3 days for IPL: 3 captains who can dominate season
What's the story
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is set to kick off on March 28, with 10 teams competing for the coveted title. Prominent players from across the globe will feature in the mega event. Meanwhile, captains of all teams are expected to lead from the front. With the 2026 IPL being three days away, we take a look at three captains who can dominate the season with their performances.
#1
Shreyas Iyer - Punjab Kings
Shreyas Iyer, the captain of Punjab Kings, made his bat talk last season as PBKS reached the finals, where they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The dasher finished the season with 604 runs at an average of 50.33. His strike rate (175.07) was the third-best among batters with 600-plus runs in a season. With a win percentage of 55.17% from 87 matches (48 wins), Iyer is one of the most successful captains in IPL history.
#2
Hardik Pandya - Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans to victory in IPL 2022, is one of the finest T20 all-rounders going around. The veteran played a vital role in powering India to the recent 2026 T20 World Cup title. In IPL, the dasher boasts 2,749 runs with a strike rate of 146.93 and 78 wickets to his name. With a win percentage of 58.33% from 60 IPL matches (35 wins), Pandya has plenty of experience behind his back.
#3
Shubman Gill - Gujarat Titans
GT skipper Shubman Gill would be raring to make a solid statement. Such has been the batter's consistency in the IPL that his tally of 2,449 IPL runs since the start of the 2022 season is the most for any batter. His average in this period is a solid 46.2. Gill tallied 890 runs in IPL 2023 - the second-most by a batter in a season. He owns 14 wins and 13 losses as a captain in IPL.