The IPL 2026 excitement is reaching its peak as the tournament kicks off on March 28. This year, the focus is heavily on three Indian captains who are projected to be the top contenders for the silverware. Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, and Ishan Kishan have emerged as the tactical minds to watch out for.

Shreyas Iyer, leading Punjab Kings, has a proven track record of taking teams to the finals. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians’ Hardik Pandya, who already has a title under his belt with Gujarat Titans, is eager to recreate the magic for MI. The biggest excitement surrounds Ishan Kishan, who takes over the Sunrisers Hyderabad captaincy in the absence of Pat Cummins. After leading Jharkhand to a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win, Ishan is ready to showcase his leadership on the world’s biggest T20 stage.