- Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore – 2016) – Runner-up
Virat Kohli is the captain who leading his team from the front. IPL 2016 was memorable for Virat Kohli as a captain as well as a player. In IPL 2016, Virat won “Player of the tournament award”, “Orange Cap” and “Maximum Sixes Award” by his great batting performances. Virat scored 973 runs in 16 matches of IPL 2016 with 4 centuries and 7 half-centuries. It was the most runs scored by any batsman in an IPL season.
But as a captain, Virat Kohli was marvelous for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2016. At the middle of group stage in IPL 2016, RCB was at lower position in the points table as RCB only managed to win 2 matches out of first 7 matches. At that moment, it was very tough believe that the team would qualify for the play-off as their bowling was very weak. Despite having good batting line-up and putting big total on the board, bowlers were constantly failing to defend those total.
But never give up mind set-up Virat Kohli showed terrific captaincy in next seven matches where RCB hugely turned around the table with 6 wins and finished at second position in the points table at the end of group stage competition. The weak bowling was looking much better during second half as few times it proved as a match winner. With his destructive batting and never give up captaincy, Virat moved his team into one of favourite team in IPL 2016.
Later during play-offs, RCB won the Qualifier 1 and entered into the final of IPL 2016. RCB was favourite in the final but unfortunately lost against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). However, Virat Kohli’s captaincy earned lots of respect along with his team efforts from the cricket world which was not scratched after the IPL 2016 final defeat.