IPL 2016: Rating the captaincy of the IPL skippers so far
The IPL season 9 is still in its early days but we have already got to see some wonderful matches, close encounters and mouth-watering clashes -- the IPL is showing once again why it is one of the most popular T20 leagues in the world right now.
Season 9 has seen some structural upheaval with two new franchises coming in to replace the now temporarily defunct CSK and RR. How are the new teams performing under two new captains?
How have the captains performed individually and when it comes to shepherding their teams? Let us take a look at the performances of the eight IPL captains so far this season.
Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knight Riders)
The Kolkata Knight Riders have started this season very well and they now sit second on the table after five games. The Kolkata outfit need to thank their skipper Gautam Gambhir, who has changed the fortunes of the side radically ever since he has taken over. Over the years, KKR have become one of the most consistent teams in the IPL.
KKR's success can be attributed to the fact that they have shown faith in their players and managed to hold on to a core group of good performers. They have a good group of Indian players who have done wonders for the franchise over the years.
And Gambhir himself needs to take much of the credit for having brought about the transition. He has worked out his stance and put in a lot of effort to be in good touch with the bat. So far, he has been one of the top run-getters in this season of the IPL.
Gambhir hates losing and he instils in the team a quiet confidence. At the same time, he is an active and aggressive captain who always stays involved on the field.
“It is still the start of the tournament, we need to keep continuing the way what we have done in the last five games, because we have realised what has happened last year, we were right at the top of the table till the 12th game, suddenly we did not qualify for the playoffs, so we have got to learn from the mistakes, hopefully the way we have started we can continue the same way, winning is a habit, it's a good habit to have," Gambhir said.
Rating: 9.5/10