The IPL 2026 auction is set to take place in mid-December, and the cricket fraternity has pounced upon the opportunity to share their thoughts on some players who should be released/retained by the franchises. Moreover, many teams are expected to field a new captain in IPL 2026, in their bid to have a fresh start after learning from the 2025 season.

4 Teams Likely to Have New Captain in IPL 2026

The last edition saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally winning the title under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar. Although Patidar may retain his place as a leader, there are question marks around some captains, who failed to live up to the mark in 2025. Let’s discuss some of the notable IPL captaincy options for the next edition.

1. Kolkata Knight Riders

Ajinkya Rahane led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2025 season after the departure of Shreyas Iyer, who captained the side to the title in 2024. However, things didn’t pan out as KKR would have liked in a fresh season. They finished eighth with five victories in 14 appearances.

🚨 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 – Ajinkya Rahane named captain of KKR. Venkatesh Iyer named Vice-Captain of KKR for TATA IPL 2025. pic.twitter.com/F6RAccqkmW

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 3, 2025

According to rumours, KKR could part ways with Rahane, whom they picked up at his base price. Although he scored around 400 runs, the veteran batter may not be in the scheme of things for the franchise, as they strive to win their fourth title. KKR’s most expensive acquisition, Venkatesh Iyer, failed to justify his high price tag in the 2025 season, scoring runs at an average of around 20. The southpaw is expected to be released by the franchise, amid captaincy changes in IPL 2026.

As KKR looks to release Rahmanullah Gurbaz/Quinton de Kock as well, they will need a reliable top-order batter. Sanju Samson perfectly fits the ball for the franchise, offering them IPL captaincy options for the next edition. With KKR shelving some of their top players, they have an important decision to make regarding the leadership position.

2. Delhi Capitals

Axar Patel led the Delhi Capitals in the 2025 edition, as they finished fifth with seven wins in 14 games. However, if the rumours are to be believed, the Capitals are searching for a new captain in IPL 2026. Patel replaced Rishabh Pant for the leadership role in 2025, after the keeper-batter was released by DC. Another name that pops up in the mind is none other than KL Rahul, who has been the finest batter in the tournament, especially in this decade. With Rahul as a leader, he will be applying himself better and pace his game accordingly.

However, KKR is said to have contacted KL Rahul, owing to the latter’s experience as a captain in the cash-rich league. Under his leadership, the Super Giants progressed to the playoffs on two out of three occasions. Hence, Delhi Capitals might have to ponder on choosing IPL captaincy options ahead of the auction.

3. Rajasthan Royals

The conundrum around Sanju Samson’s future at Rajasthan Royals (RR) remains to date, which can result in the side having captaincy changes in IPL 2026. With four wins in 14 games, RR finished ninth in the points table. A few months ago, Samson was rumoured to be in trade discussions with CSK, but the trade didn’t materialise. As per reports, the five-time champions weren’t interested in trading their key players to acquire Samson.

A few IPL teams including CSK are open to welcoming Sanju Samson in their squad. (Cricbuzz). pic.twitter.com/dkrrruiFAZ

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 1, 2025

Sanju Samson is speculated to have cited differences with the Royals’ management and desired a fresh start. A few months ago, Rahul Dravid quit as the head coach, reportedly due to Samson being unhappy with the team’s transition. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the franchise letting go of Jos Buttler, who has been one of the finest batters for the franchise.

Related Article：5 Scenarios That Could Decide Sanju Samson’s Next IPL Team in 2026

With Riyan Parag serving as the captain in the absence of Samson in a few games, he is looked upon as the potential long-term leadership option for the franchise. However, this happens if the keeper-batter leaves the franchise and shuts the door to his stint with the Royals. Moreover, Yashasvi Jaiswal is also said to be interested in assuming the leadership of the franchise. The southpaw has been the finest batter for the Royals in recent years and is one of the IPL captaincy options.

4. Lucknow Super Giants

Lucknow Super Giants ended the 2025 season in seventh position with six wins in 14 games. Rishabh Pant, who is the most expensive player in the tournament’s history, struggled to get going in 2025, scoring runs at an average of 25. Meanwhile, LSG finished in seventh position.

In a shocking underperformance, Pant struggled to get going, signalling captaincy changes in IPL 2026. The likes of David Miller, Avesh Khan and Shamar Joseph are rumoured to be released from the LSG camp ahead of the auction. However, with Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran in the roster, there are a sufficient number of players who could be the new captain in IPL 2026 for LSG. The move could be beneficial for Pant, who could bring back his natural game and help the Super Giants qualify for the playoffs in the 2026 edition.