Mumbai Indians players (Pic credit: IPL)
NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians created a unique piece of IPL history on Thursday when Jasprit Bumrah walked out as captain for the toss against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala.With regular skipper Hardik Pandya sidelined by back spasms and stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav unavailable for personal reasons, Bumrah led MI for the first time in his IPL career – making him the first team in tournament history to be led by three Indian players in the same season. MIs are making the list of rare captains – but they are making historyOnly five teams have had three captains in a single IPL season, but Mumbai’s 2026 campaign stands apart. Previous cases included MI in 2008 with Harbhajan Singh, Shaun Pollock and Sachin Tendulkar, as well as teams like Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings.But this is the first time that all three captains in one IPL season of a team have been Indians – Hardik, Suryakumar and Bumrah.The stats reflect the unusual turbulence of Mumbai’s campaign, where injuries and absences have forced many changes in management despite the first team remaining largely intact.
Teams led by three captains in an IPL season
- MI in 2008 (Harbhajan Singh, Shaun Pollock, Sachin Tendulkar)
- PWI in 2013 (Angelo Matthews, Ross Taylor, Aaron Finch)
- SRH in 2021 (David Warner, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey)
- PBKS in 2024 (Shikhar Dhawan, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma)
- MI in 2026 (Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah)
Bumrah’s long wait is overBumrah’s captaincy debut also came after a remarkable wait. Temper played 156 IPL matches before leading the team for the first time, making him the second most experienced player to debut as captain in the league.Only Ravindra Jadeja waited longer and took charge after 200 IPL appearances. Bumrah now overtakes names like Manish Pandey, Axar Patel and Kieron Pollard on this list.At the toss, Bumrah joked, “I didn’t think I would be a Test captain before I became the MI captain.”The line summed up the moment. In a season that has seen little success for MI, Bumrah’s debut has added an unexpected chapter to IPL history – even as the five-time champions battle to salvage pride from a difficult campaign.
Most matches in the IPL before leading the side
- 200 – Ravindra Jadeja
- 156 – Jasprit Bumrah
- 153 – Manish Pandey
- 148 – Axar Patel
- 137 – Kieron Pollard
- 126 – Suryakumar Yadav
