The Indian Premier League has revolutionized the cricket world since its inception in 2008. Not only have fans witnessed foreign and Indian stars competing against one another, but it has also provided a platform for young players to showcase their talents and earn spots in their respective national teams. While leading an IPL team is no easy feat, as it requires captaining players from multiple nations, many have succeeded and achieved great success. Here we look at the best XI of these captains who have led an IPL team:
The Openers: Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir is an elite captain, having won two IPL crowns while leading Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals in 129 matches, registering 71 victories. Sachin Tendulkar pairs up with Gambhir for this team, as the iconic batsman steered Mumbai Indians to the final of IPL 2010 and became the first-ever player to win the Orange Cap as captain in the tournament.
The Middle Order: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, and Shane Watson
Virat Kohli, the former captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, will be batting in the middle order alongside the two most successful captains of the Indian Premier League – Rohit Sharma, who has steered the Mumbai Indians to five titles, and MS Dhoni, who has led the Chennai Super Kings to four triumphs.
Yuvraj Singh and Shane Watson will be the all-rounders in the squad, with Singh bringing his experience in spin-bowling from leading the Punjab Kings and Pune Warriors to 21 wins in 43 matches and Watson with his experience in pace-bowling from captaining the RCB and the Rajasthan Royals to 8 wins in 24 games.
The Bowlers: Shane Warne, Shaun Pollock, Harbhajan Singh, and Zaheer Khan
Harbhajan Singh, the inaugural captain of Mumbai Indians, will lead their spin attack along with the former Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne. Singh’s 20-game tenure with the team registered 10 victories, whereas Warne was the first captain to scoop the Indian Premier League trophy.
The two fast bowlers, Shaun Pollock and Zaheer Khan complete the lineup. Neither pacer had a long tenure as IPL captain, with Pollock leading MI in four matches and winning three of them, while Zaheer recorded 10 wins out of 23 matches as captain of Delhi.
The Ultimate Playing XI:
Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Shane Watson, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Shane Warne and Shaun Pollock.