The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 concluded on Sunday, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beating Gujarat Titans (GT) by 5 wickets to successfully defend their title.

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar became only the third captain in tournament history to win back-to-back trophies after MS Dhoni (CSK) and Rohit Sharma (MI).

Rajat not only led his side with his leadership skills but also, on many occasions, single-handedly won games for them.

Many captains this season led from the front, such as GT’s Shubman Gill and PBKS’ Shreyas Iyer. While many impressed, others failed to make an impact either with their performances or leadership skills.

In this article, we will take a look at how the captains of all 10 franchises fared in IPL 2026.

Rajat Patidar (RCB)

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar was one of the most impressive captains of the season. The Madhya Pradesh-based batter played 15 matches and amassed 501 runs at an average of 41.75. He scored five half-centuries this season to lead his team to back-to-back trophies.

Shubman Gill (GT)

While GT fell short in the final, their skipper Shubman Gill enjoyed a brilliant run with the bat.

Gill, in the 16 matches he played in IPL 2026, amassed 732 runs and was the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament. His 104-run innings against RR in Qualifier 2 helped GT chase down the highest successful target in playoff history (215) to reach their third final in five years.

Riyan Parag (RR)

RR shocked everyone when they announced Riyan Parag as their new captain after their previous captain Sanju Samson was traded to CSK ahead of IPL 2026. While Parag impressed many with his leadership skills, leading RR to their first playoff appearance in five years, he fell short with the bat.

Parag played 14 matches this season and was only able to score 309 runs at a sub-par average of 23.77.

Pat Cummins (SRH)

Pat Cummins missed half the season for SRH due to injury and only took charge in the second half of the campaign. While he helped his team finish third in the table, they were knocked out in the Eliminator by RR.

Cummins’ limited appearances in the season were also below his usual standards, as in the eight matches he played, he could only score 30 runs with the bat and take eight wickets with the ball.

Shreyas Iyer (PBKS)

Shreyas Iyer started IPL 2026 on a high note, scoring heavily and helping PBKS remain unbeaten in their first seven matches.

However, in the second half of the season, his form dipped and so did PBKS’ fortunes.

In their last seven matches, PBKS could win only one game and finished fifth in the points table. Iyer, though, enjoyed a decent season, amassing 498 runs in 14 matches, which also included his maiden IPL century of 101 not out against LSG in their final league game.

Axar Patel (DC)

While DC finished sixth in the points table, their skipper Axar Patel, after a slow start, made a strong recovery and ended the season with a respectable overall performance.

Axar played 14 matches this season, scoring 173 runs with the bat and taking 11 wickets with the ball. His all-round performances were one of the main reasons why DC remained alive in the playoff race until the final match of the league stage.

Ajinkya Rahane (KKR)

Ajinkya Rahane had a roller-coaster season in IPL 2026 as KKR were winless in their first few games but went on to win six of their next eight matches to keep their playoff hopes alive until the final match.

Rahane personally had a sub-par season, scoring just 335 runs in 14 matches. He scored two half-centuries and, in a poetic manner, the first came in KKR’s opening game of the season against MI, while the second came in KKR’s final game of the season against DC.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK)

Ruturaj Gaikwad impressed many fans and critics with his leadership skills as he kept CSK’s playoff hopes alive until their final league game despite the team suffering more than seven defeats. However, his season with the bat was less than ideal.

The Maharashtra-based batter scored only 337 runs in 14 matches at an average of just 28.08. He threw away his wicket on several occasions and was unable to provide CSK with the stability he is known for. It might be one of the reasons why CSK finished eighth in the points table.

Hardik Pandya (MI)

MI skipper Hardik Pandya endured one of the toughest seasons with the Mumbai-based franchise in IPL 2026. Of the 10 matches he led his side in, he was only able to win two.

His personal record was also sub-par, as he scored only 209 runs with the bat and was able to take just four wickets with the ball.

Rishabh Pant(LSG)

Rishabh Pant’s tough luck with LSG, after becoming the most expensive player in tournament history, continued in 2026. He could only lead his team to four wins in 14 matches and ended up finishing at the bottom of the points table.

As a player, the season was also not encouraging, as he could only amass 312 runs. Following two disappointing seasons, Pant decided to step down from the role of LSG skipper last week, and his future with the franchise now hangs in the balance amid speculation.