Becoming a captain in IPL 2022 is likely to be an interesting scenario for the players. Assuming there would be two new team’s next season, we would also have two extra captains in the competition. The new captains would be leading two fresh teams, and that is where the excitement lies. That also brings us into the discussion as to the players who could realistically take up the responsibility.
In recent years, we have seen franchises taking up a fearless approach in appointing their captains. They are becoming inclined towards young leaders, who are likely to bring fresher ideas to the table. The likes of Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson became captains in the same way. Here are five players who could become a captain in IPL 2022.
1. Suryakumar Yadav
Mumbai Indians will have a few tough decisions to take after the end of IPL 2021. With Suryakumar Yadav having become a capped cricketer, MI may not be able to retain him. Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be preferred ahead of SKY. If the Mumbai cricketer comes to the auctions, any of the two new franchises will target to sign him. With a wealth of IPL and captaincy experience behind him, Surya will be a contender to captain that unit.
2. Ben Stokes
While Sanju Samson will be retained, Rajasthan Royals may not retain Ben Stokes for a couple of reasons. His form in IPL could go hot-and-cold and at times, he might also miss the tournament due to personal reasons. Hence, if the Englishman goes to any other franchise that needs a captain, he can be a good option. Although he is a foreigner, he contributes to both departments of the game and performs well in crunch situations. He has plenty of T20 experience, which could help him become a good leader.
3. Shubman Gill
Kolkata Knight Riders might not risk retaining Eoin Morgan ahead of next season. Morgan is not in the best of form and it is anyways not a good strategy to have a foreign skipper unless the player is of the stature of David Warner. If KKR fails to get Morgan back in the auctions, Shubman Gill will surely be the team’s captaincy contender. Hence, the youngster from Punjab could become a captain in IPL 2022 if things go his way.
4. Ravindra Jadeja
If this does happen, we would see an era ending before the event befalls. At the moment, Jaddu looks to be the only player who will be confirmedly retained by CSK for IPL 2022. If CSK retains MS Dhoni, he will also captain the squad next season. However, in the kind of form that he is in, MSD might himself restrain from getting retained by CSK. If he goes to the auctions, there is no guarantee of him coming back. Hence, Ravindra Jadeja could become CSK’s captain in IPL 2022.
5. Manish Pandey
Although he is scoring runs, the way he is attaining it is not impressing many. Nevertheless, Manish Pandey can still be a useful player in the top-order if there are hitters below him. With Sunrisers Hyderabad unlikely to retain him, we could see Manish at a different franchise. If that’s a team that does not have a captain, the Karnataka player could be in line to become the skipper. Manish possesses experience playing in IPL and has won trophies before as the captain of Karnataka. As a captain, Manish can open the innings and be a contributor for his squad.
