Most successful captains in IPL history

In a tournament like the IPL, the role of the captain is of utmost importance given that the game can change very quickly. However, it is not an easy job to lead a side in such a big tournament. The franchises also do not give a longer run to a player if he fails to perform as a captain. 

But if you can perform like Hardik Pandya did for Gujarat Titans then you can be in for a long run.

There have been few cricketers who have enjoyed a long run in captaincy because of their consistent performance. In this article, we will be discussing the most successful captains in IPL history. 

4. Virat Kohli (66)

Virat Kohli is the most successful Test captain for India and also led Royal Challengers Bangalore for several seasons in the IPL. Overall, Virat Kohli captained for a total of 143 matches and won 66 of these matches with a win percentage of 46.15. Later, Faf du Plessis took over from him as skipper.

3. Gautam Gambhir (71)

Gautam Gambhir has proved his leadership skills in the IPL and international cricket alike. In total, Gautam Gambhir won 71 matches out of the 129 he captained. The left-handed batter was Kolkata Knight Riders' skipper in their successful campaigns in 2012 and 2014, making him the third-most successful IPL captain. He also led the team for the Delhi Capitals in multiple seasons.

2. Rohit Sharma (87)

With 5 IPL trophies in 9 years as captain, Rohit Sharma is definitely one of the best captains in the tournament's history. He has the best winning percentage as a skipper in the league. In total, he has led the team in 143 IPL games with 77 of them resulting in a win. Rohit was Mumbai’s skipper in their successful campaigns in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. 

1. MS Dhoni (133)

MS Dhoni is the only player who captained a side in the 2008 edition and is still leading a team. He won 5 IPL trophies for CSK with his captaincy in the years 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023. In total, Dhoni has captained in 204 matches and has won 133 of them which takes his winning percentage to 58.85. Except for three seasons - 2016, 2020, 2022 - he led his team to the IPL playoffs in all the other seasons. He also holds the record for playing the most number of IPL matches as a captain.

Highest win percentage as a captain in IPL (with min of 100 matches)

Highest win percentage as a captain in IPL (with min of 10 matches)

*Last Updated on 25th May, 2024.