With the addition of two new teams, Lucknow and Ahmedabad, the Indian Premier League (IPL) will expand to ten teams for the 2022 season. While the existing eight IPL clubs have already disclosed their list of retained players ahead of the major auction scheduled for before the start of the new season, Lucknow and Ahmedabad have been given the option of selecting three players from the pool of non-retained players.
Both the Ahmedabad and Lucknow franchises will be on the lookout for captaincy candidates who can be selected before the mega auction and used to build their teams.
Several elite Indian and international players have been released by their franchises, with the potential to head the two new IPL clubs in the future. Not only the two new teams, but several others, will be looking for a new captain ahead of the new season. Players like KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, among others, will be on the radar.
Here are five possible captaincy prospects for the two new IPL teams:
KL Rahul
After leaving Punjab Kings, KL Rahul is one of the favourites to take over as captain of the Lucknow IPL team. He is reportedly in talks with the franchise. Rahul has reportedly been offered a huge deal to join the Lucknow squad ahead of the new season worth Rs 20 crore (INR 200 million).
Rahul captained Punjab for two seasons in 2020 and 2021 and was one of the top Indian batters in the IPL in recent years. While Rahul was steady with the bat in both seasons, he was unable to lead his team to the playoffs. Nonetheless, he has been one of the league’s finest batters in recent years and is a strong captaincy candidate for both new teams.
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer, another Indian player with IPL captaincy experience, will also be on the radar of the two new teams for the captaincy post. After leading the Delhi Capitals for two and a half seasons, Iyer moved in quest of a leadership position. Iyer was an outstanding captain and helped DC reach their first final in 2020.
His clout in the IPL has increased over time, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he was hired as a new skipper by one of the league’s teams. Iyer has a lot of experience in the IPL, having participated in 87 games. He has 2375 runs under his belt, with an average of more than 31.
David Warner
David Warner, one of the top overseas batters in the league over the years, was released by his former team Sunrisers Hyderabad following a dispute during the IPL 2021 season. Warner was relieved of his captaincy midway through the IPL 2021, and SRH dropped him from the starting XI. He will be a strong captaincy contender for both the new teams and some other franchises, as he is the only captain to have guided SRH to an IPL title in 2016.
Warner has been a regular performer as a hitter in the IPL, despite his extensive captaincy experience. With 5449 runs in 150 games at a staggering average of over 41, he is first among overseas batters in league history and fifth overall.
Steve Smith
Steve Smith has not had tremendous seasons in the IPL in recent years, but he remains a seasoned leader who, given his experience and pedigree, is capable of taking up the captaincy role for a quality IPL team. Smith has previously led the Rising Pune Supergiant and Rajasthan Royals.
In the 2017 season, he led Rising Pune Supergiant to their first final, where they were narrowly defeated by Mumbai Indians by one run.
Smith has been a member of the IPL since 2012, and the former Australia captain is capable of leading any squad. In 103 IPL appearances, he has scored 2485 runs at an average of over 34.
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes only played one game for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2021 after injuring his finger in the season’s first game before flying home. Stokes, one of the best all-rounders in the world right now, has been released by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the blockbuster auction, and he might spark a bidding war at the table.
Read More
With his background and expertise, he is also an excellent candidate for the captaincy. Stokes is an important player for England in all formats, and he has excelled as an all-rounder. In 43 IPL games, he has 920 runs and 28 wickets to his name.
