Who is the most successful captain in this season of Indian Premier League after MS Dhoni?
The answer to this question depends on the criteria, that which captain has made the most significant amount of contribution in his team’s success. Which captain steps up when the team is in difficult situation and leads from the front?
Now what’s interesting is the fact that the player who fits the above criteria is the one who has played the IPL under MS Dhoni for the longest period. Ravichandran Ashwin, the captain of Kings Xl Punjab, fits the bill perfectly.
Let us have a look at Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals match played on Tuesday as an example. Rajasthan needed 183 runs to win. They were at 97/1 in 11.3 overs. Ravi Ashwin was bowling the over. He bowled Sanju Samson out and then returned in the 16th over to send Rahul Tripathi back.
It was Ashwin’s antics with ball that set up Punjab’s victory. He dismissed two set batsmen. With the win on Tuesday, Punjab moved to the fourth spot on the points table.
It is worth noting that on Tuesday, Ashwin also contributed with the bat where he blasted 17 off just 4 deliveries. The cameo included 2 sixes and a boundary. He was also adjudged as the Man of the Match for his performance in the match.
Ashwin is also the sixth highest wicket-taker this season, with 11 wickets against his name. Punjab have won 5 matches this season.
For Ashwin, the season began with a controversy. After the match with Rajasthan on 25 March, many people questioned the spirit with which Ashwin played the game.
For the uninformed, Ashwin ‘Mankaded’ Jos Buttler to dismiss him.
If the batsman is out of the crease before the ball is delivered and the bowler removes the bails, then the dismissal is known as ‘Mankading’.
The cricket fraternity was divided on the whole incident. Some supported Ashwin’s decision while the others called it against the ‘Spirit of the Game’.
Before Tuesday’s match, there were lot of talk about the kind of atmosphere the teams would share during the return fixture. But Ashwin, with his performance, both with the ball and the bat, has proved that he has long forgotten about the incident and has completely moved on.
Learnt Captaincy Under Dhoni
Till 2015, Ashwin was one of the key player’s in MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and had watched him captain the side pretty closely.
In 2016-17 saw Chennai Super Kings get banned for a period of two years. Ashwin had joined Rising Pune Supergiants for the next two years before being leading Kings Xl Punjab from last season.
With a below average 2018 season behind him, where the Punjab side won six out of the 14 encounters, Ashwin will look to make a strong statement in this season’s IPL and may be lead Kings XI Punjab to their inaugural title.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)