5 IPL captains who were removed mid-season – What went wrong?

5 IPL captains who were removed mid-season – What went wrong? (Source: Twitter/X)

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen some great captains leading their teams to glory. Some players have even exceeded expectations after being appointed as captains of their respective teams.

Axar Patel and Rajat Patidar are captaining teams for the first time in the ’s 18th edition. While Axar is at the helm of Delhi Capitals (DC), Patidar is leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Speaking of the most successful captains in the cash-rich league, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma’s names come to mind first. Notably, Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five titles, while Mumbai Indians (MI) won as many championships under Rohit’s leadership.

However, not every captain has had a successful stint in the IPL, which remains one of the most competitive leagues in world cricket. CricTracker takes a look at five players who had to step down mid-season.

Here are the 5 players who stepped down from captaincy mid season: 5. Gautam Gambhir - Delhi Capitals Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir was not dropped but voluntarily stepped down as captain of Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) on April 25, 2018, citing the team's disappointing performances and his own struggles as a leader. Having previously led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two IPL titles, Gambhir was expected to bring similar success to Delhi. However, things didn’t go as planned.

Following his resignation, Shreyas Iyer was appointed as captain. Interestingly, in 2024, Iyer won the IPL title as KKR’s captain, with Gambhir serving as the team’s mentor.

4. Dinesh Karthik (Kolkata Knight Riders) Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik was appointed as KKR’s captain ahead of IPL 2018. He led the team to the playoffs in his first season. However, in IPL 2019, KKR finished fifth. During IPL 2020, after KKR suffered a string of losses (four and three defeats in separate spells), Karthik handed over the captaincy to Eoin Morgan.

Under Morgan’s leadership, KKR reached the IPL 2021 final for the first time in seven years, but they ultimately lost to Chennai Super Kings. Morgan later described Karthik’s decision as "logical and selfless."

3. David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) David-Warner. (Photo Source: X/Twitter)

When fans think of David Warner, one of the first things that comes to mind is his inspirational leadership of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The Australian opener captained the team for four and a half seasons and led SRH to their maiden IPL title in 2016.

However, midway through IPL 2021, Warner was removed as captain and replaced by Kane Williamson. Shortly after, he was also dropped from the playing XI.

Warner later revealed that SRH blocked him on social media after releasing him ahead of the IPL 2022 mega-auction. He also stated that he was never given a clear explanation for his removal. Despite this, Warner remains SRH’s all-time leading run-scorer, a testament to the legacy he left behind.

2. Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings) Ravindra Jadeja. (Source - Getty Images)

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) appointed Ravindra Jadeja as captain ahead of IPL 2022 after MS Dhoni stepped down. This made Jadeja only the second full-time captain in CSK’s history. However, after leading the team for eight matches, he stepped down as CSK managed just two wins and suffered six defeats.

Following the season, Jadeja deleted all CSK-related posts from his social media accounts, leading to speculation about a rift between the player and the franchise. Reports suggested that communication had broken down, and Jadeja was considering leaving CSK. However, it is believed that MS Dhoni played a key role in mending the relationship, and the Saurashtra all-rounder continued with CSK.

1. Ricky Ponting (Mumbai Indians) Ricky Ponting. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Ricky Ponting joined Mumbai Indians (MI) after being signed in the 2013 IPL player auction for $400,000. He was then appointed as MI’s captain. However, midway through the 2013 season, due to a poor run of form, he stepped down from the role.

Rohit Sharma took over as captain and led MI to their first-ever IPL title in the same season. He later guided MI to four more championships over the next seven years. In 2014, Ponting was retained in an advisory role by MI. Later that year, he was appointed as head coach, replacing John Wright. He coached MI in 2015 and 2016 before eventually stepping down.