Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has called for the appointment of more overseas captains in the Indian Premier League (IPL), stressing that franchises should prioritize leadership abilities and strategic acumen over a player's nationality.

Speaking on the Sportstar podcast, Manjrekar pointed out that the recent performances of various Indian captains indicate that being a local player does not automatically guarantee success.

"I think we've also seen a lot of Indian captains struggle. You mentioned players like Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant. There have been quite a few Indian captains who haven't quite delivered," Manjrekar said.

"My philosophy is simple: in T20 cricket, you need the best captain available. If that happens to be a foreign player, then so be it. David Warner captained successfully, Pat Cummins has done it as well," he added.

While Manjrekar maintained that winning titles requires a pure leader regardless of where they are from, he acknowledged the commercial reality that Indian captains often provide a major boost to franchise brand identity.

"That said, there is a non-cricketing reason why franchises often prefer Indian captains. An Indian captain becomes the face of the franchise and strengthens the brand," he explained.

Manjrekar advised the franchises to strike the right balance between building a strong brand and maximising their chances of winning the IPL title.

"Ultimately, franchises have to decide what is better for the brand and what is better for winning titles. Ideally, the captain should be someone who is genuinely a good leader, regardless of nationality," he stated.

Manjrekar also emphasized how high-profile Indian captains significantly boost an IPL franchise's public image and fan following.

"But let's not forget that the IPL is also about brand value. An Indian captain naturally attracts more attention. Having someone like Rishabh Pant associated with a franchise, or Virat Kohli leading RCB in the past, creates a different dynamic and gives the team a stronger identity," he remarked.