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Many captains in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) have attracted attention with their leadership, smart tactics and calm decision making under pressure. And now, former Mumbai Indians star Mitchell McClenaghan has surprised everyone by revealing his rankings for the best captains of the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
Mitchell McClenaghan’s list has already created massive buzz among the fans as some big names were surprisingly left down while some of the leaders received heavy praise for their performances as captains in the ongoing tournament.
Mitchell McClenaghan calls Rajat Patidar the best captain of IPL 2026
As the ongoing IPL 2026 heads towards the business end, Mitchell McClenaghan was asked to rank this edition’s IPL captains on ESPN Cricinfo, and he tried his best to pick the best. He has described Rajat Patidar of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as the best captain of IPL 2026 so far.
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Patidar impressed Mitchell not only with the decisions he took on the field but also with the way he handled the team environment and managed the players throughout the season.
Mitchell McClenaghan said, “My number one is Rajat Patidar. I think the way he has marshaled his troops has been exceptional. Also, a lot of things are decisions off the field as well.”
Shubman Gill and Pat Cummins shine in McClenaghan’s IPL captain rankings
At number two, McClenaghan chose Shubman Gill after the brilliant campaign of Gujarat Titans this year. He praised Gill for leading from the front, helping Gujarat Titans become one of the strongest teams to vie for the IPL 2026 title.
“He is leading brilliantly from the front. I like to see a captain who leads on the field and he is definitely Shubman Gill,” the former fast bowler said.
Pat Cummins was placed at number three after guiding Sunrisers Hyderabad strongly this season. McClenaghan was impressed by Cummins’ calm attitude and the respect he received from the players. He said, “Pat Cummins is doing a fantastic job, calm, patient, coming in behind Ishan Kishan. He was able to keep it going and he seems to demand a lot of respect on the field as well.”
Shreyas Iyer slips to No. 4 after Punjab Kings’ recent struggles in IPL 2026
The biggest topic of discussion in Mitchell’s ranking was Shreyas Iyer being placed at number four. Earlier in the season, he was considered the top captain due to his strong leadership and aggressive approach. However, some poor decisions and four consecutive defeats by Punjab Kings pushed them slightly down the rankings.
Talking about Iyer, the former New Zealand bowler said, “My number four at the start of the tournament would probably have been a little higher than Shreyas Iyer. I think again he looks like he leads from the front and controls his troops, and there have been just a little bit of slip and fall from his side in some decisions on the field, but overall, 90% of the time, he looks like an exceptional leader.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad was selected at number 5; Hardik Pandya has got sixth place
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad showed improvement as the tournament progressed and finished fifth. Mitchell said, “He has improved as the season has gone on. His extreme deployment and understanding of bowlers and resources has got much better throughout the season, and he is getting the best out of players like Jamie Overton and Akil, so I think there has been some great tactics and great leadership.”
Despite Mumbai Indians’ poor performance, in which they have lost 8 out of 11 matches so far, Hardik Pandya is at number six, while Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel is at number seven with Mitchell saying he has been able to “be a little brave with his bowling choices” and take wickets and field brilliantly.
Ajinkya Rahane chosen over Riyan Parag and Rishabh Pant
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane is in eighth place as he continues to perform well. The New Zealanders were impressed by the way Rahane utilized his players and got the most out of his batting unit this season. Riyan Parag was at his ninth position.
The former MI fast bowler said that the Rajasthan Royals captain had a good start at the beginning of the tournament, but as the pressure increased, he looked less organized and made some mistakes in the toss. Ultimately, Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant remained at tenth place in the rankings.
who has been the best captain ever #IPL2026? pic.twitter.com/EDFPusHFTa
– ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) 12 May 2026