Both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have won the IPL trophy 5 times each. But the question is Who is the Godfather (Baap) of IPL?
Among the all-time best cricket captains is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The Indian national cricket team has won multiple international titles under his direction, including the Champions Trophy (2013), the T20 International Cup (2007), and the ICC Cricket World Cup (2011). From 2008 to 2023, MS Dhoni participated in 11 IPL finals as well. As the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, MSD has won five times and advanced to the final a record ten times.
Conversely, Rohit Sharma has been the captain of the Mumbai Indians IPL team since 2013 and currently leads the Indian team. Since 2013, he has led MI to five IPL victories. He participated in the 2009 IPL Final and also played for the Deccan Chargers (currently known as Sunrisers Hyderabad).
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Who’s the Baap of the IPL?
The superior captainship between MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma is a topic of frequent fan debate. Given that MSD captained the Indian team for ten years and won numerous titles, there is no comparison between the two on the international front. But Dhoni and Sharma have both had incredible success in the Indian Premier League.
The most renowned IPL rivalry is between MI and CSK, both of which have five championship victories between them. Mumbai has never lost a final match under Rohit’s captaincy to date, while CSK has participated in ten finals, all of which were captained by M.S. Dhoni.
Rohit Sharma vs. MS Dhoni: Win Percentage and Total Games Played as Captain
Dhoni captained the Chennai Super Kings from 2008 to 2023, during which he helped the team win 133 out of 226 matches. Here, his winning percentage is 58.84
And on the other hand, Rohit Sharma captained Mumbai Indians from 2013 to 2023 and there he made Mumbai win 87 out of 158 matches and also made the team the IPL winner 5 times, His winning percentage is 55.06
Although they have both won the IPL five times, MSD has qualified for the playoffs more times as captain and has played and won more games than the other player. MI is now notorious for its unpredictable performance. They frequently begin the championship race at the bottom of the points standings and rise swiftly to the top.
Crucial matches won by these captains:
M.S. DHONI
54* vs Kings XI Punjab
In his early IPL career, MS Dhoni most likely played one of his best innings during this one. To get his team over the finish line in the crucial match against the Kumar Sangakkara-led Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings), the captain of CSK played a captain’s knock, smashing 54 runs off just 29 balls.
CSK had an unforgettable knock in Dharamshala thanks to Dhoni’s undefeated knock.
The renowned captain smashed two massive sixes off Irfan Pathan in only four deliveries to finish the chase with 16 needed off the final over.
70 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011
At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Chennai Super Kings faced the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Expectations from Dhoni’s team were high as usual, but the CSK batters gave up when the going got tough.
At 22/4, with the three-time champions in serious trouble, Dhoni came out to bat and somehow got things back under control for his side. He scored 70 runs off 40 balls, smashing three boundaries and six sixes.
Dhoni’s effort was futile, though, as Kohli’s team won by 8 wickets.
51 vs Mumbai Indians in 2013
While batting first, Chennai lost its 5 wickets for 66 runs, while Dhoni played an innings of 51 runs in just 26 balls, took the team to a good score, and also made the team win.
Rohit Sharma
109* vs Kolkata Knight Riders
In 2012, while playing against Kolkata, Rohit Sharma scored the first century of his IPL career. In that match, he hits 12 fours and 5 sixes. And Mumbai won easily.
50 vs Chennai Super Kings
This inning was played in the IPL 2015 final. Rohit came out to bat first on behalf of Mumbai. In this inning, Mumbai’s score reached 200+, and Mumbai also won their second IPL title.
62 vs Rising Pune Supergiants
In this match, Rohit came in at number 4 and played this explosive inning, scoring 62 runs in just 32 balls. MI set Pune a target of 184. Mumbai won this match by 41 runs.
Conclusion
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma are both outstanding IPL captains with distinct leadership styles and achievements. Dhoni boasts a higher win percentage and more playoff appearances, demonstrating his ability to consistently guide his team to the latter stages. Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, has an unbeaten record in IPL finals, showcasing his strategic prowess in high-pressure situations.
Ultimately, determining the “better” captain depends on how you weigh these factors, along with the teams they captained and the eras they played in. Both have cemented their places among the IPL’s most successful captains.
By incorporating these suggestions, you can create a more objective and informative comparison of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma’s IPL captaincy.