Captains who stepped down in middle of an IPL season

In a surprising turn of events in IPL 2024, there has been a change in captaincy mid-season. Such changes are not uncommon in the IPL, highlighting how crucial leadership is in the intense atmosphere of the tournament. These things have already happened in history.

Here are the name captains who stepped down in the middle of an IPL season;

2021: David Warner – Kane Williamson

David Warner was a standout performer during his time with the Hyderabad-based franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). As the captain, he clinched three orange caps and led SRH to victory in the IPL 2016, scoring a remarkable 848 runs. Warner’s dedication earned him the title of a true servant of the Orange Army.

However, in IPL 2021, SRH’s performance fell below expectations, with only one win in their first seven matches. This led to tensions between Warner and the SRH management, resulting in Kane Williamson being appointed as the new captain.

Despite the change in leadership, SRH’s fortunes didn’t improve, and they finished at the bottom of the table by the end of the season. Despite not being retained by SRH for the 2022 IPL season, Warner continued to show his support for the franchise from the stands, demonstrating his deep affection for the team. He was subsequently bought by Delhi Capitals for the 2022 IPL season.

2020: Dinesh Karthik – Eoin Morgan

Dinesh Karthik, known as one of the most successful wicketkeeper-batters in IPL history, joined Kolkata Knight Riders during the 2018 mega auction. With KKR in need of a captain, they turned to Karthik’s experience and leadership. He led the team from 2018 to 2020.

In the middle of IPL 2020, although KKR had won four of their first seven games, Karthik’s performance with the bat was lacking. Consequently, he chose to step down as captain. With Eoin Morgan, a World Cup-winning captain, in their squad, KKR appointed him as the new captain.

During IPL 2020, KKR’s performance was neither exceptional nor poor, finishing in fifth place with seven wins in 14 league matches. However, Morgan’s captaincy made a significant impact in the following season. Despite a slow start, KKR reached the finals, ultimately losing to Chennai Super Kings.

2018: Gautam Gambhir – Shreyas Iyer

Gautam Gambhir, KKR’s most successful captain with two trophies, decided to end his IPL journey with Delhi Daredevils ( then Delhi Capitals) before the 2018 IPL mega auction. As soon as he rejoined Delhi, he was appointed captain, which was a big boost for the team. However, despite Gambhir’s experience, Delhi struggled at the start, winning only one game out of their first six.

Consequently, Gambhir stepped down as captain. Shreyas Iyer, a young Indian batsman, took over the reins mid-season and led the team decently. Under Iyer’s captaincy, Delhi won four out of their next eight games, but couldn’t make it to the playoffs. Iyer continued as captain for two more seasons until he got injured before IPL 2021, leading to Rishabh Pant being named the new captain. In IPL 2022, Iyer was bought by KKR in the mega auction and appointed as their new skipper.

2013: Ricky Ponting – Rohit Sharma

In the 2013 IPL season, Ricky Ponting began as the captain of Mumbai Indians (MI). However, the team faced difficulties, losing four of their first five games. Seeing the struggle, Ponting chose to step down as captain, and MI appointed Rohit Sharma as the new skipper.

Rohit’s leadership brought a significant change to the team’s performance, ultimately leading them to clinch the trophy. This season also marked the last IPL for Sachin Tendulkar, and MI dedicated their win to the cricket legend. Rohit’s captaincy marked the start of a remarkable journey for MI. Under his leadership, they went on to win four more IPL titles, making Rohit the most successful captain in IPL history.

2012: Daniel Vettori – Virat Kohli

Despite starting each IPL season as favorites, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have yet to secure a title in their 14 seasons of participation. Despite reaching the final three times, including in 2011 under the leadership of Daniel Vettori, they have been unable to clinch the trophy. In the following season, RCB struggled, winning only two of their first five games.

In a bold move, young Indian batsman Virat Kohli was appointed captain midway through the season, despite still proving himself on the international stage. Though the team had mixed results under his leadership, finishing fifth on the points table, Kohli was subsequently appointed full-time captain in 2013. Over the next eight years, his captaincy had its ups and downs. The team’s breakthrough came in 2016, when they reached the IPL final for the third time.

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2009: Kevin Pietersen – Anil Kumble

In 2008, Rahul Dravid led the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. But after just one season, he decided to step down as captain. RCB then bought Kevin Pietersen for INR 1.55 million before the 2009 IPL season and made him captain right away. However, things didn’t go well for RCB under Pietersen’s leadership, losing four out of the first five games.

The team owner, Vijay Mallya, became impatient and replaced Pietersen as captain. Anil Kumble, the Indian leg-spinning expert, took over as captain. Under his leadership, RCB performed exceptionally, winning eight out of the next 10 matches and making it to the finals. Unfortunately, they lost to the Deccan Chargers in the final match.