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A new report has dropped a massive bombshell as IPL 2026 approaches its business end. It claims that the captains of certain teams that have consistently underperformed are set to be axed by the end of the season.
The report mentions that three particular captains who led their teams in IPL 2025 without success, but still kept their jobs this year, are likely to be sacked. The three teams in question have not improved upon their dismal showing from last year at all in IPL 2026.
Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, and Ajinkya Rahane are to lose their jobs after IPL 2026
As reported by PTI, Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants), Axar Patel (Delhi Capitals), and Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders) are all set to be stripped of the captaincy at the end of this year's IPL.
Under those same captains, neither of the three teams had qualified for the playoffs, and they do not look like they will qualify this year either. LSG have been officially eliminated, DC have been practically eliminated, and KKR too are very likely not to make the playoffs in IPL 2026.
These consecutive failures do not seem to have gone down well with the respective franchise owners, and they seem all set to bring the hammer down on these leaders.
Multiple issues plague these respective IPL captains
Apart from the apparent lack of tactical acumen, the lack of cricketing form has also plagued these particular captains.
Each one of them has been dealing with their own issues and seems to be caught in the same storm with their respective owners, even if not in the same boat.
Axar Patel
In 2025, Axar had led the Delhi Capitals to a fifth-place finish and narrowly missed out on a spot in the playoffs. In 2026, that performance has gone downhill.
The Capitals are now in seventh place in IPL 2026 with 5 wins in 12 matches. They have been practically eliminated from contention for the top four this year, and captain Axar's form has definitely had something to do with it.
In 12 matches, he has made 100 runs at a strike rate of 112.50, with 56 of them coming in one innings and the remaining 44 coming in 7 others, despite him batting in the top five.
He has also refrained from bowling his full quota of overs many times, and has taken just 10 wickets at an economy of around 8.08.
DC's co-owners - the GMR and JSW groups - have an arrangement to take over the franchise's operations based on a two-year cycle. JSW's next cycle is set to start in 2027.
"With Axar completely failing to prove his leadership worth and mostly being dependent on Hemang Badani and Venugopal Rao for decision-making, it will be a miracle if he retains captaincy next year.
"The entire coaching staff is also unlikely to be retained," an IPL source tracking developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant's failures after joining LSG in 2025 have basically become the stuff of legend. In 2025, he captained the Lucknow Super Giants to a 7th-place finish, whereas in IPL 2026, they are currently in 10th place, having lost 6 matches in a row at one point.
With the bat, Pant has made just 251 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 138. He is being paid Rs. 27 crores per season by LSG.
According to the reports, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka is not happy with the results achieved despite all the splurging he did to acquire Pant's services. Goenka has been known to be strict in expecting instant results.
In the past, he was at the helm when Rising Pune Supergiant sacked MS Dhoni as captain and replaced him with Steven Smith in 2017 after the team finished second from last in the previous season.
The poor performances have forced LSG to constantly chop and change their playing XII, and the lack of stability has hurt them very much.
Ajinkya Rahane
In 2025, Ajinkya Rahane was appointed Kolkata Knight Riders captain with Venkatesh Iyer named his deputy. Last year, Rahane was unable to achieve significant results for the then-defending champions and took them to No. 8 on the points table.
It was reported that Rahane's appointment as captain came because of the lack of alternatives. This year, KKR are still in eighth place with four wins and a no-result in 11 matches. KKR have a slim chance of making the playoffs, but are most likely to finish outside the top four for the second year running.
Rahane with the bat has arguably been sub-par in terms of his strike rate. This year he has
