Ambati Rayudu ranks the 10 IPL 2026 captains; excludes Shreyas Iyer from Top 4

Former Team India batter Ambati Rayudu ranked the 10 IPL 2026 captains as the league stage reaches its final stages (via ESPN Cricinfo Instagram handle). All but two teams, the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), remain in contention for a playoff spot.

As a result, it was no surprise that Rayudu had the skippers of the two sides, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, at No.10 and 9, respectively. While Pant’s LSG are at the bottom of the table with three wins in 11 matches, Hardik’s MI are ninth with four wins in 12 outings.

Rayudu ranked Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel eighth, given the team’s struggles after an excellent start to the season. DC won their first two matches before losing seven of their next 10 outings.

KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane came in at No.7, with his side struggling at eighth on the points table with only four wins in 11 matches. Rayudu had RR captain Riyan Parag come in at No.6, the same position the side finds itself in the standings, with six wins in 11 games.

In a surprise, Rayudu ranked PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer outside the top four at No.5. Following their runners-up finish last season, PBKS started the 2026 edition with a bang, winning their first six completed matches.

However, they have lost their next five games and have fallen to fourth on the points table after 12 outings.

Ambati Rayudu ranks top-seeded RCB’s skipper Rajat Patidar in his top 2

Ambati Rayudu praised Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad for leading the side’s comeback in IPL 2026 and ranked him No.4. The Men in Yellow lost their first three games of the season but have bounced back to win six of their next eight matches.

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins came in at No.3, having led the side to a 7-5 record in 12 games and third on the points table.

Ambati Rayudu placed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar at No.2, despite the side topping the standings with eight wins in 12 games. Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill topped Rayudu’s captain rankings, thanks to the side’s identical record as RCB with eight wins in 12 games.