Which players have won IPL title in their first season as captain?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a platform for many cricketers to showcase their skills and leadership abilities. Among the numerous captains who have led their teams to victory, a select few have achieved the remarkable feat of winning the IPL title in their very first season as captain. In this blog post, we will take a look at the four players who have accomplished this impressive feat, including the latest addition to this elite group, Rajat Patidar of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Shane Warne – The inaugural IPL champion
The first player to achieve this distinction was the late Shane Warne, who captained the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. Warne, a legendary leg-spinner, led his team to a thrilling victory over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final, which was played at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This was a remarkable achievement, considering that Warne was a relatively new captain and was still getting accustomed to the demands of T20 cricket.
Rohit Sharma – The Mumbai Indians’ champion
The next player to follow in Warne’s footsteps was Rohit Sharma, who captained the Mumbai Indians (MI) to the IPL title in 2013. Sharma, a skilled batsman and occasional off-spinner, had taken over the reins of the team after Harbhajan Singh’s departure. Under his leadership, MI won the title by defeating the Chennai Super Kings in the final, which was played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Hardik Pandya – The Gujarat Titans’ champion
In 2022, Hardik Pandya became the third player to win the IPL title in his first season as captain, leading the Gujarat Titans (GT) to a historic victory in their debut season. Pandya, a dynamic all-rounder, was appointed captain of GT after the franchise was established ahead of the 2022 season. Under his leadership, GT won the title by defeating the Rajasthan Royals in the final, which was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Rajat Patidar – The latest addition to the list
The most recent addition to this esteemed group is Rajat Patidar, who captained the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to the IPL title in their first season under his leadership. Patidar, a talented top-order batsman, took over the reins of the team after Faf du Plessis’s departure. Under his leadership, RCB won the title by defeating the Gujarat Titans in the final, which was played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Conclusion
Winning an IPL title is a significant achievement in itself, but doing so in the first season as captain is a testament to a player’s exceptional leadership abilities and tactical acumen. These four players – Shane Warne, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Rajat Patidar – have etched their names in the history books by achieving this remarkable feat. As the IPL continues to evolve and new teams emerge, it will be interesting to see which players will join this elite group in the future.
News Source:
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/4-players-won-ipl-first-season-captain-ft-rajat-patidar
