The thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to take place in UAE from September 19. Players from world cricket take part in the league which is considered as one of the best T20 leagues in the world and one packed with endless excitement.
However, to lead a star-studded side, every team has quality captains too. Moreover, who doesn’t know about the two most successful captains of IPL – Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni – who have won four and three IPL titles respectively?
However, there are a few captains too who failed to do well as the captain in the history of the T20 league despite being a good cricketer himself.
Here are the 5 IPL captains who have the lowest win percentages (minimum 20 games):
Kumar Sangakkara – 34.04%
The former batting legend of Sri Lanka Kumar Sangakkara has the lowest win percentage by any captain in the history of the cash-rich Indian Premier League. He captained three teams – Deccan Chargers (DC), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
He led 47 matches in the league where he had 15 wins, 30 losses, and had 2 ties as well, having a win percentage of 34.04. He captained KXIP in the 2009 IPL where they finished at fifth. He later led Deccan Chargers in 2011 where they finished at the seventh place as well.
Even, they finished in the eighth place in the next season as well. Later, he led Sunrisers Hyderabad in 9 matches in the 2013 season before he was removed from the responsibility.
Mahela Jayawardene – 35%
Sri Lanka’s batting legend Mahela Jayawardene was one of the best batsmen in world cricket. He also led three teams in the history of the IPL. However, the way he used to punish the bowlers with the bat, his captaincy backfired in the history of the cash-rich league.
He had captained three teams in IPL – Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Delhi Daredevils (DD), and Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KTK). He led KXIP in 2010 and they finished last on the points table. Later, he was appointed as the captain of KTK in the next season but luck didn’t help him as the team finished at the 8th.
He even led DD as the stand-in captain in two games. In 30 games, he won only 9 games and lost 16, while one game ended in a tie as well, having a win percentage of 35%.
Ajinkya Rahane – 36%
India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has not been a part of India’s limited-overs set up now. But he has tasted the success in the Indian Premier League as a batsman but failed to do well as a captain.
He was bought by Mumbai Indians for the first three seasons before he joined Rajasthan Royals (RR). However, RR were banned for two years and he would later join Rising Pune Supergiant where he led the side in one game in the absence of MS Dhoni and Steve Smith.
RR returned in the tournament in 2018 where he was appointed captain and they finished fourth in the absence of Steve Smith due to his ball-tampering scandal. Even he led the team until midway through the 2019 season before Smith replaced him.
In the 25 games that he captained, he has recorded 9 wins and 16 losses, with a win percentage of 36. He has the third-lowest win percentage by a captain in the history of the league. Notably, Ajinkya Rahane was traded to the Delhi Capitals for the IPL 2020.
Shane Watson – 39.13%
Former Australia all-rounder and Chennai Super Kings’ one of the key players, Shane Watson has the fourth-lowest win percentage as the captain of the league.
The all-rounder became the Man of the Tournament in the inaugural edition of IPL. And, his brilliance earned him the captaincy of Rajasthan Royals (RR) for two seasons before they were banned for two years.
However, they failed to reach the playoffs in 2014 and finished at fourth place in the next season. His stunning show earned him a place in the Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and became the highest-paid player in that IPL auction – 8.4 crores.
He led the team for a few games in the absence of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the 2017 IPL but he wasn’t successful at all. In 24 games, he had 8 wins, 13 losses, 2 ties, and 1 NR which gives a win percentage of 39.13
Notably, he plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) now and wins several games with the bat for the franchise so far.
Sourav Ganguly – 40.47%
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was considered as one of the best captains in world cricket but failed to replicate that in the IPL. In 42 games he led in IPL, he registered 17 wins and 25 losses with a win percentage of 40.47%.
This has made him the captain with the fifth-worst win percentage in the history of the league as well. Ganguly was appointed the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the first edition of the IPL. Despite having a blitzy start where Brendon McCullum smashed an unbeaten 158* in the first-ever IPL game, KKR finished at the sixth.
His poor form as the skipper caused his removal as captain before the 2009 IPL edition, although he was reappointed in that position in the third IPL edition. He later captained the now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI) in 2012 IPL where they finished last with only 4 wins, and Sourav Ganguly announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after that.
