IPL-8: Indian captains have been the real stars

It is hard to look beyond Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in this edition of the Indian Premier League but, given the long format of the tournament, there is a chance for lower-placed teams to bounce back. There were doubts in the minds of many as to how India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would lead his Chennai franchise after the highs of the ICC World Cup.

Being the consummate professional that he is, the rock star of the T20 format has not only shown himself to be an in-form batsman and wicketkeeper, he has again led well from the front. CSK played their initial set of matches at home and from Day One they have settled down well as a team.

Full marks to skipper Dhoni for the way he has marshalled the resources and ensured that despite negative news emanating about the side from time to time, it has performed as a cohesive unit. The second team in the IPL which is on fire has to be defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders.

Twice champions in the IPL, with the last title triumph coming in Bangalore, Gambhir has shown he is a good leader even though he does not look as relaxed as Dhoni on the field. Captaincy in cricket is all about soaking up the pressure, enjoying the game and motivating the bunch to play at a very high level all along. There are teams which start very hot and lose fizz midway.

If you take a look at the 2014 IPL, everyone raved about how Kings XI Punjab shone and coach Sanjay Bangar was touted as the man who effected the turnaround. But then, this time the Punjab side has struggled so badly, for it to make a comeback will require a huge miracle.

Back to captaincy, Dhoni versus Gambhir is a study in contrast. Dhoni is the senior pro who has seen the highs and lows in all formats of international cricket and looks cool as a cucumber. For Gambhir, who at one point of time was Dhoni's understudy in the ODIs, the evolution as KKR skipper has been fascinating.

A few seasons ago, he minced no words when he spoke of Kolkata as "his home", prompting a few in Delhi's cricket circles to look at the southpaw with bewilderment. There is intent in what Gambhir does on the field and it's clear for someone out of the national side, he has used the chances in the IPL very smartly.

The ICC World T20 is a year away and to look at the IPL as a testing ground is not a bad idea. Compared to many Indian superstars in various IPL teams, Gambhir has caught the eye as a player and captain. So the selectors could look at this man as one who can once again serve Indian cricket.

Overall, 10 captains have been on show in this IPL as Punjab and Rajasthan have used more than one choice. So if one takes a look at the other teams wanting to stay in the top four in the IPL, the contest between Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sun-Risers Hyderabad is heating up.

In this concept of having to play cricket at a high intensity with little margin for error, Mumbai Indians, led by Rohit Sharma, and the Bangalore side, led by Virat Kohli are catching up. For Rohit, this is the third season as captain of the Mumbai outfit and results in the initial matches this season were disappointing.

The team is loaded with players who have the star tag and their coaching outfit looks like a mini army. Yet, on the field, Rohit has shaped the team's recovery partially, while the effectiveness of fast bowler Mitchell McClenagan has been captivating. In four matches that McClenagan has played till Friday, he has claimed nine wickets. And that is a big plus for Rohit, who has struggled early on as Mumbai captain.

With Kohli being the cynosure these days in whatever he does, the Bangalore side was spluttering despite batsmen like Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers in its ranks. As Team India captain in Tests and an explosive batsman in the ODI format, Kohli sensed a turnaround for his side which came through the bowling exploits of Mitchell Starc.

Starc, such a big hit in the World Cup, missed the early action for Bangalore. Kohli knows with Starc now back in form, the "men in red" can go the full distance.

So with three weeks of action still in store, watching Dhoni, Gambhir, Rohit and Kohli lead four different IPL sides will make for great viewing.