List of all captains who won IPL title in first stint

Only four captains have won the IPL in their first season as captain.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is often considered one of the most challenging franchise T20 leagues, where world-class international players are up against each other. Due to stiff competition and intense rivalry, captaincy in the IPL becomes a challenging task.

A captain faces a lot of pressure in IPL, where a single dismal season can hamper his position in the following edition. While many players take years to succeed, some leaders made an immediate impact by winning the title in their very first stint.

On that note, below is the list of all players who have won the IPL title in their first season as captain.

Who won the IPL in the inaugural edition in 2008?

Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural edition in 2008.

Which captains have won the IPL titles in their first stint as captain?

Shane Warne, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Rajat Patidar have won IPL titles in their first stint as captains.

Here are the captains who won the IPL trophy in their first stint

1. Shane Warne- IPL 2008 (Rajasthan Royals)

Although captaincy in IPL is dominated by Indian players at present, an overseas player won the inaugural edition as a captain. It was none other than Shane Warne, who led the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the title in 2008.

Under Warne’s captaincy, RR topped the points table after the league stage. They crushed Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) by a huge margin of 105 runs in the semi-final and later outplayed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final by three wickets.

2. Rohit Sharma – IPL 2013 (Mumbai Indians)

After failing to win titles in the first five seasons, the Mumbai Indians appointed Ricky Ponting as the captain for 2013. However, due to a poor batting show, he stepped down from the position midway, and Rohit Sharma was given the reins of the side.

MI made it to the playoffs by finishing second in the points table. They lost Qualifier 1 against CSK but bounced back by defeating the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2. In the summit clash, they crushed MS Dhoni-led CSK by 23 runs to win their first title in the tournament’s history.

3. Hardik Pandya – IPL 2022 (Gujarat Titans)

IPL 2022 saw the addition of the Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants as two new teams, taking the tournament to 10 teams. Hardik Pandya was captured by GT as a direct signing and appointed as captain.

They stunned the entire cricket fraternity with a dominating show, losing just four games and winning 10 out of 14 in the league stage. In the final against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), GT won like a walk in the park by seven wickets.

Pandya earned a lot of praise for his effective leadership as he led a new team to the trophy in their very first season.

4. Rajat Patidar – IPL 2025 (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

Many big players, such as Anil Kumble, Virat Kohli, and Faf du Plessis, failed to guide the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to an IPL trophy for years. However, a lesser-known name, Rajat Patidar, turned RCB’s fortunes around in the 2025 edition. He was appointed as the captain just ahead of the tournament.

With marvellous teamwork, the RCB ended second in the points table after the league stage. Later, they crushed the Punjab Kings in back-to-back games in Qualifier 1 and the final to win their maiden title. It was a dream-come-true moment for the franchise as they had earlier lost the final on three occasions.

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