6 IPL Teams That Might Get A New Captain In IPL 2026 : Sunrisers Hyderabad , Kolkata Knight Riders And...

As the IPL 2025 season wraps up, whispers of leadership shake-ups are already echoing through the franchises. With the mega auction behind us and the mini-auction on the horizon, several teams are eyeing fresh starts at the helm for IPL 2026. From injury clouds to performance dips and strategic overhauls, here are six squads where captaincy changes could be brewing. We've dug into the latest buzz, rumors, and insider reports to break it down because in the IPL, the throne is never safe.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy journey with CSK has been a rollercoaster. Handed the reins by MS Dhoni ahead of IPL 2024, Gaikwad led the Yellow Brigade to a strong showing that year, but IPL 2025 turned sour fast. An elbow fracture sidelined him after just five games, forcing Dhoni back into the hot seat mid-season. Despite the setback, Dhoni himself confirmed post-season that Gaikwad would reclaim the captaincy in 2026, signaling franchise faith in the opener's long-term vision.

Abhishek Sharma as Pat Cummins' Heir Apparent? Pat Cummins' back injury has cast a long shadow over SRH's ambitions. The Aussie skipper, who guided them to the IPL 2024 final, has been battling a lumbar bone stress issue since July 2025, ruling him out of white-ball series and putting his entire Ashes participation in jeopardy. Scans in October revealed slow healing, with experts doubting he'll bowl competitively before the IPL window. SRH's management isn't panicking yet Cummins retains their backing—but contingency plans are in motion. Enter Abhishek Sharma, the 24-year-old explosive opener who's been with the franchise for seven years and has soaked up wisdom from Cummins and coach Daniel Vettori. Abhishek's leadership chops are proven: he captained India U19 to the 2016 ACC Asia Cup triumph, beat England U19 in a 2023 series, and steered Punjab to third in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. If Cummins' recovery stalls, handing the baton to their "future captain" now could accelerate SRH's youth revolution. It's a high-stakes gamble, but Abhishek's ready to ignite.

KKR's title defense in IPL 2025 fizzled out disappointingly, finishing outside the playoffs after a rain-hit washout sealed their fate. With Gautam Gambhir's exit as mentor and Shreyas Iyer's move to Punjab Kings, interim captain Ajinkya Rahane couldn't steady the ship KKR managed just 11 points from 11 games, relying on underperformers like Varun Chakaravarthy and Andre Russell. As the 2026 auction looms, insiders are buzzing about a complete leadership reset. The franchise is "eyeing a star player" to inject calm and firepower, with names like Sanju Samson.

 Axar Patel's one-year stint as DC captain in IPL 2025 was solid but not spectacular: seven wins, a fifth-place finish, and a narrow playoff miss. The all-rounder stepped up admirably after Rishabh Pant's departure, but reports confirm DC's brass isn't sold on him long-term. Per multiple sources, Axar will stay as a core player his left-arm spin and middle-order nous are too valuable but the captaincy armband is up for grabs in 2026. Why the shift? DC seeks a "big-name leader" to elevate their ceiling, with KL Rahul (who rejected the role last year but could reconsider) and Faf du Plessis (the experienced vice-captain) topping the wishlist. If trades falter, auction targets like Sanju Samson or Venkatesh Iyer loom large.

Sanju Samson's RR love affair might be over after 12 years. The wicketkeeper-batter, RR's highest IPL run-scorer (4,027 runs), requested a release post-IPL 2025, citing frustrations from a side strain that limited him to nine games and a dismal ninth-place finish. RR's brass initially quashed trade rumors, affirming Samson as their "undisputed captain," but Rahul Dravid's shock exit as head coach (opting for a broader role he later declined) has reignited the fire. Now, with Kumar Sangakkara returning as coach, a "captaincy civil war" brews: Riyan Parag (who led in Samson's absence, albeit with a 25% win rate) pushes for the throne, backed by his family's ownership ties; Yashasvi Jaiswal offers youthful promise; and Dhruv Jurel brings keeper credentials. 

Pant's ₹27 crore splash as LSG's IPL 2025 captain was meant to be transformative, but it flopped hard: 269 runs at a strike rate of 133.16, a seventh-place finish, and playoff elimination. Meanwhile their star player has been the captain of two winning franchises in global leagues this year. In 2025, Nicholas Pooran won the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the Trinbago Knight Riders and the Major League Cricket (MLC) with MI New York

 Auction likely slated for December 13-15, 2025 (second or third week of December).

Possible return to India as venue instead of overseas locations like Dubai (2023) or Jeddah (2024).

The BCCI’s Governing Council yet to finalize the schedule.

Retention deadline set for November 15, 2025 franchises must submit released player lists by then. No major churn expected except possibly from CSK and Rajasthan Royals due to bottom-table finishes. Rumored CSK releases include Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, Sam Curran, and Devon Conway.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s IPL retirement adds INR 9.75 crore to CSK’s auction purse. The additional funds offer flexibility for CSK’s trade and bidding strategy for IPL 2026. Leadership and squad balance remain key as CSK seeks a comeback season.