Two team captains, Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants) and Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings), have not played a single T20 match in nearly 10 months.

Rishabh Pant has endured a difficult phase, struggling for form during IPL 2025 before suffering an injury on India’s England tour in mid-2025.

Although he returned during the Test series against South Africa later that year, he hasn’t featured in any T20s since IPL 2025 - and his last T20 International appearance dates back to July 2024. This lack of match practice makes IPL 2026 a crucial comeback opportunity.

Shreyas Iyer finds himself in a similar situation. His last T20 outing also came in IPL 2025, where he led Punjab Kings to their first final in over a decade, though they lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore.

An injury during the Australia tour later sidelined him, ruling him out of subsequent T20 assignments, including the 2026 T20 World Cup. Notably, Iyer hasn’t played a T20 International since December 2023.

Match Fitness A Key Concern

In a fast-paced format like T20 cricket, regular game time is crucial due to limited opportunities to settle in. With such long gaps, both Pant and Iyer may face early challenges in regaining rhythm. However, given their experience and pedigree, both captains will be aiming to quickly find form and lead from the front in IPL 2026.

IPL 2026 is set to be a landmark season, expanding to 84 matches featuring 10 teams. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), led by Rajat Patidar, kick off the tournament against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

With Mumbai Indians seeking a sixth title under Hardik Pandya and RCB defending their maiden crown, the 2026 edition promises high-stakes drama until the final on May 31.