IPL 2022 Captains Report Card: The IPL 2022 heads into the final week of its league stage with teams still in contention to make the knockout stages. The new season coincided with the arrival of two new teams and a change in leadership at many franchises. The 10 captains had a lot on their plate this season, and while some newcomers like Hardik Pandya have thrived, others have failed to deliver on their expectations. Follow IPL 2022 live updates on Insidesport.in
Here at Insidesport, we analyse how all captains this season have fared this season in IPL 2022.
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IPL 2022 Captains Report Card: InsideSport analysis, Hardik Pandya ‘most innovative captain of IPL Season 15′, Check how DC, PBKS, RCB, SRH, MI, CSK, LSG, RR, KKR captain rates
11th – Ravindra Jadeja – Chennai Super Kings
Report card: 1/10
Taking over from the legendary MS Dhoni just days before the tournament, Ravindra Jadeja had the campaign to forget as CSK started off in the worst possible fashion. Under the all-rounder’s leadership, CSK looked a shadow of their former self, with the defending champions constantly chopping and changing, while struggling to find the right balance Jadeja’s form also dipped which prompted him to hand back the reins to Dhoni after just 8 games.
10th – Rohit Sharma – Mumbai Indians
Report card: 2/10
IPL’s most successful captain had a season to forget with both bat and the on the field as captain. The five-time champions lost their first eight games this season and were the first team to be knocked out of contention for the playoffs. Rohit’s team selection was also questionable, with 8.25 crore purchase Tim David warming the bench for most of the season while persisting with Kieron Pollard despite his dreadful form. The MI captain himself looked jaded and short of ideas, while did not take the necessary risks while his team were still mathematically in contention.
9th – Mayank Agarwal – PBKS
Report card: 3/10
Punjab Kings arguably had the best squad on paper heading into the season but the side led by Mayank Agarwal imploded and are likely to fall short of a playoff spot. Agarwal was never the first choice captain but was handed the reigns after PBKS’ failure to get someone in the auction and the move put paid to what could have been a solid season for the men from the North.
Agarwal lost his form and was again guilty of making questionable decisions, including dropping Bhanuka Rajapaksa for Jonny Bairstow earlier in the season. The PBKS captain eventually dropped himself down the order but the decision did not pay dividends as Agarwal and Punjab both struggled to get the best out of a promising team.
IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja ‘Upset and very hurt with the CSK management’,…
8th – Kane Williamson – SRH
Report Card: 4/10
Kane Williamson has the worst strike for any batsman in the IPL this season with over 100 runs. The Kiwi superstar though committed has struggled to put his best foot forward having just returned from injury.
While SRH did make it 5 successive wins, they lost the next five on the bounce to eliminate their chances of making the top 4. Williamson’s reluctance to bat lower down the order and his decision to drop Marco Jansen due to one bad game count against him in a season which showed promise for SRH.
IPL 2022 Captains Report Card: InsideSport analysis, Hardik Pandya ‘most innovative captain of IPL Season 15′, Check how DC, PBKS, RCB, SRH, MI, CSK, LSG, RR, KKR captain rates
7th – Shreyas Iyer – KKR
Report card: 4/10
Shreyas Iyer had made a name for himself with his captaincy stint in Delhi but all that reputation came crashing down at KKR. KKR have looked directionless under Iyer, often needing Andre Russell and Sunil Narine to rescue them from defeat.
While KKR have made the most changes this season, Iyer has been culpable of lazy decision making and not making brave calls. He further caused his franchise some bad PR, suggesting that CEO Venky Mysore intervenes in decision making, before offering a clarification. His personal form has also dipped in what has been a forgettable campaign for him.
6th – Faf du Plessis – RCB
Report card: 5/10
RCB have had a topsy turvy campaign so far and typically faces a final game miracle to make the playoffs. New captain Faf du Plessis has done reasonably well replacing Virat Kohli, but RCB as a whole have had to rely more on individual brilliance to get over the line.
Du Plessis himself has had a patchy form with the bat, while the struggles of Virat Kohli have been well documented. The Proteas veteran has done well enough to keep the team competitive, but RCB are still far off championship-winning form, which is the standard the franchise expects.
5th – MS Dhoni – CSK
Report card: 6/10
MS Dhoni handed over the reins to Jadeja just days before the season but had to take over once again after their dismal start to the season. The veteran did well marshall his troops and getting some wins under the belt, but CSK still fell short of making the playoffs. Dhoni did well to get the best out of inexperienced duo Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh, and unfortunately, it came a little too late for the Chennai Super Kings.
4th – Rishabh Pant – DC
Report Card: 7/10
Personal form aside, Rishabh Pant has done exceptionally well to lead Delhi Capitals to within a playoff spot heading into the final game of the season. Delhi struggled with the absence of overseas stars in the initial games and were then grappled by COVID-19 twice, forcing the enter squad into quarantine.
The resurgence of Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed and the continuous backing to Rovmann Powell paid dividends to the side, which lost a host of players to the auction. His personal form is in tatters and Pant would want to address it, but he has been exceptional as a leader this season.
IPL 2022 Captains Report Card: InsideSport analysis, Hardik Pandya ‘most innovative captain of IPL Season 15′, Check how DC, PBKS, RCB, SRH, MI, CSK, LSG, RR, KKR captain rates
3rd – Sanju Samson – RR
Report card: 8/10
Rajasthan Royals have underachieved over the years since their inaugural title win and Sanju Samson has done well to turn this side into a juggernaut this season. The Royals are second and almost certain to make the playoffs, with fate in their hands heading into the final game of the season.
While RR recruited well, Samson has led his team well, not shying away from experimenting or taking a brave decision. While he has a skilled bowling attack, the Kerala born keeper has given them the right tools to make it count with youngsters Kuldeep Sen and Yashasvi Jaiswal also making a mark. While his own personal form has been patchy, Samson has delivered on the leadership aspect with Rajasthan reaping the benefits.
IPL 2022 Playoff Race: Delhi Capitals win over PBKS spell end of…
2nd – KL Rahul – LSG
Report card: 9/10
Newcomers Lucknow Super Giants made KL Rahul the highest-paid player in the league and it is fair to say that the Indian vice-captain has delivered on the expectations. LSG have almost secured a berth in the playoffs and could be a potential top-two finish in what has been a brilliant start to their IPL journey.
As a leader, Rahul has led from the front with two centuries and is the second-highest run-getter behind Jos Buttler in the league. Rahul has been proactive with his changes and has got the best of some players including Deepak Hooda and Mohsin Khan, who have been particularly impressive.
1st – Hardik Pandya – GT
Report card: 10/10
Making his captaincy debut, Hardik Pandya surprised one and all with his fine leadership skills that saw Gujarat Titans qualify as one of the top two teams in their debut season. The injury-prone all-rounder has assumed more responsibility with the bat tempering down his aggression to squeeze out the best from his team.
Pandya has installed a fearless mindset in the camp and that can be seen in some of the ins Gujarat have claimed this season, but exudes a calmness on the field of play. While Hardik the player was the find of the IPL a few years ago, Hardik the captain has been a new revelation this season
IPL 2022 Captains Report Card: InsideSport analysis, Hardik Pandya ‘most innovative captain of IPL Season 15′, Check how DC, PBKS, RCB, SRH, MI, CSK, LSG, RR, KKR captain rates
Editors pick
