The role of a captain is quite important in almost every sport. And in a team sport like cricket, it’s even more crucial.
Captains are at the forefront of decision-making to keep their team in contention for victory in almost every game. So, there’s obviously a lot of pressure on them to have a successful campaign.
But only a few can dare to take their team to the top. And some have done it in their very first season as captains in the IPL.
Here we’ll list the four players to win the IPL in their debut captaincy season.
1. Shane Warne: Rajasthan Royals (2008)
What makes a captain great? Perhaps getting the best out of every player. And that’s what Shane Warne did back in IPL 2008.
What makes it even more special is he went all the way with an underdog team. Few thought Rajasthan Royals (RR) had a chance to lift the title in the inaugural season.
But Warne’s effective leadership saw them march into the final. And there, RR overcame Chennai to claim the title.
2. Rohit Sharma: Mumbai Indians (2013)
How would you feel if the captaincy responsibility fell on your shoulders in the middle of the season? A bit tense, maybe.
Rohit Sharma perhaps felt the same back in 2013. Ricky Ponting handed over the reins halfway through the season. And who would’ve thought how good the decision would turn out to be?
Sharma changed Mumbai’s fortunes with his clever captaincy. He stopped Chennai’s juggernaut to take Mumbai to their first IPL triumph. Sharma then went on to taste success four more times.
3. Hardik Pandya: Gujarat Titans (2022)
New team. New players. Zero expectations. Not much was expected from Hardik Pandya in his debut captaincy stint with Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2022.
He teamed up with head coach Ashish Nehra. And boom. He did what many teams struggled to achieve for a lot of years.
Pandya led the Titans to their maiden title triumph with a superb all-round performance. And it all transpired at their home ground was even more special.
4. Rajat Patidar: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025)
Rajat Patidar’s rise in the RCB setup is no less than a movie. He came in as an injury replacement. Cemented his spot with stellar performances. And in a few years, he ended their trophy drought.
Patidar did what previous RCB skippers couldn’t do in 17 seasons. The pressure was obviously there. But with a perfect squad at his disposal, Patidar went the distance.
Bengaluru overcame Punjab, who were as competitive as them throughout the season. So defeating Punjab wasn’t an easy task, but RCB held their nerve.
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