Ranking the three best captains after 39 matches in IPL 2025 ft. Axar Patel 

The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) saw a major shuffling of captains in the off-season, with the mega auction having played a huge role. Half of the franchises had new captains at the helm amid the shake-up, and it is the captain and the coaching staff who set the tone for the players to perform out on the ground.

After 39 matches in the edition, some captains in the league have had breezy starts with minimal concerns. However, for some, they are out trying to put out multiple fires at once. A lot may change in the second half of the campaign, but as of now, there is a clear distinction between captains who are getting it right, and those who are on the wrong track.

It is to be noted that although captaincy plays a role in where a team is placed on the points table, it is not an accurate assessment of the captain's performance, because a leader can only do so much.

On that note, let us take a look at the three best captains midway through IPL 2025 season.

#1 Axar Patel

There were a lot of questions following Axar Patel's appointment as DC captain, especially with far more experienced candidates like Faf du Plessis and KL Rahul, present in the setup. But, DC's call of going with the natural progression, given the all-rounder was previously vice-captain, has paid off.

DC's dominant start to the campaign has got a lot to do with Axar Patel's captaincy. He has not shied away from making bold calls on the field, whether it be using Vipraj Nigam in the powerplay on a regular basis or promoting himself in the batting order.

DC do have a well-rounded squad, but it is performing at a good level because Axar Patel is using the resources in the right manner. It is a testament to Patel's captaincy that DC are in a good position in the league despite the top-order not firing, and no replacement named for Harry Brook.

#2 Shreyas Iyer

A huge chunk of Shreyas Iyer's hefty bid at the mega auction was for his leadership ability, along with his batting talent. His captaincy stocks grew tenfold after leading KKR and Mumbai to silverware in 2024. The player has lived up to his reputation, judged by how well he has marshalled the troops around.

His bold decisions to keep pace on in the middle overs against CSK, unconventionally holding Chahal back, or bringing on Vijaykumar Vyshak against GT as a death specialist impact sub, were all inspired calls.

His chemistry with Ricky Ponting behind the scenes is clearly aiding PBKS, as they have had a memorable first half of the campaign. Iyer's crowning achievement, when it comes to captaincy, came during the home encounter against KKR. He orchestrated a historic defence, defending a 112-run target beating all odds.

The way he set aggressive fields to put pressure on the batter, and brought on the right set of bowlers at the right time, was the bedrock of that memorable win.

#3 Rajat Patidar

Certainly not a captain without flaws, but one has to agree that Rajat Patidar is doing a great job at the helm, considering it is his first time leading at such a level. With some big names to manage in a franchise with the highest of expectations, Patidar's calm head and rational decision-making have kept RCB afloat midway through the campaign.

Surely, their dismal home record is a huge headache that needs resolving immediately. But, on the flip side, no captain has a better away record in IPL 2025.

Taking the recent contest against PBKS as example, his move to bring Krunal Pandya in the powerplay, bore rewards immediately. After Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh had a go against the pacers, the left-arm spinner was brought in to slam the brakes, and he delivered with the wicket of Arya.

All-rounder Sherfane Rutherford's inclusion, and introduction into the bowling attack were also a smart call. Patidar held back wrist spinner Suyash Sharma since Shreyas Iyer was at the crease. The move to hand Shepherd the eighth over paid off as Iyer was dismissed for six after being caught in the deep. The dismissal proved to be the start of a collapse, which RCB made the most of.