The debate surrounding India's T20I captaincy has increased following the appointment of Shreyas Iyer as the new T20I captain. While Iyer has been appointed as the leader of India's T20I team, many fans and experts believe Rajat Patidar also had a strong case after his remarkable success in the IPL.
Both players have built impressive reputations in the IPL, but their journeys have been very different.
Having said this, in this article, let's take a look at the the stats comparison between Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar's IPL captaincy.
Shreyas Iyer's Captaincy Journey
Shreyas Iyer began his IPL captaincy journey with Delhi Capitals in 2018 after taking over from Gautam Gambhir during a difficult season.
Under his leadership, Delhi Capitals reached the playoffs for the first time in six years in 2019.
After leaving Delhi, Iyer joined KKR in 2022. Although a back injury ruled him out of the 2023 season, he returned in 2024 and led KKR to their first IPL title in 10 years.
In 2025, Punjab Kings made him one of the most expensive players in IPL history by signing him for ₹26.75 crore and naming him captain. He once again transformed a struggling side, taking Punjab to their first IPL final in 11 years.
In IPL 2026, the PBKS captain made 493 runs in 13 innings at an average of 55.33 and a strike rate of 168.81, but Punjab failed to make the IPL 2026 playoffs.
Shreyas Iyer's IPL Captaincy Record
Shreyas Iyer is among the most successful captains in IPL history, having led multiple franchises in the cash-rich league. Since taking up leadership responsibilities in 2018, he has captained Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings.
In 101 IPL matches as captain, Iyer has won 55 games and lost 41. Two matches ended in ties, while three produced no result.
Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy win percentage is 54.45%, one of the best among the captains who have led more than 100 IPL matches.
Rajat Patidar had a brief stint with RCB in 2021; he was released and went unsold in the 2022 mega auction.
However, fate gave him another opportunity when RCB signed him as an injury replacement during the 2022 season. After missing the 2023 season due to injury, he returned strongly in 2024 and became one of RCB's most important batters.
Ahead of the 2025 season, RCB made a bold decision by appointing Rajat Patidar as captain. The move paid off immediately, and in his very first season as skipper, he led the franchise to its long-awaited maiden IPL title.
Patidar continued his success in 2026, leading the team to another IPL title. He also made valuable contribution with the bat and scored 501 runs in 14 innings at a remarkable strike rate of 192.69.
Rajat Patidar's IPL Captaincy Record
Rajat Patidar's captaincy numbers are extraordinary in the IPL. The Madhya Pradesh player has captained RCB in 28 IPL matches between 2025 and 2026. During that period, he has registered 20 wins and suffered only 8 defeats.
His win-loss ratio of 2.50 is the highest among all IPL captains listed with a substantial number of matches. Patidar's win percentage stands at an outstanding 71.42%, while his loss percentage is just 28.57%.
In simple terms, Patidar has won nearly seven out of every ten matches he has captained.
Rajat Patidar's Captaincy Stats In IPL
Format
Matches
Wins
Losses
Win %
Loss %
IPL
28
20
8
71.42
28.57
Conclusion
While Rajat Patidar's IPL captaincy record is outstanding, with a remarkable 71.42% win rate and back-to-back IPL titles with RCB. Appointing Shreyas Iyer as India's T20I captain appears to be the right decision at this stage, given his experience, consistency and proven record.
Shreyas Iyer vs Rajat Patidar (Source: AFP)
