IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why a foreign player might lead Ahmedabad
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of IPL 2022 would be the addition of two new teams, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. While the eight old franchises have already announced their retentions for next season, the two new teams are soon expected to pick three players from the auction pool directly into their squad.
With the introduction of two new teams, the big question is - who will lead them? While KL Rahul is almost certain to be signed by the Lucknow franchise as their skipper, Ahmedabad still seem to be on the hunt.
Not just the two new teams, but older franchises like RCB and KKR will also be on the lookout for captaincy options from the auction pool.
Reasons why Ahmedabad might be led by an overseas captain in IPL 2022
Speaking of the auction pool, franchisees have about seven options to choose from for the captaincy role. Interestingly, four of the seven options - Steve Smith, Faf Du Plessis, David Warner and Eoin Morgan - are overseas stars.
The only Indians who are potential captaincy options are KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Shikhar Dhawan. If speculations are to be believed, KL Rahul will be signed by the Lucknow-based franchise. Shikhar Dhawan being on the wrong side of age only leaves Shreyas Iyer as the Indian captain option.
However, considering that David Warner and Steve Smith are also up for grabs, the Ahmedabad-based team are likely to opt for a foreign skipper.
Having said that, we take a look at three potential reasons why the Ahmedabad franchise might go with an overseas skipper for IPL 2022.
#1 Ahmedabad will likely look for players with ample captaincy experience
Amongst the seven odd captaincy options available in the auction pool, the only players with ample captaincy experience are David Warner, Eoin Morgan and Steve Smith.
The Indians in the pool, namely Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, are extremely capable cricketers but they lack the experience of leading an international side on the big stage.
Given that Ahmedabad will build their team from scratch, they might prefer opting for an experienced campaigner to lead the pack. While David Warner seems the most likely option, Steve Smith and Eoin Morgan could be strong candidates as well.
#2 Ahmedabad will be on the hunt for individual match-winners to lead the team
The last few seasons have shown us how competitive the IPL can get, with the play-offs berth often undecided until the very end. With two new teams added, the 2022 season is sure to be even more thrilling than before.
This highlights the need of big-match players in the team's XI. While youngsters can succumb under pressure, the experienced leaders are trusted to take their teams home.
Keeping such situations in mind, Ahmedabad will look to sign an experienced match-winner who can also lead the team. So David Warner could be their prime captaincy candidate.
#3 Ahmedabad may prefer signing someone who can mentor the team in the future
Since the IPL 2022 mega auction is likely going to be the last mega auction for a long time, teams will be looking to invest in young talents. And while investing in the future is important, teams will also look to draft in some proven match-winners and leaders into the side to lead the way.
Players like David Warner, Steve Smith, Eoin Morgan and Faf Du Plessis are experienced campaigners and have been around for a long time. Having played with a variety of players in different leagues across the world, they will be able candidates to take the team forward as mentors even after they retire from the game.