Sorting problem that hasn’t been seen recently Sanjay Bangar has sparked lively debate among cricket fans, especially Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) supporters. In the challenge, Bangar ranked six prominent Indian Premier League (IPL) captains without first knowing their names. When the results were announced, he showed a legendary flair Virat Kohli ranked fifth on the list – a decision that quickly caught the attention of fans on social media.
Conducted in a video segment with ESPNcricinfo, the challenge was designed to eliminate bias. Bangar was asked to rank the captains purely on their leadership credentials before the identities were announced. After the names were announced, the list generated a lot of chatter about the legacy and achievements of some of the most successful captains in the IPL.
Sanjay Bangar’s blind ranking of IPL captains
At the end of the competition, Bangar’s final ranking placed him behind MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir. Shreyas Iyer finished fourth, Kohli fifth and Hardik Pandya sixth.
The full ranking looked like this:
- MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
- Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)
- Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knights)
- Shreyas Iyer (Delhi Capitals / Kolkata Knight Riders / Punjab Kings)
- Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
- Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians / Gujarat Titans)
For many fans, the top three was no surprise. Dhoni’s tenure with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has long been considered the gold standard in IPL history. Under his captaincy, CSK lifted the IPL trophy five times – in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023. Dhoni also holds the record for most wins as a captain in IPL history with 133 wins in 226 matches and a win percentage of around 5.
Rohit Sharma, who led Mumbai Indians (MI) to five IPL titles between 2013 and 2020, came second. His ability to lead Mumbai through pressure situations and produce results in knockout matches has been instrumental in building one of the most successful dynasties in IPL history.
Gautam Gambhir secured the third spot thanks to his transformative leadership with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Under Gambhir’s captaincy, KKR won their first two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014, turning the franchise into a serious contender after years of struggle.
Why was Virat Kohli ranked fifth by former RCB coach?
The most talked about part of Bangar’s ranking was Kohli’s ranking at No.5. Although Kohli remains one of the greatest batsmen in IPL history, his captaincy record with Royal Challengers Bengaluru is often debated.
Kohli captained RCB in 143 matches between 2011 and 2023, winning 66 and losing 70. His overall win percentage as captain is around 46.15 which is significantly lower than several other successful IPL captains.
Despite having the most explosive batting line-up during his tenure, including the likes of AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, RCB managed to reach just one final under Kohli. This came in the 2016 season, where they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by a narrow margin.
Bangar, who previously worked with RCB as head coach before the IPL 2022 season, would have seen first-hand the challenges the team faced during those years.
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Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer’s fourth-place finish reflects his impressive captaincy record across multiple franchises. He led Delhi Capitals (DC) to their first IPL final in 2020, led KKR to the IPL 2024 title and then led Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the final in his first season with the franchise. His winning percentage of over 55 percent further strengthens his claim as one of the league’s most effective captains.
Hardik Pandya at number six remains an interesting case. He led Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in his debut season in 2022 and reached another final in 2023. However, his return to the MI camp brought mixed results, including a disappointing 2024 season in which the team finished at the bottom of the table.
The debate surrounding Kohli’s captaincy rating comes at an interesting time for RCB. The franchise finally ended its long wait for the IPL title in 2025 by winning the trophy under new captain Rajat Patidar.
Even without the captaincy, Kohli remained a vital part of that victory, amassing 657 runs at an average of 54.75 during the title-winning campaign. His performance reaffirmed his importance to the team as a great batter and leader in the locker room.
As RCB prepares They begin their IPL 2026 campaign against SRH on March 28Debate over Kohli’s captaincy legacy is likely to continue. Whether fans agree with Bangar’s rating or not, the talk highlights how closely scrutinized his leadership records are in a competitive tournament like the IPL T20.
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