3 IPL 2023 captains who will be under pressure to deliver during the upcoming season

Modified Mar 27, 2023 15:45 IST

New Zealand v India - 3rd ODI — Can Shikhar Dhawan step up for the Punjab Kings?

During the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Hardik Pandya, in his first high-profile assignment at the helm, led the Gujarat Titans (GT) to an unprecedented title triumph.

Hardik has shown the virtues of astute leadership in the league, something the likes of MS Dhoni have repeatedly displayed over the years. At the same time, having a captain who is often at the forefront of criticism is not ideal.

A few IPL franchises have leaders who have a tough task on their hands, either due to the structure of their team or their individual form. Here are three IPL 2023 captains who will be under pressure to deliver during the upcoming season.

#3 Shikhar Dhawan

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have endured some tough times in recent years in the IPL. They have barely any playoff appearances to show for over the course of their participation in the league and have turned to Shikhar Dhawan to give them some hope of a revival.

Following Mayank Agarwal's release, Dhawan has been appointed PBKS skipper. The opening batter will not only be without an experienced head in Mayank to help him steer the ship but will also miss the services of Jonny Bairstow. The Englishman has been ruled out of IPL 2023 due to an injury.

Dhawan will be tasked with scoring the bulk of the Kings' runs, with their middle order coming under immense scrutiny in recent years. He will also need to get the most out of a bowling attack that wasn't at its best last year.

The veteran batter, who has lost his place in the Indian side across formats, will be under serious pressure to deliver on various fronts when the upcoming season commences.

#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma's IPL career hasn't yielded great returns recently. He has five trophies, more than any other captain, but has scored more than 400 runs in only one of his last six seasons in the league. His strike rate has been above 130 only once as well.

Rohit endured his worst-ever campaign as an IPL skipper the previous season. The Mumbai Indians (MI) finished dead last in the points table after commencing their run with a terrible losing streak. On an individual level, the opening batter made just 268 runs at an average of 19.14 and a strike rate of 120.18.

Rohit's task won't get any easier this year. He will be without ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was one of the only saving graces in an extremely weak bowling lineup last season.

The MI skipper will need to be at his tactical - as well as batting - best if the five-time champions are to turn their fortunes around.

#1 KL Rahul

With more than 590 runs in each of his last five IPL seasons, KL Rahul is no stranger to prolific campaigns in the league. However, his strike rate and intent have often been the subjects of heated debate.

Rahul wasn't at his absolute best at the helm of new franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2022. The opening batter notched up 616 runs but bagged a few ducks along the way. He also played a painstaking innings in LSG's Eliminator loss to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Rahul's form for Team India has also been an issue. Only the ODI format seems to be favoring him right now, that too only when he plays in the middle order.

The 30-year-old has been the talk of the town for his inexplicable performances with the bat. He seems to have all the ability in the world but not the right temperament to succeed.

LSG are one of the favorites for the IPL 2023 crown on paper, and Rahul will need to ensure that they don't underachieve for the second year running. He will also be under the pump to produce a batting season for the ages.