From watching unknown captains winning the title to seeing some of the best not even qualifying for it, the decade-long Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen it all, especially when it comes to the leadership aspect of cricket. In the past, captaining an IPL side has turned out to be a daunting task for many captains for leading a bunch of players with varying cultures and expertise can take a toll on an individual.

This also speaks a lot about the character and quality of captains who went on to win IPL titles for their franchises. However, this article is not about captains. This is about successful players in the tournament who never got a chance to captain their side. These are:

5. Amit Mishra – Amit Mishra has been playing in the IPL since its inception in 2008. Second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, Mishra has played for Deccan Chargers, SunRisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Daredevils so far. In the 126 IPL matches that he has played till now, he has 134 wickets under his belt which have come at an average of 24.33, an economy rate of 7.41 and a strike rate of 19.41. Captain of his domestic state Haryana, Mishra never got the opportunity to captain an IPL side.

4. Jacques Kallis – Jacques Kallis, one of the greatest all-rounders that the game has ever witnessed, is also one of those players who was never considered for the vacancy of captaining an IPL side. From opening the batting to playing in the middle order, from bowling in the powerplay to bowling in the middle overs, from winning matches with the bat to winning matches as a coach, the former South African captain has been there done that in the IPL, barring aside walking out for the toss as the captain of the team.

3. Lasith Malinga – For someone who has played a formidable role in the tournament over the years, watching him not captaining ever can be a disturbing sight for his fans. Having captained Sri Lanka to victory in the ICC World Twenty20 in 2014, Malinga proved that he has it in him to lead a T20 side. Malinga is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament. In 110 matches, he has picked up 154 wickets at an average of 19.01, an economy rate of 6.86 and a strike rate of 16.61.

2. Chris Gayle – What Chris Gayle has done in T20 cricket, IPL per se, is not hidden from anyone. Having scored the highest number of centuries in the tournament, the Universe Boss is also the seventh highest run-scorer in the tourney. From remaining unsold in the auction to being declared the highest run-scorer in a season, Gayle’s IPL career has seen various phases. Having said that, the former West Indian captain too didn’t get an opportunity every to lead an IPL franchise.

1. AB de Villiers – AB de Villiers, a modern-day great, has played a good 129 IPL matches in the last 10 years. Having represented Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the tournament, it astounds many heads as to why de Villiers has never captained his franchise in the tourney. Having scored 3,473 runs at an average of 38.16 and a strike rate of 148.16, the former South African captain has a stellar record in the tournament.