With IPL 2026 season on the edge, various franchises are said to be reconsidering their leadership decisions, and there is even talk of six teams having new captains. Even though any official replacements have not been confirmed so far, unofficial sources and media are pointing to such teams as Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and others as one that is likely to reorganize their captaincy.
IPL 2026, 6 Teams That Could Change Captains Next Season
KKR is one of the areas of concern which, as the previous season has shown, has an uncertain future as a skipper since Ajinkya Rahane has not been performing well. It is reported that the franchise might consider new leadership methods, and some of the possible replacements include KL Rahul. Elsewhere, in Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the issue is whether MS Dhoni is going to remain a captain or mentor or the franchise might entirely switch to a new leader even though Dhoni will intervene in mid season in 2025. In Rajasthan Royals (RR) where Sanju Samson is said to be willing to trade or resign, there may arise a vacuum in leadership and the team would be in need of a new captain. Other teams that were rumored to be contemplating a change in captaincy include the franchises that look to renew their core strategy or react to the poor performance during the last several seasons.
IPL 2026 Latest Updates
These rumors will be put into test as the retention and auction windows near. Will KKR gamble on change? Will CSK give out additional reins despite the presence of Dhoni? The captaincy wars can also be one of the most interesting plots to fans and analysts as IPL 2026 approaches. The changes in this are subtle captaining is not about appointing a new individual. Franchises need to balance form, leadership traits, compatibility with an already established squad and expectations of fans. In most instances the teams can use temporary heads or change the leadership as they are planning on long terms. What is definite is the fact that it might not be only player exchange during the off season maybe the rearrangement of the way teams are managed in the dugout.
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