New Delhi: As the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is underway, this ongoing season, among others, has seen cricketers with limited captaincy experience taking the leadership mantle. Despite the challenges, they have displayed confidence in leading their franchises, making their journey in the ongoing tournament a bittersweet one, punctuated by tough losses.
Before the season began, many IPL franchises experienced a major shift due to the mega auction, which led to several franchises placing their hopes in captains new to the responsibility, marking a shift in team leadership.
Seventeen days of consecutive IPL action later, and with almost one-third of the league already over, the tournament has been a mixed bag for the younger captains, with some exceptions enjoying a grand start and others wading through tougher beginnings. ThePrint looks at ‘young’ skippers, who are not only relatively younger by age but some by experience as well.
Shubhman Gill, Gujarat Titans
Shubman, 25, has been a regular member of the Indian national cricket team, contributing significantly across formats. However, before being appointed as the captain of Gujarat Titans (GT), he had no proven track record in this role in the IPL. He made his captaincy debut in the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in June 2024, following India’s triumph in the ICC T20 World Cup earlier that year. Gill led India to a 4-1 win.
Gujarat Titans had a disappointing season in IPL 2024 under Gill’s captaincy, finishing eighth in the points table after two consecutive finals appearances in the previous years.
This season, however, has shown promising results for GT, who are placed first in the league standings with four wins out of the five games they’ve played so far. Gill has aimed to improve their performance, particularly in maximising the powerplay. He has scored at an average of 48.66 with an impressive strike rate of 148.97.
“Shubman has a bright future not only as a player, but also as a captain. He understands the game properly. I saw that in him very early because he plans very well and prepares for pressure situations. He manages his bowlers and fielders well,” Afghanistan and GT star spinner Rashid Khan had said last year.
Gill was appointed as the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where India emerged victorious. His vice-captaincy role has provided him with valuable experience, complementing his captaincy stint with GT.
Rajat Patidar, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Patidar, 31, has captained in 4 matches in his IPL captaincy career. He has limited international experience, having played 3 Tests and 1 One Day International (ODI) for India. His debut series came against England in February 2024, where he replaced Virat Kohli in the Test squad. However, his maiden Test series was underwhelming, with just 63 runs from six innings and a highest score of 32.
Despite his limited international appearances, Patidar has been impressive in the IPL since taking over as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain in 2025. His batting has been exceptional, scoring 161 runs in 4 matches at an average of 40.25, with his ability to tackle spin standing out. Under his leadership, RCB currently holds third place in the points table with three wins and two losses.
One of Patidar’s most notable achievements is RCB defeating Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk for the first time since 2008, marking only their second win against CSK in 17 years. While his captaincy is still in its infancy, Patidar’s batting has stolen the show and remains crucial to RCB’s campaign this season.
Patidar has a captaincy history in domestic cricket, leading Madhya Pradesh. The right hand batsman led his state team full-time in the 2024-25 season in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. Under his leadership, Madhya Pradesh reached the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final after a 13-year hiatus, ultimately going down against Mumbai in the final.
Axar Patel, Delhi Capitals
A key player at the international stage, Axar Patel is in his early days as a captain while he leads Delhi Capitals in this IPL edition. The 31-year-old all-rounder played a crucial role in India’s recent ICC victories, including the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
In the triumphant Champions Trophy final, his all-round skills were on full display as he conceded just 29 runs in 8 overs at an impressive economy rate of 3.62, and later contributed with the bat, playing a crucial cameo of 29 runs.
Despite his limited experience as captain in the IPL, Axar has led Delhi Capitals to an impressive start in the 2025 season. The team is second in the points table courtesy wins in all four matches, so far. This strong performance under Axar’s leadership has raised expectations for Delhi Capitals, who are looking to win their maiden IPL title.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chennai Super Kings
Ruturaj, 28, had a poor outing as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain in this ongoing IPL season before a hairline fracture on his elbow ruled him out for the rest of the season.
M.S. Dhoni, the CSK’s crowd favourite, will now lead the team which is the joint-most successful IPL franchise along with Mumbai Indians with five IPL titles.
Before he went out with injury, Ruturaj managed 122 runs in five matches with a sluggish average of 24.40. Batting at number three, he managed to notch two half-centuries in his five innings.
As CSK skipper, Gaikwad’s record has been mixed. Since assuming the role in IPL 2024, he has led the team in 15 matches, securing 8 wins and 7 losses. In his inaugural season as skipper, CSK finished fifth in the points table, narrowly missing the playoffs.
This season, CSK find themselves in a tight situation as it remains in the ninth position courtesy only one win (the victory over Mumbai Indians) in five matches, so far. Only Sunrisers Hyderabad is placed below CSK in the points table.
Riyan Parag, Rajasthan Royals
In a temporary leadership role, young batter Riyan Parag stepped up to captain Rajasthan Royals for their first three games of IPL 2025. This opportunity arose due to regular captain Sanju Samson’s inability to keep wickets because of an injury, limiting him to an impact player substitute role.
At 23 years and 133 days, Parag became the youngest captain in Rajasthan Royals history and the fourth-youngest in IPL history, when he led the team against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 23 March. Under Parag, the team lost the first two matches before winning the third against CSK by six runs in a last-over thriller in his hometown of Guwahati.
(Edited by Tony Rai)