3 youngest skippers to win an IPL trophy
The Indian Premier League has served as a stepping stone for cricket in India. It has dependably served its objective of delighting the cricketing community since its first edition. Furthermore, it has remained faithful to its model, carving out some cricketing jewels along the way. Not only has it increased the players’ skill set, but it has also helped them build their leadership abilities.
The IPL has witnessed many players lead a team as the captain, and successfully fulfill their duties. While there were few who started their captaincy career in the IPL after a handful of experience, there were some who were not backed with any experience but showed enormous potential. Let us have a look at three skippers who led their team to a victory at a very young age-
MS Dhoni
The Chennai Super Kings’ leader, who has been in the role since the inaugural season of the IPL, led his team to their first-ever IPL championship when he was 28 years and 292 days old. Winning the first IPL title, Dhoni became the youngest skipper to win the silverware and etched his name in the history books. Since then, Dhoni has led his side to four IPL titles and two Champions League titles. Fondly known as ‘Thala’, the CSK skipper is now 41 and led the side to their fourth title in 2021.
Hardik Pandya
The Gujarat Titans skipper is the latest entrant to the list. He was named the skipper of the Gujarat-based franchise for IPL 2022 as he made his captaincy debut for the new entrants and lifted the title in the very first go at the age of 28 years and 230 days. As GT set out for their maiden IPL stint, Pandya registered his name in the history books by becoming just the second captain to lead the team in their maiden IPL outing, after Shane Warne who led Rajasthan Royals to victory in IPL’s inaugural season.
Rohit Sharma
The Mumbai Indians skipper broke MS Dhoni’s record when he led the franchise to their first-ever championship title in the year 2013 when he was just 26 years and 26 days old. It was Sharma’s second IPL title, as he had previously won the silverware while representing the Deccan Chargers in 2009. But during his first stint as a skipper, he led MI to their maiden IPL title and has followed it with four more titles since, thereby taking the tally to five. Sharma still remains to be the youngest captain to have ever lifted the IPL trophy in the 15 editions of the cash-rich event.
