NEW DELHI: With back-to-back T20 World Cup titles in the bag, India have emerged as a powerhouse in cricket’s shortest format. The talent waiting in the wings is also immense. In two years, the Indian cricket team will be gearing up for two big events, the LA Olympics and the 2028 T20 World Cup.And when it comes to picking the 15-member squad, there is no rocket science in selecting a side largely based on form. The greatest example of that approach is Ishan Kishan. Since making his comeback after a two-year hiatus, the southpaw has set the stage on fire.
He was picked in the Indian team after scoring a century in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and guiding Jharkhand to the title. In 13 games since his return, the 27-year-old has amassed 532 runs at a strike rate of 207. His 317 runs in the recently concluded T20 World Cup was the third-highest after Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan and teammate Sanju Samson.But the real question is who will replace an ageing Suryakumar Yadav as India’s next T20I skipper. The answer could come from the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) – just as it did with head coach Gautam Gambhir’s successful stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).The IPL is the world’s best T20 league. Unlike the T20 World Cup, it is an even platform and all 10 teams are equally strong. So the selectors will have to keep their eyes open to see who can lead India because picking a T20I squad with the amount of talent available is a no brainer, but choosing the right captain will not be easy.Who are the contenders?
Axar Patel leads Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
Out of the 10 IPL teams, eight franchises have appointed Indian players as their captains. KKR are yet to announce their next captain, whereas Pat Cummins will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad.Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has not been in the national team’s scheme of things since he led India to the 2023 Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou.Reigning champions RCB’s skipper Rajat Patidar is yet to make his international debut in the T20I format.Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya, who was tipped to take over from Rohit Sharma after the 2024 World Cup triumph, was not given the captaincy armband because of fitness issues. But come IPL 2026, he will be captaining India’s current T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav.Axar Patel, 32, has always been the proverbial bridesmaid in Indian cricket. He was first appointed vice-captain after the 2024 T20 World Cup, then replaced by Shubman Gill, and was again anointed as deputy to Surya before the 2026 World Cup. Axar can be a good option but for that Delhi Capitals will have to win the trophy.
Lucknow Super Giants’ Captain Rishabh Pant
Riyan Parag, 24, led Rajasthan in the absence of Sanju Samson during IPL 2025. But the youngster will first have to cement his place in the national team. There is no doubt that his ability to bowl could make him a permanent face in the Indian team in the next cycle. His name also came up for selection when Washington Sundar got injured.28-year-old Rishabh Pant, too, will be looking to reinvent his T20I form, both with the bat and as captain for Lucknow Super Giants. The southpaw has fallen off the radar and with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in top form, Pant might have to wait for his chance in this format.Then there are Gujarat Titans’ Shubman Gill and Punjab Kings’ Shreyas Iyer. Both have shown a pedigree of leadership. Gill is the current captain of India’s ODI and Test sides, whereas Iyer led KKR to the IPL title in 2024 and Punjab Kings to the final in IPL 2025.
Shreyas Iyer (IPL Photo)
Shubman was tipped as the next poster boy of Indian cricket and a successor to Suryakumar Yadav. But he was surprisingly dropped from India’s T20 World Cup squad citing team combination. Shreyas travelled with the team during the New Zealand series that preceded the T20 World Cup as cover for injured Tilak Varma, but he did not get the chance to play. In an ideal world, Shreyas would be the right man to lead India at the LA Olympics and the T20 World Cup.Sanju Samson is another option the selectors must consider. The 2026 T20 World Cup champion has led Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and is currently oozing confidence after his Player of the Tournament performance.The IPL has long been India’s biggest laboratory for T20 cricket. Just as Gambhir’s IPL success opened the door to the national coaching job, IPL 2026 could quietly shape India’s next T20I captain. In a tournament where pressure, tactics and leadership are tested every night, the selectors might just find the man who will lead India into the next cycle.
