Jasprit Bumrah's IPL Captaincy Debut: A Milestone in Cricket History
Bumrah Takes the Helm for Mumbai Indians
Jasprit Bumrah stepped into the role of captain for the Mumbai Indians (MI) during their recent match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday. Having been a part of MI since 2013, Bumrah is leading the squad in the absence of Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav. Notably, he has previously captained the Indian national team in T20I and Test formats. This marks a significant moment as he takes on the captaincy role in the IPL 13 years after his debut, joining an exclusive group of players who have led a team after participating in over 150 matches.
Several players have had to wait a considerable time before assuming captaincy roles in the IPL:
Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja holds the record for the longest wait in IPL history, having played 200 matches before making his captaincy debut in 2022, taking over from MS Dhoni. His tenure with CSK was short-lived, as he was dismissed after the team secured only 2 victories in 8 matches. Currently, he plays for the Rajasthan Royals under the leadership of Riyan Parag.
Manish Pandey
Next on the list is Manish Pandey, who ranks third. He is one of the few players to have participated in every IPL season to date. Pandey captained the Sunrisers Hyderabad for a single match in IPL 2021, which resulted in a loss against the Mumbai Indians.
Axar Patel
Axar Patel, who began his IPL journey with the Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) in 2014, made his captaincy debut for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2025. Unfortunately, his leadership did not yield success, as DC was eliminated from the season despite a promising start. The team has continued to struggle in IPL 2026, currently holding 10 points from 12 matches.
Kieron Pollard
Pollard, who joined MI prior to IPL 2010, finally took on the captaincy in 2019. Serving as MI's vice-captain, he only led the team in Rohit Sharma's absence, achieving 4 wins in 6 matches during his captaincy.
Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav played 126 matches before making his captaincy debut for MI in 2023. Although he was the vice-captain for Kolkata Knight Riders, he never had the opportunity to lead them. In 2023, he captained MI in a match where Rohit Sharma played as an Impact Player. Currently, he leads MI in the absence of Hardik Pandya and serves as the T20I captain for Team India.