3 Indians who could rule all formats for years

• Selectors eye young talent for future Indian leadership roles
• Padikkal, Varma and Kishan emerge as key all-format candidates
• These players have already led India A and domestic sides

Indian cricket has always placed a premium on identifying leadership talent early. With several senior players approaching the end of their international

careers, the question of who leads India across formats in the coming years is becoming increasingly relevant. The selectors have already begun giving younger players leadership responsibilities at the domestic and India A levels.

Here are three cricketers who could lead India across all formats:

1. Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal, born July 7, 2000, in Edappal, Kerala, is a left-handed top-order batter who represents Karnataka in domestic cricket and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. His Test record of 418 runs in 4 matches at an average of 69.66, including 2 centuries and a highest score of 167, underlines his quality at the highest level. His last Test appearance came on August 23, 2026, against Sri Lanka.

On the leadership front, Padikkal was named captain of India A for a two-match unofficial Test series against Australia A in 2026, with Sai Sudharsan appointed as his vice-captain. He scored a crucial half-century during that four-day series in September 2026. At the domestic level, he took charge of Karnataka's Ranji Trophy side during the 2025-26 season, succeeding Mayank Agarwal in the role. He showed composure under pressure by opening the second innings and scoring an unbeaten 120 off 85 balls to complete a 250-run chase against Punjab. He also posted a career-best 232 from No. 3 against Uttarakhand in the Ranji Trophy semi-final while leading the side. In the Duleep Trophy 2026 final, he contributed 62 for South Zone.

 

2. Tilak Varma

Namboori Thakur Tilak Varma, born November 8, 2002, is a left-handed batting all-rounder from Hyderabad. He made his T20I debut on August 3, 2023, against West Indies and his ODI debut on September 15, 2023, against Bangladesh. His last T20I appearance was on October 3, 2026, against Pakistan.

Varma has accumulated approximately 1,791 runs in T20I cricket at an average close to 44.78, including 2 centuries and a top score of 120 not out. His first-class record of around 1,828 runs in 25 matches at an average of 57.13, with 8 hundreds, reflects consistent red-ball quality as well. His List A record of 1,867 runs in 47 matches at an average of 46.67, including 6 hundreds, adds further weight to his all-format credentials. At 23, Varma's consistency across formats and his ability to perform under pressure make him a credible long-term captaincy candidate.

 

3. Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishanis a left-handed wicketkeeper-batter from Jharkhand, best known for smashing 210 off 131 balls to record the second-fastest double-century in ODI history. He has established himself across formats, scoring 1,107 runs in 32 ODIs at an average of 42.57 and 1,918 runs in 64 T20Is at a strike rate of over 120. In the IPL, he has won two titles with Mumbai Indians and recorded multiple 400-plus-run seasons. In First-Class cricket, his highest score is 273 for Jharkhand.

Kishan also brings significant leadership experience, having captained India’s Under-19 team to the final of the 2016 ICC U-19 World Cup. At the franchise level, Sunrisers Hyderabad appointed him interim captain at the start of the 2026 IPL season, where he made an immediate impact with an unbeaten 106 off 47 balls. Domestically, he has led Jharkhand and East Zone, guiding his teams to major titles, including the 2025–26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Duleep Trophy.