Skippers are crucial, especially when the match is going down to the wire.
A calm, cool skipper means a team will be less stressed collectively. A worried captain with hands on his hips means the opposite. The one waving his arms all over will over-excite his boys, causing overthrows and costing more runs.
It is early days yet but as the tournament moves into April, the pressure will build. And teams just short of wins to qualify for the semis will hit the panic buttons. That is when the real captains will be known.
There are always exceptions but this is why it makes logical sense to have Indian skippers. Last year, for instance, the Royal Challengers started slowly but picked up tremendously after Anil Kumble took over. Since only four overseas players are allowed in a XI and all arrive only days before the IPL, it’s hard for them to get to know fringe players. So the rapport is not easy to build.
Except when you have players like Shane Warne. His personality is such that he puts everybody at ease despite his superstar status and his immense faith and patience with his teammates makes them go the extra mile for him.