with his senior teammate during team practice garnered attention. Leading a team filled with star players like Mumbai Indians will be a significant challenge for Hardik in IPL 2024. Hardik Pandya’s successful partnership with Ashish Nehra at Gujarat Titans makes it interesting to see how he collaborates with Mark Boucher, who is expected to be as hands-on as Nehra, as the head coach of Mumbai Indians. The upcoming season presents an intriguing scenario regarding how the team dynamics will unfold at Mumbai Indians.

3)  Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill’s promotion to captaincy could be the breakthrough opportunity for the 24-year-old aggressive batsman. Renowned New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson has expressed confidence in Shubman Gill’s ability to excel as the captain of Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2024 season. Williamson praised Gill as a strategic thinker in cricket, emphasizing his potential for success. Gill, who has been appointed captain for the first time in his career, inherits this significant role after Hardik Pandya’s departure from the franchise that won the IPL title in 2022.

Shubhman has participated in 91 IPL matches since 2018, maintaining an impressive average of 37.7 runs per game. Gill’s standout performance was during the previous IPL season with the Gujarat Titans, where he amassed 890 runs with a strike rate of 157.80, earning him the prestigious Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the season.Shubman Gill is poised to become one of the youngest captains in IPL history.The spotlight will be on Shubhman on 24th March  as  he leads Gujarat Titans against Mumbai Indians, the clash between Gill and Hardik Pandya will be interesting.

4) Pat Cummins

Cummins assumes a crucial responsibility for the Sunrisers as their captain for the 2024 T20 league, taking over from Aiden Markram following the team’s failure to reach the IPL playoffs in the previous season. It is noteworthy that Cummins lacks experience in T20 captaincy, having only led teams in ODIs and Test cricket, where he has achieved success.

Cummins has participated in 42 IPL matches, accumulating 379 runs at an average of 18.95 and a strike rate of 152.21, including three half-centuries. He has also taken 45 wickets with an economy rate of 8.54. Initially with the Knight Riders before joining the Sunrisers, Cummins’ move reflects the Sunrisers’ ambition to secure their second IPL title, achieved last under David Warner’s leadership in 2016.

5) Rishabh Pant 

Although Rishabh Pant is not a newcomer to leading Delhi Capitals, his return to captaincy comes after a 14-month break due to a severe car accident and subsequent recovery. Pant, a key player for Delhi since 2016, holds a remarkable record with 2,838 runs in 98 matches at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of over 147.

He has also scored one century and 15 half-centuries, highlighting his batting skills.Delhi Capitals officially welcomed him back to the team in early March but only confirmed his captaincy three days before the commencement of IPL 2024. All eyes, both in India and globally, will be on Pant’s performance and leadership abilities during the tournament. On March 23, Delhi Capitals will kick off their IPL 2024 campaign against Punjab Kings in Mohali. 

For more details you can refer this telegraph article.