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Since the start of the IPL in 2008, India have had about a dozen different captains, most of them led India for only on a temporary basis and in a few matches, while only three – MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma – have captained India full-time.
What happens most of the time is that youngsters and upcoming risers get to captain their IPL franchise first and that serves as an audition for the national selectors to look them as a future India captain. However, interestingly, there are 3 players who were named India captains even before they had led their IPL franchise.
Here are 3 players who became India captain even before leading in the IPL:
Ruturaj Gaikwad – Asian Games 2023
CSK and Maharashtra batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad has out of nowhere been named the India captain for the Asian Games 2023 that will be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou from September 20 to October 8.
Since the likes of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya and the rest of the ODI squad members, will be preparing and taking part in the World Cup 2023, starting October 5, at the same time as the Asian Games in China, the BCCI has picked a second-string squad for the continental event, where Gaikwad will captain India.
Gaikwad had not yet led CSK, but maybe the selectors are impressed by his captaincy in domestic matches for Maharashtra and named him the captain of India for Asian Games 2023.
Jasprit Bumrah – Edgbaston Test vs England in 2022
Last year, Jasprit Bumrah became the first-ever proper fast bowler to captain India in Test cricket when he led the side in the Edgbaston Test against England.
It was the fifth and final rescheduled Test from the 2021 Test series in England. India didn’t have the services of Rohit Sharma (due to covid) and KL Rahul (groin injury) in that match while Rishabh Pant was the other alternative. The selectors gave Bumrah the command of the team given his shrewd brain that’s impressed everyone with his steep rise in recent years. India lost the Test match as Bairstow and Root gunned down a sizeable chase.
Bumrah is yet to lead Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Ajinkya Rahane – India vs Zimbabwe in 2015
Many might not remember this, but Ajinkya Rahane captained India in the 2015 ODI tour of Zimbabwe when MS Dhoni was rested and a second-string unit was sent. Rahane had played well in the 2015 WC before this tour, and the selectors, impressed with Rahane’s cool and composed temperament, decided to have him lead the youngsters and fringe players. India blanked Zimbabwe 3-0 in the ODI series under Rahane. The following T20I series was drawn 1-1.
Rahane captained in the IPL for the first time in 2017, when he led the Rising Pune Supergiant in the absence of Steven Smith, as an interim skipper. In 2018, he was back with Rajasthan Royals and was named their new captain.
Rahane has also led India in 6 Test matches, taking the side to 4 wins, including the famous Test series win in Australia on the 2020/21 tour, and 2 matches were drawn. Under Rahane, India haven’t lost a single Test match.
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