The BCCI has released the fixtures for IPL 2026 which will take place during the upcoming Indian Premier League season. The 19th edition of the popular T20 tournament will begin on March 28. The opening match will see defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Sunrisers Hyderabad. The game will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The cricket board has currently released match times for 20 tournament games only. The cricket board will announce the remaining schedule after the Indian state elections have finished. The first set of matches has already generated fan enthusiasm for the upcoming season. IPL 2026 captains for all Teams Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings) Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to lead Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026. MS Dhoni transferred the leadership of the team to Gaikwad before IPL 2024. Gaikwad who already displayed leadership skills through his Asian Games 2023 gold medal win with India was chosen to become captain. Gaikwad has performed well in his captaincy duties after taking over from Dhoni who was a legendary captain. Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians) Hardik Pandya will lead Mumbai Indians again in IPL 2026. Pandya led Gujarat Titans to victory in the 2022 IPL and then guided the team to their second final appearance in 2023. Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians after the successful season and became their captain in 2024. The MI team faced tough challenges during his first season which resulted in them finishing last. The team experienced better performance during the following season. Also Read | Kolkata Knight Riders: IPL 2026 Schedule: Venues, Fixtures, Full Squad, Date And Time Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) Rajat Patidar will once again captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He was named captain before the 2025 season. Patidar achieved what no RCB leader had accomplished before by winning their first IPL title after almost two decades during his first season as leader. His success made him the most discussed captain throughout the entire league. Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings) Shreyas Iyer will continue as captain of Punjab Kings. Iyer was released by Kolkata Knight Riders before the 2025 IPL season but he had led them to victory in the 2024 IPL tournament. Punjab Kings then signed him for ₹26.75 crore in the auction. Punjab Kings advanced to the playoffs under his command. Iyer became the first IPL captain to lead three different teams to the playoffs. Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans) Shubman Gill will continue to lead Gujarat Titans. Gill took over the captaincy in 2024 after Hardik Pandya moved back to Mumbai Indians. The young opener has helped his team remain competitive throughout the entire tournament. Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders) Ajinkya Rahane will remain captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. The franchise confirmed that Rahane will continue in the role after the squad was rebuilt at the mini auction. KKR finished their previous season in eighth place after winning 12 points from 14 matches. The team will hope for better results in the upcoming tournament. Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad) Pat Cummins will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad for a third straight season. The Australian fast bowler became captain in 2024 after SRH bought him for ₹20.50 crore at the auction. At that time, it was the highest bid in IPL history. Sunrisers Hyderabad will start their IPL 2026 campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match. Also Read | Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Schedule: Venues, Fixtures, Full Squad, Date And Time Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants) Rishabh Pant will lead Lucknow Super Giants again in the new season. Pant became the captain of the team after the franchise decided to release KL Rahul before IPL 2025. The wicketkeeper-batter was bought for ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. Pant aims to lead his team towards a successful season following their unsatisfactory performance last year. Axar Patel (Delhi Capitals) Axar Patel will remain captain of Delhi Capitals. Axar joined the franchise in 2019 and has been an important player for them. The team performed well during the previous season because of his peaceful attitude. Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals) Riyan Parag will lead Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026. The young all-rounder had earlier served as stand-in captain in a few matches last season. He will now lead the team throughout the entire tournament. The 2026 IPL season will bring an exciting experience to fans because of young leaders and seasoned players who will take on important roles.