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Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant and Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel are under scanner for their underperformance as leaders in the past two IPL seasons.
Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant are among the two captains in IPL, who have failed miserably for the past two seasons. Industrialist Harsh Goenka has predicted a major overhaul in the leadership of four Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises after the ongoing 2026 season. Started on March 28, the 19th edition of IPL has been an absolute entertainer so far. With 16 matches left in the round-robin stage and four knockout games, the IPL 2026 is coming to its business end.
An avid cricket fan, Harsh is known for his unfiltered opinions on the richest franchise cricket league in the world. On Monday, the chairperson of the RPG Group, Harsh once again grabbed the attention on social media with his opinion of four individuals who may not lead in IPL 2027.
“I can safely predict that at least four IPL captains may not be leading their teams next season… and a couple could even step aside before this season ends. Which four you can guess - but it’s fairly obvious!” wrote Harsh on X. While he didn't name anyone, a couple of names are clearly understandable.
Which 4 Harsh Goenka is hinting at?
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Harsh Goenka has predicted that at least four IPL captains may not be leading their teams in the 2027 season. He hinted that some might even step aside before the current season concludes.
Rishabh Pant, captain of Lucknow Super Giants, has been considered a flop in the 2025 and 2026 IPL seasons, with his team's performance declining significantly.
Delhi Capitals are mathematically still in the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs. They need to win all their remaining matches and hope other teams slip up to qualify.
Hardik Pandya was not cleared by the medical team to take the field due to a back spasm, leading to him being rested for consecutive matches.
There was a period where Hardik Pandya's Instagram following list reportedly did not include the Mumbai Indians account, leading to speculation, but the account was later visible again.
Looking at the things in the past two seasons, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant and Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel might be the top two in Harsh's list of four. Bought for a record price of ₹27 crore, Pant has been a major flop for LSG in both 2025 and 2026 seasons of IPL. Notably, Harsh is a brother of LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka.
Besides a dip in form with the bat, Pant's decision making has been heavily criticised in IPL. While LSG finished seventh with six wins in 14 games in IPL 2025, the Lucknow-based franchise became the first team to get eliminated from the playoffs race in the 2026 season with just three wins from 11 matches so far. Things aren't good for Delhi Capitals too.
Having been handed the reins to Axar in the previous season, Delhi Capitals have lost their way in both seasons after getting off to a splendid start. In IPL 2025, Delhi Capitals and Axar started with five wins in first six games, before falling sharply. However, a winless five-game streak resulted Delhi Capitals lose a spot in the top four by just a point.
In IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals started with three wins in first five games. But five defeated in their last six games put Axar's men at eighth position. A loss on Monday against Punjab Kings will dash their playoff hopes.
Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane in list too?
Harsh's third on the list could be Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya. Hardik, who led Gujarat Titans to IPL title and a runner-up finish in IPL 2022 and IPL 2023 respectively, is yet to find his mojo back at the franchise from where he started his journey back in 2015.
The younger of Pandya brothers, Hardik replaced Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians skipper in IPL 2025 - something that didn't go well with some section of the fans. Although Mumbai Indians made it to the playoffs under Hardik in IPL 2025, the five-time champions looked a pale shadow of in 2026, and joined LSG in the list of eliminated teams from the race to playoffs.
The last on Harsh's list could be Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane. The out-of-contention India batter was appointed as the KKR captain following Shreyas Iyer's exit after 2024 title-winning campaign. Under Rahane, KKR finished eighth in IPL 2025, and currently sits seventh in IPL 2026 after a four wins on the trot.
While time will say who steps aside, it will be interesting to see if these four above-mentioned names lead their respective franchises in IPL 2027.
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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