IPL: 3 Former Mumbai Indians players who have led against them

Mumbai Indians will next face Lucknow Super Giants, led by former MI star Krunal Pandya. They are also vying for a playoff position. Krunal is eager to take the initiative as one of Lucknow's primary spinners because he is familiar with the team that helped him succeed.

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Let's look at the top three former Mumbai Indians players who have captained against them in IPL history:

3. Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik (Source: Twitter)

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In 2012 and 2013, Dinesh Karthik was a crucial member of the Mumbai Indians and a consistent finisher for the team. His performance led to India's selection of him as a regular batter for the 2013 Champions Trophy. Karthik scored 748 runs for the Mumbai Indians in 33 innings at an average of 24.13 and a strike rate of nearly 120.

After Gautam Gambhir joined the Delhi Capitals, he became the skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the 2018 season. Karthik captained KKR to the playoffs in 2018 and a fifth-place finish in 2019 while serving as the team's captain for two full IPL seasons. Eoin Morgan received the captaincy from him.

2. Shikhar Dhawan

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Shikhar Dhawan (Source: Twitter)

In 2010, Shikhar Dhawan and Sachin Tendulkar made a great opening pair for the Mumbai Indians. He also participated with the team in 2009, but his best season with Mumbai came in 2010 when they advanced to the final.

The left-hander scored 231 runs for Mumbai in 14 innings at an average of 28.58 and a strike rate of 107. He was subsequently traded to the SunRisers Hyderabad, where he served as team captain in 2014. But that wasn't a particularly fruitful stint. Dhawan is the Punjab Kings' captain for the current campaign. Punjab, one of the strongest teams in the IPL, is only at 12 points after 12 games despite having one of the strongest teams.

1. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya (Source: Twitter)

The Mumbai Indians snatched up teenage phenom Hardik Pandya and gave him much support. With Mumbai, the all-arounder discovered his potential and his range. He later became one of India's top all-rounders in all three forms.

Pandya had to be released two years ago before the mega-auctions. He was acquired by the Gujarat Titans, who also appointed him captain. When Hardik guided Gujarat to their first title win in their inaugural season, he received much praise for his tactical prowess. Since then, he has led India in T20 international matches and is thought to be Rohit Sharma's long-term successor as captain of India in the shortest format.