Ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, to be held on December 19, all ten franchises named their lists of retained cricketers. Here are the likeliest IPL 2024 captains.

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On November 26, 2023, the deadline, all ten franchises named the cricketers they wanted to retain ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, to be held on December 19.

Subsequent cash-only trades resulted in Mumbai Indians acquiring Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans, and letting Cam Green go to Royal Challengers Bangalore.

IPL 2024 auction: Full list of captains for each team ahead of the auction

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni stays on, and will almost certainly lead Chennai in his 43rd year. If he misses the odd match, the likeliest candidate is perhaps Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been India’s captain or vice-captain in their last three T20I series.

Delhi Capitals: A gruesome accident had ruled Rishabh Pant out of the 2023 IPL. If Pant does not recover in time for the 2024 season – there is still no update – David Warner, their 2023 captain, will almost certainly lead them again.

Gujarat Titans: After trading Pandya, their captain for two seasons, to Mumbai, Gujarat appointed Shubman Gill as their new captain. Rashid Khan, Pandya’s deputy in the squad, may fulfil that role if needed.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Like Pant, Shreyas Iyer had missed the 2023 season as well, and Nitish Rana had led Kolkata. It will be interesting to see who takes on the role this time.

Lucknow Super Giants: Having recovered from the injury he had sustained during the 2023 edition, KL Rahul will be back to lead the Super Giants.

Mumbai Indians: While Rohit Sharma is still the across-format Indian captain, he has not played a T20I since the 2022 T20 World Cup. The selectors have meanwhile promoted Hardik Pandya to national vice-captain in both ODIs and T20Is, and Pandya has led India in Rohit’s absence. He will almost certainly succeed Rohit as Mumbai captain, though there is no news on when the transition will take place.

Punjab Kings: He will be 38 by the time IPL 2024 begins, but it is unlikely that Punjab will look beyond Shikhar Dhawan, though they have shown keenness in having Sam Curran as a long-term captaincy prospect.

Rajasthan Royals: He may have dropped out of the national selectors’ radars, but at Rajasthan, Sanju Samson will stay on for some time.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: At this point there is no heir to Faf du Plessis, who will be almost forty by the time the next season begins. Bangalore will need a next in line, but probably not this time.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Aiden Markram is captain of both Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20 and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

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