IPL 2018: Who has been the best captain so far?
The Indian Premier League 2018 season has reached the midway mark and with certain teams delivering consistent performances, others have been on and off the road. The captain of each franchise has played an important role in guiding the team besides some of them playing match winning roles. A captain is as good as the team. Here we rate the performances of eight captains.
Kane Williamson (SRH) - 9/10
Six wins from eight games have seen Williamson become a revelation both as a leader and a batsman. He took over the role as the interim skipper on a positive note and has filled in the shoes of Warner perfectly. What's more staggering is that he has bagged 322 runs, the most by a Sunrisers player. Nobody is missing Warner, it seems.
MS Dhoni (CSK) - 9/10
On par with Williamson here. MSD has been the best IPL skipper over the years for Chennai and he has bettered the record. This season, Dhoni has been in a different dimension. 286 runs in eight innings with a career-best strike-rate in IPL, Dhoni has been the perfect finisher. His team is drawing confidence from him and they sit atop the table.
R Ashwin (KXIP) - 8/10
Given that it is his first time as a captain in the IPL, Ashwin has been good to watch. His experience is being brought into play here and the tricks he learnt from Dhoni and Virat Kohli through the years are helping him. A calm customer, Ashwin has handled his bowlers well. Third-placed KXIP look dangerous and credit should be given to their leader.
Dinesh Karthik (KKR) - 7/10
Four wins and four losses see KKR fourth in the table. Are they good enough for a play-off place? Skipper DK needs his side to notch the consistency level. DK has contributed in the middle-order and has been a supportive skipper given the team. However, his decision making at the death bowling has been baffling at times. He will hope to grow wiser.
Rohit Sharma (MI) 6/10
This IPL hasn't gone well for the Hitman. Rohit Sharma's lack of consistency has hurt his side's chances. The MI bowlers have done well, but their batsmen have let them down time and time again. Two wins and six losses say it all for the holders. Many of these defeats have come in the last over and it hasn't helped MI.
Virat Kohli (RCB) - 6/10
Although the Indian skipper has been in top form with the bat and on the field, his team has let him down. 349 runs to his name, Kohli has been leading from the front, but it's the weak bowling and fielding that has been the reason of their inconsistency this season. His decision regarding Playing XI and bowlers at the death has been questionable.
Ajinkya Rahane (RR) - 4/10
Rahane hasn't been able to extract the best out of his team. Rahane's RR are on sixth spot in the table and given the resources his side possesses, it has been quite on the low side. He hasn't been ruthless enough with tweaking the side. Rahane has managed 225 runs for his team and needs to step up quickly.
Shreyas Iyer has just received the nod
The young batsman has just gotten the nod as skipper after Gautam Gambhir's decision to step down. Therefore is is too early for us to give him a rating. A promising player with runs under his belt, Iyer is a good prospect.
