IPL 2026: All eyes on Indian captains, whose star will shine?

Pressure on some, some in form, real test of captains in the new season

New Delhi.
With the start of IPL 2026, the special thing this time is that ten Indian captains will be seen taking the field in the league.

Among them, there are some who have to prove themselves, while some players are full of confidence on the basis of recent excellent performances. Let us understand how was the journey of these captains after last season and what can be expected from them this time.

Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Rajat Patidar’s journey has been full of ups and downs. With his calm leadership, he took the team very close to the title and also achieved success in domestic cricket. But injury and poor form affected his form. Now after being fit, he will again go out with the intention of winning the trophy for the team.

Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings)

Iyer has been struggling for a place in the T20 team for a long time. In the last IPL, he had shown excellent captaincy and batting, but due to injury he had to stay away from the game. He has a big chance to make a comeback this season.

Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians)

Hardik has been a part of a busy cricket schedule and is playing a vital role as an all-rounder in the team. His performance has been balanced, but now the question is in which role in the team he will prove to be most effective.

Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans)

Gill’s recent T20 performance was not as per expectations, due to which he had to be dropped from the team. However, he will have a golden opportunity to re-establish himself in the IPL, especially on favorable pitches.

Akshar Patel (Delhi Capitals)

Akshar Patel may be less in the limelight, but his performance has always been reliable. Akshar, who has contributed with both ball and bat, would like to prove his ability in captaincy this time as well.

Ishan Kishan (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Ishan Kishan is in great form. His confidence is high after his strong performance in domestic cricket and his comeback at the international level. This season, he can prove himself further if he gets a chance to captain.

Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants)

Pant’s last IPL season was disappointing, but he later performed well in Test cricket. After battling injuries, he will now try to regain stability and form.

Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders)

This season can be very important for Rahane.

With increasing age, this is the decisive phase of his career. Past performances have given hope, but being away from competitive cricket for a long time is a matter of concern.

Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals)

Young captain Riyan Parag showed potential last season, but recent form has been disappointing. The team will expect big innings and stable performance from him.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings)

Fate has repeatedly posed as a challenge for Gaikwad. However, recent ODI performances have proved his form. The team has confidence in him and this time he is ready to prove himself.

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