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Former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has dropped a massive opinion on international players and their appointment as IPL captains. He has also pointed out that Indian players have often struggled as captains.
Several Indian captains have struggled to maintain a winning streak in the IPL, and they have not promised stunning performances in the season. Rather, the likes of Axar Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Hardik Pandya, and Rishabh Pant have struggled as captains in IPL 2026.
"Indian captain struggled": Sanjay Manjrekar's explosive remark on IPL stars
While all of the players mentioned above are Indian players, Sanjay Manjrekar, while speaking on the Sportstar podcast, opined that captaincy should be handed over based on potential and not nationality, as several Indian players have struggled as captains, while overseas players have done promisingly well.
"I think we've also seen a lot of Indian captains struggle. You mentioned players like Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant. There have been quite a few Indian captains who haven't quite delivered," Manjrekar said.
"My philosophy is simple: in T20 cricket, you need the best captain available. If that happens to be a foreign player, then so be it. David Warner captained successfully; Pat Cummins has done it as well," he added.
IPL franchises weigh commercial considerations for handing over the captaincy role
While he highlighted that T20 captains should be picked based on their effectiveness, he further agreed to the fact that IPL franchises select their captains with weight given to commercial considerations when making captaincy decisions.
"That said, there is a non-cricketing reason why franchises often prefer Indian captains. An Indian captain becomes the face of the franchise and strengthens the brand," he explained.
However, Manjrekar opined that it is crucial to maintain a balance between building a strong brand and maximising the potential of fine leadership. The likes of Pat Cummins have stood up as a promising brand for the Sunrisers.
"Ultimately, franchises have to decide what is better for the brand and what is better for winning titles. Ideally, the captain should be someone who is genuinely a good leader, regardless of nationality," he said.
Having Rishabh Pant or Virat Kohli as captain attracts more attention: Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar does not have the habit of mincing his words whenever he talks on cricket-related issues, be it criticism or citing the credibility of any cricketer. Cricket in India is not limited to a commercial sport but has also turned out to be a massive platform of inspiration and motivation.
These cricketers often have large star power, which has also contributed to the fan bases of these franchises. This has been noted for players like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rishabh Pant. Franchises have gained large-scale branding due to their poster boys.
"But let's not forget that the IPL is also about brand value. An Indian captain naturally attracts more attention. Having someone like Rishabh Pant associated with a franchise, or Virat Kohli leading RCB in the past, creates a different dynamic and gives the team a stronger identity," Sanjay Manjrekar observed.
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