Indian Premier League is such a dynamic tournament that we have a few foreign players who have been IPL captains but not captained their nation so far. In the middle of all this, we have a few qualified Indians, such as Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina who have not got enough opportunities to showcase their captaincy potential in the league.
Captaincy in IPL has become different now. Earlier, franchises used to invest in leaders who had experience in the game. However, at the moment, it is more of men who can exhibit enthusiasm, be fearless and bring fresh ideas to the table. There is also the long-term incentive that teams look at. This is the reason why youngsters like Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant have become IPL captains. In the same manner, in the earlier seasons, there were a few foreign captains too. However, these players were IPL captains but not captained their nation.
1. James Hopes
James Hopes was a good T20 cricketer. He had plenty of experience playing across the globe. Being an all-rounder who could contribute equally to both the departments of the game, he was rated very highly in IPL.
However, back in IPL 2011, in the absence of Virender Sehwag, Delhi made him the captain of the squad. This was despite the presence of other experienced men in the unit. It came as a massive surprise. Hopes, though, had not had too much previous experience and struggled with the task. In the three games that he led, the team lost two encounters and failed to make it to the playoffs.
2. David Hussey
Now, we know Mike Hussey was a popular cricketer who had the ability to lead an IPL squad. He had experience leading Australia too. However, his brother David Hussey had not made a big name like Mike. He even struggled to nail down a spot in the national team for a while.
David Hussey also belongs to the list of foreigners who were IPL captains but not captained their nation. Skippering Kings XI Punjab, David was at the helm for 12 games, out of which he won and lost six each. May be, his batting form could have prompted the management to take the decision.
3. Glenn Maxwell
As much as an established T20 cricketer that Glenn Maxwell, the big-hitting all-rounder is yet to captain his country. However, he has had this responsibility in IPL. This time, too, it was Kings XI Punjab that experimented with the proposition.
Maxwell’s batting form in 2014 was exquisite and it brought him plenty of perks. While it’s still drawing him huge bucks at the auction, the captaincy was also a reward that he got. In the 14 games that he led, Maxi won and lost seven games each.
