The IPL has always been a tournament of shifting tides and IPL 2025 is no different with five teams — Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru — appointing new captains.
So will these new choices turn out to be masterstrokes or gambles?
Axar Patel - Delhi Capitals
Axar Patel, 31, steps into Delhi Capitals' captaincy after six seasons with the franchise. With Rishabh Pant gone, he was the natural pick — experienced, dependable and a part of the core team thinktank.
Patel has played 82 matches for DC, scoring 235 runs at an average of 30 in 2024, along with 11 wickets at an economy of 7.65.
His captaincy experience comes from leading Gujarat in 23 domestic matches, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy.
But the all-rounder is untested in high-pressure leadership. His only taste of IPL captaincy was a must-win game in 2024, which DC lost to RCB.
Ajinkya Rahane: Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR’s decision to hand the reins to Ajinkya Rahane raised a few eyebrows. He is experienced, but his IPL captaincy record is far from inspiring.
In 25 matches as captain, he has won just 9 and lost 16,
Leading Rajasthan Royals in 2018 and part of 2019, along with a brief stint for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017, Rahane captained in 25 matches, of which he lost 16.
But his leadership record in international cricket tells a different story. He has captained India in two T20Is, winning one and losing one, three ODIs, winning all three, and six Test matches, with four wins and two draws.
That gives him an overall win per cent of 72.73 as India captain.
KKR CEO Venky Mysore has backed him, saying, "He has played 185 IPL games, 200 international matches, led India, led Mumbai, led in IPL. All that is massive."
Rishabh Pant: Lucknow Supergiants
Rishabh Pant is instinctive, fearless, and the very definition of modern cricket’s unrelenting hustle.
His IPL captaincy record stands at 43 matches, 23 wins, and 19 losses, giving him a win per cent of 53.48.
But in international T20I captaincy, he has limited exposure, with five matches resulting in two wins, two losses, and one no-result, giving him a 40 per cent win rate.
Lucknow Super Giants, previously led by KL Rahul, spent 27 crore in the mega auction on Pant’s leadership to stake their claim in the championship race.
Shreyas Iyer: Punjab Kings
Shreyas Iyer is the safest bet among the new captains. He’s won a title, and he knows how to lead. Punjab Kings, a team notorious for leadership instability, might have a long-term captain.
His IPL captaincy record is good, with 71 matches, 40 wins, and 31 losses, giving him a win per cent of 56.09. He remains the only Punjab Kings captain with a win rate of 55 per cent.
His leadership journey in the IPL began in 2018 when he took over Delhi Capitals mid-season and revitalised the team, and leading them to their first-ever IPL final in 2020. He later moved to KKR, where he was bought for ₹12.25 crore in 2022 and made captain.
His first season with KKR ended in a seventh-place finish, he missed 2023 due to injury, but his return in 2024 saw him lead KKR to the title. Under his captaincy, KKR finished on top of the table with nine wins, three losses, and two no-results before sealing the trophy.
Iyer is the only captain in IPL history to take two different teams to a final.
Rajat Patidar: Royal Challengers Bangalore
The biggest wildcard of IPL 2025 is Rajat Patidar.
He has never captained in the IPL or in international cricket, making this a high-risk, high-reward move.
His domestic leadership record is impressive. He led Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, winning 12 out of 15 matches and taking his team to the final. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, MP finished third under his leadership.
His overall domestic captaincy success rate stands at a whopping 75 per cent with 12 wins in 16 matches.
With big names like Kohli in the squad, managing egos and making tactical decisions under pressure will test Patidar.
IPL 2025 is starting from March 22.