Captains to win most IPL trophies

MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma have won the joint-most IPL trophies in the tournament’s history.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most followed sporting tournaments in the world. It wouldn’t be wrong to say it is the biggest and toughest T20 franchise cricket competition on the planet. That is why not only Indian fans, but also fans from other countries take significant interest in the IPL.

The IPL has sprung up some of the best leaders we have seen in the game. This article is related to a stat in which we talk about the most successful leaders of the Indian Premier League.

Here we will talk about the captains who have won the most IPL trophies so far. Interestingly, you will find only Indians and Australians on this elite list.

List of captains to win most IPL trophies

8. Shreyas Iyer – 1 (Kolkata Knight Riders)

It took KKR 10 seasons to end their IPL trophy drought. After winning the 2014 title under Gautam Gambhir, KKR changed a number of captains, but not many could lead them to the title. But Shreyas Iyer finally did it in 2024. Under him, KKR were a force to be reckoned with in the season and went on to win the tournament. With this, Shreyas Iyer became the eighth captain overall and second KKR captain to win the IPL title.

7. Hardik Pandya – 1 (Gujarat Titans)

Hardik Pandya burst onto the scene with all-round performances for Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2015, and he stayed with MI until 2021. In 2022, though, he was released by MI and joined Gujarat Titans (GT).

He was made GT’s captain and against all expectations, Hardik took them to glory in their maiden season. GT won the final against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium, and that raised Hardik’s stock as a captain. He became only the second captain after Shane Warne to lead a team to the title in their maiden season.

6. David Warner – 1 (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

David Warner is a fierce competitor all the time on the cricket field. He is also a brilliant leader, which is evident from his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He led the franchise to numerous playoffs and marched SRH to their maiden title in 2016.

They beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final to clinch the trophy. That season is mainly remembered for Virat Kohli’s 973 runs, but let’s not forget that Warner also scored 848 runs that season.

5. Adam Gilchrist – 1 (Deccan Chargers)

Deccan Chargers are the one IPL champions who are no longer part of the Indian Premier League. They played for the first five seasons of the tournament and were discontinued later on. But during their stint, they won the IPL title in the second edition of the competition. It was Adam Gilchrist who led the Chargers to the IPL trophy in 2009. Deccan beat RCB in the final.

4. Shane Warne – 1 (Rajasthan Royals)

Late Shane Warne created history when he became the first-ever captain to get his hands on the IPL trophy as he led Rajasthan Royals to the IPL 2008 title. RR won the inaugural season under the captaincy of Warne, who was also the coach of the team. It was a special victory for RR, as not many had given them a chance because they didn’t boast of big international stalwarts barring Warne and Shane Watson. But Warne brought out the best in every player and won the title.

3. Gautam Gambhir – 2 (Kolkata Knight Riders)

There are only three captains who have won the IPL trophy multiple times. Former Indian star Gautam Gambhir is one of them. He led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the championship twice in 2012 and in 2014. In 2012, they beat Chennai Super Kings in the final, and in 2014, they beat Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) to become champions. In both finals, KKR chased down 190+ targets.

2. Rohit Sharma – 5 (Mumbai Indians)

Rohit Sharma is one of the few captains to win the IPL title in his first attempt. MI didn’t win anything until 2013 when Rohit was given the captaincy mid-season after Ricky Ponting stepped down as the skipper.

MI turned their season around as Rohit led them to their maiden title. It was just the start for Rohit and MI; he led them to four more titles – in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. MI beat CSK in the finals of 2013, 2015, and 2019; they beat Rising Pune Supergiants in the 2017 final and Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020 final.

1. MS Dhoni – 5 (Chennai Super Kings)

MS Dhoni has also won five titles as captain, but he has some incredible records that put him at the top of this elite list. Under Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won the titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. Dhoni led CSK in 13 seasons, and they made the playoffs 12 times and played 10 finals. That is why he is hailed as the most successful IPL captain ever.

(All stats updated till 26th May, 2024)

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