In the grand theatre of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where every match simmers with high-stakes drama and pulsates with the passion of millions of fans, the role of a captain transcends mere leadership; it becomes the catalyst upon which a team’s fortunes pivot.
At a stage where victory is the only currency of consequence, a captain serves as both a strategist and a talisman, orchestrating the delicate balance between individual brilliance and collective cohesion. Yet, amidst their ceaseless pursuit of success, a sword of scrutiny hangs precariously over their heads, considering a lousy season might yield a demotion, if not a complete exile from the franchise for the subsequent edition.
As IPL 2024 nears its climax, speculation is expected to swirl around the fate of particular leaders. Here at Crictoday, we asses three possible captains who might lose their high-profile jobs after the conclusion of IPL 2024.
Captains Likely To Be Sacked After IPL 2024:
1. Shikhar Dhawan – Punjab Kings
Dashing opener Shikhar Dhawan will likely be stripped from his captaincy role of the Punjab Kings franchise ahead of the next IPL auction later this year. While the limited-overs legend was chosen for the job before IPL 2023, the cricketer has yet to justify his seniority in the team as a leader.
Under Dhawan’s captaincy, Punjab Kings secured just four wins from 11 IPL 2023 fixtures, with interim skipper Sam Curran leading the franchise in the remaining three games in the absence of the former. Their lackluster returns ensured that Punjab Kings finished at number eight on the 10-team IPL 2023 points table, finding themselves just above Delhi Capitals and wooden-spooners Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Meanwhile, in IPL 2024, Shikhar Dhawan helmed the Punjab Kings group with just two wins in its first five matches before an untimely injury prompted him to hand over the leadership reigns once again to Sam Curran. Considering the history of the Punjab Kings franchise and their penchant for scuffling captains over the sight of trivial inconveniences, Dhawan’s exit from captaincy sometime this year may not be as surprising as it seems.
2. Hardik Pandya – Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians franchise left no stone unturned in acquiring Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2022 winning skipper Hardik Pandya for the 2024 edition of the tournament. Moreover, the five-time winners also confirmed that the all-rounder will be replacing their decade-long decorated skipper Rohit Sharma at the helm.
While the news drew in much criticism from all corners of the Mumbai Indians fandom, constant jeering and booing became even louder when IPL 2024 kicked off in March. Pandya’s troubles with the crowd took a fresh new turn with every defeat, as a legion of passionate Mumbai Indians and Rohit Sharma fans demanded the reinstatement of their favorite cricketer.
On the cricketing front, Mumbai Indians registered three wins from its first eleven fixtures as they continue to languish at the bottom of the IPL 2024 points table. Considering Hardik Pandya’s struggles to extract the desired results from the group, the franchise might well cave in to fan pressure by sacking him from leadership for next year’s IPL 2025.
However, Pandya will likely remain an integral part of the group as a player, considering his all-round potency and history with the franchise. After all, the legendary cricketer was part of Mumbai Indians’ IPL-winning squadron on four occasions before finding a temporary stay at Gujarat Titans.
3. Faf du Plessis – Royal Challengers Bengaluru
South African legend Faf du Plessis found a new home at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for IPL 2022 after his three title triumphs for CSK. Acquiring the cricketer for more than three times his base price at the auction, the RCB think-tank also elected him as the new captain of the franchise following the stepping down of Virat Kohli and the retirement of AB de Villiers.
Faf du Plessis’ leadership stint launched on a steady note, as he helped RCB attain the third spot on the IPL 2022 points table before they slumped to successive defeats in the Eliminator and the second Qualifier. Moreover, the South African batter also finished as the highest run-scorer for his team, minting 468 of them at an average of over 31.
Fresh from his newfound success as RCB captain, Faf, however, failed to replicate his leadership artistry the following season, considering his troops crashed to a dreary sixth spot on the points table.
RCB’s fortunes seem to have dwindled further in IPL 2024, considering they find themselves at the seventh of the 10-team ladder during the second half of the tournament. After leading RCB to a clinical win over Punjab Kings early on, his team coped with six defeats in a row as they stared towards another early exit from the playoffs race.
With two failed seasons in successive years, RCB will likely sack Faf du Plessis as captain for IPL 2025 next year.