Halfway through the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, amidst the surge in the number of coronavirus cases inside the bio-secure bubbles, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had to suspend the IPL 2021. Several COVID-19 cases were reported inside the bubbles at the beginning of the fourth week of the IPL.
However, this IPL noted so many unprecedented events like Aaron Finch going unsold during the auction, David Warner losing his captaincy reign in the midway of the tournament.
It is envisioned that a mega auction will happen before the commencement of the 15th edition of the IPL in 2022. According to reports, two new teams will be added to the IPL, making the franchise-based league a 10-team affair. If it happens, the teams will scout for new captains.
In this article, we will talk about five players who can become captains in the IPL 2022:
Aaron Finch
Finch, the skipper of Australia in the limited-over formats went unsold in the IPL 2021 auction after a dry stint in the previous season. Finch has established himself as a brilliant captain for Australia over the years. His former franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore, released him before the 2021 auction.
The experienced opener has two of the three highest T20I individual scores under his belt. A new team may trade him and give him the responsibilities for the 2022 season. The right-handed batter averages 38.45 in the format.
Steve Smith
Steve Smith is one of the finest batters in the modern-day and age across the formats. Smith also captain Australia in Test cricket. He was sacked from captaincy after the sandpaper gate that took place in 2017 in South Africa.
Smith has also captained the Rising Pune Supergiants and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. In 2021, he was released by the Royals after he failed to lead them from the front. Smith could not fire with the bat as well. He was roped in by the Delhi Capitals, where he was just average. Though Smith does not hold any flamboyant IPL record, his experience may allure the franchises to serve him the captaincy hat.
David Warner
One of the brilliant record holders in the T20I and IPL, David Warner, has been SunRisers Hyderabad’s stalwart since 2014. He was made the skipper in 2016. The side had flared under his leadership; and lifted their solitary and maiden cup in 2016. SRH have not failed to pave their way to the playoffs since 2016. The dynamics did not change when Kane Williamson swished the baton in 2018 and 2019. The team became the runners-up in 2018.
But things were patchy in the IPL 2021. SRH won one out of seven games in the first half of the postponed season. After a few games, SRH handed over the captaincy to Kane Williamson sacking David Warner, but the equation remained constant with a porous middle-order.
It is anticipated that Warner may not be a part of the franchise in 2022. If new teams join the fray, possibilities are high that he will be bought by any of them and regain his captaincy.
Harshal Patel
Harshal is currently wearing the purple cap, and he is the blockbuster discovery in the IPL 2021. After warming the bench for quite a few years, Harshal, 30, set the pitch ablaze with the ball. The Gujarati-born bowler captained Haryana in domestic cricket.
If the mega auction sees the introduction of two new teams, Patel might be on the hot-pick list for the franchises if his current franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore, release him. Not only with the ball but also with his captaincy expertise, he can establish a new team.
Jason Holder
The Barbados-born cricketer became West Indies’ youngest captain when he was asked to fill in Dwayne Bravo’s shoes at the age of 23. Holder, now 29, holds experiences as a captain of an international side. Playing for SunRisers Hyderabad, Holder has not gained much limelight as his selection is highly variable.
While SRH have enjoyed the luxury of having three captain minds in their team. However, the franchise will probably release him if the Mega Auction kicks off in 2022. Any new franchise would like to attain Holder’s expertise. Holder will not only raise the bar with his all-rounder performance but also lead a team with grace.
Also Read: IPL 2021: Mid-Season Team Of The Tournament