Two Captains Could Miss Beginning of IPL: Know Who Will Replace Them

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is around the corner and the preparations for the tournament are underway. All ten franchises recently submitted their list of released and retained players and now the focus turns towards the IPL 2026 auction.

The IPL 2026 auction will take place on December 16 and it is expected to be a blockbuster event with some big names all set to go under the hammer. All the teams would be keen to complete the balance and head into the new season on a high.

With IPL auction 2026 around the corner, some of the franchises are mulling over the fitness of some of the key players. There are two big names who have recently suffered injuries and although they are expected to be fit by the time the league starts but one cannot predict the same.

Two Captains Who Could Miss Beginning of IPL

While the Indian Premier League is still a distance away, there are two captains who could miss out the beginning of the season. It could be a massive blow to both the teams as they are among the premier batters for their sides. Here, we talk about the two captains who could miss the beginning of the IPL.

Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill, who is the captain of the Gujarat Titans, recently suffered a neck injury during the first Test between the India national cricket team and the South Africa Cricket Team. He experienced stiffness in his neck and then was admitted to the hospital as there was unbearable pain. After Shubman Gill injury, the batter stayed in hospital for a night.

However, Shubman Gill is all set to miss the IND vs SA 2nd Test. The premier batter has been one of the best batsmen in IPL over the last few years. He has piled up runs consistently for the team and will be important for GT in the next year. In his place, B Sai Sudharsan is likely to lead Gujarat Titans. Sudharsan has been a prime batsman in the league over the last few years. His consistency and composure makes him a perfect captaincy choice. for his team.

Shreyas Iyer

Another captain who could miss the beginning of the IPL is Shreyas Iyer. The Punjab Kings captain, during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney, faced a rib injury and ruptured his spleen, which caused internal bleeding. He was shifted to hospital and there in ICU for a few days. Shreyas Iyer injury turned out to be a serious one according to the reports.

However, he has been discharged from the hospital and has returned to Mumbai. He will be missing the ODI series against South Africa and there is no clarity when he will make a return to the side. The right-hander has been in the red-hot form and Punjab Kings. He is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world and his team would be hoping that he gets fit in time by the time the league starts.

Shreyas Iyer was one of the major reason behind success of PBKS in IPL 2025. He led from the front and took his team to the final of the tournament. However, they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final. In his absence, Shashank Singh can lead Punjab Kings. Shashank served as the team's vice-captain in 2025 and has the experience to lead the team in Iyer's absence.