Three IPL captains are under pressure after poor 2026 performances as franchises prepare for possible leadership changes
New Delhi: The IPL 2026 season has been disappointing for several teams, and according to reports, three captains could lose their leadership roles after failing to guide their teams into the playoffs. Rishabh Pant, Ajinkya Rahane and Axar Patel are reportedly under pressure after their teams struggled throughout the tournament.
Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders are still technically in the playoff race, but their chances of qualifying are very low. Lucknow Super Giants have already been knocked out of the tournament, making their season one of the biggest disappointments of IPL 2026.
Rishabh Pant Under Huge Pressure After Lucknow’s Failure
Rishabh Pant is facing the most criticism among the three captains after Lucknow Super Giants failed to meet expectations this season. Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history when Lucknow bought him for Rs 27 crore before the 2025 season. The franchise then gave him the captaincy and expected him to lead the team strongly.
However, Lucknow struggled for consistency from the beginning of the season and could never build winning momentum. The team looked unsettled in many matches and failed to perform well in important situations.
Pant himself admitted during the season that the team lacked clarity in batting positions and combinations. He said frequent changes in the batting order affected the team badly and stopped players from settling into proper roles.
Pant’s batting performances also remained under the spotlight throughout the tournament. Although he played some important innings, including a century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and a few useful cameos, he could not score consistently across the season.
Lucknow Super Giants eventually became the first team to be officially eliminated from IPL 2026. After that, reports started suggesting that the franchise may remove Pant from captaincy so that he can focus more on his batting next season.
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Ajinkya Rahane Faces Questions After Kolkata’s Disappointing Season
Ajinkya Rahane is also under pressure after Kolkata Knight Riders failed to perform consistently in IPL 2026. Rahane became captain before the 2025 season, and the franchise continued with him this year because of his experience and calm approach.
However, Kolkata struggled in several matches and failed to dominate games regularly. The team looked uncertain during pressure moments and lost many important matches that damaged their playoff chances.
Rahane’s captaincy decisions were questioned during the season. Cricket experts reportedly criticized some of his bowling changes and tactical calls, especially regarding how mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy was used during crucial stages of matches.
Rahane also could not make a big impact regularly with the bat. While he brought experience to the team, reports suggest that Kolkata may now look for a younger captain for the future before IPL 2027.
The team is also expected to make major changes after an underwhelming season despite entering the tournament with high expectations.
Axar Patel’s Captaincy Also Under Scanner
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel is also reportedly facing pressure after another disappointing season for the franchise. Many people believed Delhi had a strong squad this year with players like KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav and Tristan Stubbs in the team.
Despite having quality players, Delhi struggled badly with consistency during the season. The team suffered several batting collapses and could not perform strongly in crucial matches.
Axar’s captaincy decisions also came under criticism during the tournament. Reports highlighted questions over some of his on-field decisions and comments made publicly about teammates during difficult moments.
Former cricketers and experts said Delhi again failed to build stable leadership after several captaincy changes. The franchise tried captains like Rishabh Pant, David Warner, and now Axar Patel. Despite these changes, the team still failed to achieve consistent success.
Teams May Make Big Leadership Changes Before Next Season
According to reports, IPL franchises are expected to start planning for next season soon after the tournament ends. Captaincy decisions could become one of the biggest topics during team discussions.
Several franchises are reportedly already looking at future leadership options before the next auction cycle and squad rebuilding process.
Leadership changes are common in the IPL because franchises invest huge amounts of money in players and coaching staff. Teams usually do not continue with captains for long if results do not improve.
All Three Players Still Important For Their Teams
Despite criticism over captaincy, all three players remain important for their teams. Rishabh Pant is still considered one of India’s most dangerous wicketkeeper-batters in T20 cricket. Ajinkya Rahane continues to bring experience and calmness to the side, while Axar Patel remains one of the IPL’s best spin-bowling all-rounders.
However, franchises now face a major question about the future. Teams must decide whether these players are still the right captains moving forward. As IPL 2026 moves closer to the playoffs, captaincy discussions have become one of the tournament’s biggest talking points.
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