{"id":13865,"date":"2026-06-02T10:12:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T10:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/manjrekar-backs-foreign-ipl-captains-says-leadership-beats-nationality"},"modified":"2026-06-02T10:12:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T10:12:33","slug":"manjrekar-backs-foreign-ipl-captains-says-leadership-beats-nationality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/manjrekar-backs-foreign-ipl-captains-says-leadership-beats-nationality","title":{"rendered":"Manjrekar backs foreign IPL captains, says leadership beats nationality"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Former India batter and well-known commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has argued that IPL franchises should be more open to appointing overseas captains, saying the deciding factor ought to be leadership quality rather than where a player comes from. Speaking on the Sportstar podcast, he pointed to recent seasons where Indian skippers have not always delivered, using that as evidence that nationality by itself does not automatically translate into success in T20 cricket.<\/p>\n<h2>Manjrekar\u2019s core message: choose the best leader, not just the local one<\/h2>\n<p>Manjrekar said the captaincy record in the IPL has shown that teams cannot assume effectiveness based purely on a player being Indian. He referenced the struggles of several Indian leaders in recent campaigns, highlighting that even high-profile names have sometimes fallen short of expectations.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>He noted that Indian captains have faced difficulty in certain seasons, stressing that there have been \u201cquite a few\u201d instances where they \u201chaven\u2019t quite delivered.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>He specifically cited Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant as examples of players who have been mentioned in the context of leadership outcomes in the league.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why overseas leadership can work in T20<\/h2>\n<p>The former batter believes T20 demands teams to identify the most effective captain available, regardless of whether the role is filled by a domestic or international player. In his view, the shorter format requires practical leadership impact more than it requires any specific national identity.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Manjrekar said his approach is straightforward: \u201cin T20 cricket, you need the best captain available.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>He argued that if the most suitable option happens to be a foreign player, the franchise should go ahead with that choice.<\/li>\n<li>He cited examples of successful overseas captains, including David Warner and Pat Cummins.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Brand value versus winning titles: the real dilemma for franchises<\/h2>\n<p>While he pushed for leadership-first decisions, Manjrekar also acknowledged that IPL teams often take commercial considerations into account when selecting captains. He said there is a widely understood non-cricketing reason franchises frequently lean toward Indian skippers.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>He explained that an Indian captain can become the public face of the franchise, which helps strengthen the brand.<\/li>\n<li>He added that franchises need to weigh what benefits their identity and what improves their chances of lifting trophies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Captaincy\u2019s impact on fan identity<\/h2>\n<p>Manjrekar further emphasised that captaincy influences how supporters and the wider audience perceive a franchise, particularly in a league where brand value and attention matter. He pointed out that having an Indian captain can naturally attract more attention and shape a different team narrative.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>He highlighted that the IPL is also \u201cabout brand value,\u201d and that an Indian captain often draws greater focus.<\/li>\n<li>He mentioned how linking a franchise with Rishabh Pant, or Virat Kohli leading RCB in the past, creates a distinct dynamic that can strengthen the team\u2019s identity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With these comments, Manjrekar\u2019s stance is set to add fresh fuel to the continuing debate over whether IPL franchises should prioritise leadership credentials or marketing impact when choosing their captains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former India batter and well-known commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has argued that IPL franchises should be more open to appointing overseas captains, saying the deciding factor&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Sanjay Manjrekar on IPL: Overseas Captains, Leadership","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Sanjay Manjrekar says IPL teams should back foreign captains, stressing leadership over nationality, as he questions whether Indian skippers always deliver.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Sanjay Manjrekar on IPL: Overseas Captains, Leadership<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sanjay Manjrekar says IPL teams should back foreign captains, stressing leadership over nationality, as he questions whether Indian skippers always 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