For most IPL teams, the 2026 mini auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16 will be all about strategic buys and role-specific additions, while for a couple of others, it is going to be a captain-centric affair.
The Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders think-tanks will head for Abu Dhabi in search of stability at the helm besides looking to strengthen leadership depth. These two teams are expected to aggressively pursue seasoned campaigners during the bidding event next Tuesday.
The Royals are left to look for a leader following Sanju Samson's move to the Chennai Super Kings. Among all 10 IPL franchises, they are the only side without a designated captain.
Jadeja frontrunner, but...
Ravindra Jadeja, who joined the Royals along with England's Sam Curran when CSK acquired Sanju Samson, is a strong contender for the captaincy for the 2026 season.
A veteran of 254 IPL matches, Jadeja is one of the most experienced campaigners in the glitzy league. However, his previous captaincy stint with CSK did not inspire much confidence, making him an unlikely choice.
Two other potential candidates for the top job are Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Parag, who took over the captaincy when Samson was injured in IPL 2025, led the Royals in eight matches.
Although he showed potential some of his tactical decisions raised questions about his leadership abilities in the high-pressure IPL environment.
In those eight matches under Parag, the Royals managed to win only two.
As Jaiswal, one of the league's prolific scorers, is relatively young and lacks leadership experience, he will have to wait for some more seasons for his chance to lead the side.
The Royals will enter the mini auction with nine slots to fill -- including one overseas player -- and a purse of Rs 16.05 crore (Rs 160.5 million).
If they buy Australia's Steve Smith at the auction, he could be a strong captaincy option, given his leadership resume and the ability to anchor innings. In Samson's absence, they need an experienced batter at the top of the order and Smith perfectly fits the bill.
KKR might go for a leadership change
Although KKR have retained Ajinka Rahane who led them in IPL 2025, replacing Shreyas Iyer, they are expected to pick their future captain at the auction.
At 37, age clearly is not on Rahane's side. Although the veteran has been in blistering form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he was seen only as a short-term replacement following Iyer's controversial departure ahead of IPL 2025.
So, it won't be surprising if KKR, who struggled in the previous season, finishing eighth on the 10 team table, consider the Abu Dhabi auction as an opportunity for a fresh reset, especially on the leadership front.
KKR, who enter the IPL 2026 auction with a massive purse of Rs 64.30 crore (Rs 643 million), the largest among all franchises, retained only 12 players from their 2025 squad. They will have to fill 13 slots, including six for overseas players.
Will Delhi give Axar another chance?
Delhi Capitals appointed all-rounder Axar Patel as their full-time captain last season. They started the season with a bang, registering four wins on the trot, but could not maintain that momentum and fell short of playoff qualification, finishing fifth with seven wins in fourteen games.
Although Axar's performance with the bat and the ball was impressive, his maiden season at the helm has been highly inconsistent. He appeared to be lacking the specific skills needed to motivate and unify a diverse group of individuals, especially in crunch situations. It might prompt the team management to go for a reshuffle in leadership roles.
The Capitals will look to fill eight positions including five overseas vacancies and have a purse of Rs 21.80 crore (Rs 218 million).
Will LSG move past Pant the captain?
Star wicket-keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore (Rs 270 million) at the IPL 2025 mega auction, had a torrid time both as player and captain.
In 12 appearances, he mustered 135 runs at a poor average of 12.27 while maintaining a strike rate of under 100. Although he finished the campaign on a high, hitting a century in the final game of the season, LSG missed the play-offs, with Pant's form cited as a contributing factor.
Coming off a long break after a life-threatening accident, Pant appeared rusty and the weight of captaincy and inconsistent team performances added to his struggles.
Despite the terrible show in his maiden stint, LSG is likely to back him once again for the top job, as his reputation as a big-match player and presence behind the stumps add to his overall value as a complete package.
LSG will enter the mini auction with a purse of Rs 22.95 crore (Rs 229.5 million) and will look to fill six positions including four overseas slots.