The Indian Premier League (IPL) returns for its 17th season with Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 22.
The first-leg of the tournament, running till April 7, is spread across 10 cities. The remaining schedule is yet to be announced by the BCCI.
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Before the cricketing festival kicks off, Sportstar looks at the 10 captains who will be leading their teams in this season:
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Five-time winner Chennai Super Kings will be led by the legendary MS Dhoni, who is likely to be playing his last IPL. Under Dhoni, CSK went on to win the IPL in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023, equalling Mumbai Indians for winning the most number of titles. The defending champion will look to roll out another successful campaign under one of India’s most celebrated and successful captains.
Delhi Capitals (DC)
David Warner is expected to continue as the captain of Delhi. There is uncertainty over Rishabh Pant’s playing time and role in the team despite Sourav Ganguly confirming the wicketkeeper-batter will make a comeback after his knee surgery following a car accident in 2022. Warner, led Sunrisers Hyderabad to a title in 2016 and started his IPL journey in 2009 with the Capitals, then Delhi Daredevils. In a career spanning 176 matches, Warner has scored 6397 runs with four centuries and 61 half-centuries.
Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant and David Warner celebrate their team’s win against Punjab Kings in 2022. | Photo Credit: Sportzpics for IPL
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Shreyas Iyer will look to put his recent omission from the BCCI annual contracts behind him and lead the Kolkata outfit to success this season. Shreyas was acquired by KKR for a whopping 12.25 crores in the 2022 IPL auction. Having played 101 matches, he is yet to score a century but has 19 fifties to his name and will look to make a statement for the purple and gold brigade this season.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
The Lucknow captain, K.L. Rahul, is currently at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), having returned from London after an injury rehab. He is expected to return to full fitness in time for the start of this edition. Rahul missed a significant portion of the last season too after suffering a quadriceps injury during the tournament. Rahul has over 4000 IPL runs and holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batter (132*).
Gujarat Titans (GT)
The 2022 IPL champion will be led by the charismatic Shubman Gill, who was named captain after a trade deal saw Hardik Pandya move to Mumbai Indians. The Ashish Nehra-coached side is just two seasons old but has got a title and a runner-up finish under its belt. Gill will look to continue the team’s successful run. Once a Kolkata Knight Riders player, Gill has played 91 matches and has got three centuries in the IPL.
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Mumbai Indians will see a change in guard as Hardik Pandya, its blockbuster recruit before the auction, will take over the reins from Rohit Sharma. The change in leadership for the five-time champion drew mixed responses. Pandya was with the Mumbai Indians before moving to Gujarat Titans, where he led the side to two IPL finals and a title. He will be back at the Narendra Modi Stadium for Mumbai’s opener against Gujarat Titans.
Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma at the toss during an IPL match in 2023. | Photo Credit: Sportzpics for IPL
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Shikhar Dhawan will be leading the Punjab Kings and he is a player with immense experience. With 217 matches under his belt, Dhawan is the second-highest run-getter in IPL with 6,617 runs; he has two centuries and 50 half-centuries.
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Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Sanju Samson will continue leading the Royals, who are yet to get their hands on the title since its win in 2008 under Shane Warne. Samson and his side were within reach of the title in 2022 before they went down to Gujarat Titans.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will lead the side again in 2024. After Virat Kohli relinquished his captaincy duties after 2021, Faf was chosen as the leader by the franchise who was bought for Rs 7 Crore in the auction. With 130 matches, Du Plessis has scored 33 half-centuries with a highest score of 96.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Australia’s World Cup-winning skipper, Pat Cummins, will be leading the Orange Army. Cummins was purchased by the Sunrisers for a whopping Rs 20.50 crore in the IPL auction. Aiden Markram led the side last year when it finished bottom of the table. Daniel Vettori was roped in as the new coach and with Cummins as skipper, the 2016 champion will hope to add a second title.
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