NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has backed the appointment of more overseas captains in the Indian Premier League (IPL), stressing that franchises should focus on leadership ability rather than nationality when choosing their skipper.Speaking on the Sportstar podcast, Manjrekar said the performance of Indian captains in recent seasons shows that nationality alone does not guarantee success. “I think we’ve also seen a lot of Indian captains struggle. You mentioned players like Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant. There have been quite a few Indian captains who haven’t quite delivered,” Manjrekar said.The former batter believes that T20 cricket requires teams to identify the most effective leader available, irrespective of whether the player is Indian or overseas.“My philosophy is simple: in T20 cricket, you need the best captain available. If that happens to be a foreign player, then so be it. David Warner captained successfully, Pat Cummins has done it as well,” he said.At the same time, Manjrekar acknowledged that IPL franchises often weigh commercial considerations alongside cricketing factors when making captaincy decisions.“That said, there is a non-cricketing reason why franchises often prefer Indian captains. An Indian captain becomes the face of the franchise and strengthens the brand,” he explained.According to Manjrekar, teams must find the right balance between building a strong brand and maximising their chances of success on the field.“Ultimately, franchises have to decide what is better for the brand and what is better for winning titles. Ideally, the captain should be someone who is genuinely a good leader, regardless of nationality,” he said. He further emphasised the unique role captaincy plays in shaping a franchise’s public image and fan following. “But let’s not forget that the IPL is also about brand value. An Indian captain naturally attracts more attention. Having someone like Rishabh Pant associated with a franchise, or Virat Kohli leading RCB in the past, creates a different dynamic and gives the team a stronger identity.”Manjrekar’s comments are likely to reignite the debate over whether IPL teams should prioritise leadership credentials or marketing value when selecting their captains.
