(BCCI Credit)
Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant have emerged as prime contenders for captaincy roles in IPL 2025. As the league gears up for a mega auction before the upcoming season, franchises are keenly eyeing these players to lead their respective teams.
In a surprising turn ahead of IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians replaced Rohit Sharma as captain, appointing Hardik Pandya instead. This decision was met with a mixed reception, with Rohit displaying visible disappointment, hinting at a possible desire to move on from the franchise.
Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav, India’s newly minted T20I captain, and Rishabh Pant also find themselves in uncertain situations regarding their future with Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals respectively, as the mega auction looms closer.
Adding to the intrigue, Ricky Ponting recently resigned from his role as head coach of Delhi Capitals, further clouding Rishabh Pant’s tenure with the franchise.
The recent appointment of Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain has significantly boosted his standing in the cricketing world. Many franchises in the IPL are now eyeing him as a potential leader, given the preference for Indian captains in the league.
Suryakumar Yadav showcased his batting prowess in the recently concluded World Cup, amassing 199 runs, which included a notable fifty at a strike rate exceeding 150.
The future trajectories of Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul in the IPL have also become intriguing topics. Mumbai Indians, led by Pandya, finished at the bottom of the points table, raising questions about his captaincy tenure. On the other hand, Lucknow Super Giants, captained by Rahul, failed to qualify for the knockouts for the third consecutive season. Reports suggest a fallout between Rahul and LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka, hinting at the possibility of Rahul leaving the franchise next year.
As the mega auction approaches, the landscape of the tournament is set to change with numerous names emerging as potential captains across different teams. Hardik Pandya’s situation is particularly compelling: initially named captain of Mumbai Indians, he was also considered as the successor to Rohit Sharma for India’s T20I team. However, Gautam Gambhir’s decision to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as the T20I skipper shifted the dynamics, leaving Pandya without even the vice-captaincy, a role now held by Shubman Gill.
“The captain for the last 10 years was stagnant. The coaches have changed but the captain has been the same. I actually went in with some sort of thought process. The new people who come in (to the squad), I wanted to get them to (follow) my thought process because I know how IPL works and what it takes to be a successful team. It takes time to take everyone on board and make them do something which they are not used to,” Rohit said on how led Mumbai Indians over the years.
KKR clinched their third IPL title in 2024 by defeating Mumbai Indians twice during the league stage of the tournament. Their victory at the Wankhede Stadium marked their first win there since 2012. Notably, Gautam Gambhir, who played a pivotal role in Kolkata’s victorious 2014 season, continued to influence their success.
