The Indian Premier League (IPL) stands out as one of the most popular and wealthiest cricket leagues globally. Being a captain in this league means shouldering the expectations of millions of fans. Despite this, only a few have excelled as leaders in its 16-year history.
Remarkably, four players have captained their teams in over 100 matches, with two extending their leadership to more than 150 games. However, only one individual has surpassed the 200-match mark as captain. But does leading the most matches equate to being the most successful captain? Let’s delve into the statistics of the top five captains who have led their teams in the most matches.
Also Read About: Best IPL finishers.
Most Matches as Captain in IPL 2024
1. MS Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has led the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) in a record-breaking 226 matches. Known affectionately as ‘Thala’ by CSK fans, Dhoni has secured 133 wins and 99 losses, translating to a win percentage of 58.84—the highest for any captain with over 80 matches in the history of the IPL. Under his leadership, the Yellow Brigade has clinched five championships and reached the finals an unprecedented 11 times.
2. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma ranks second in terms of matches captained, having led the Mumbai Indians to all five of their IPL titles. Notably, he has never lost an IPL final. However, in a significant change for the 2024 season, Mumbai Indians have appointed Hardik Pandya as their new captain, marking the end of Sharma’s tenure as the leader of the blue brigade.
From 2013 to 2023, Rohit Sharma, often referred to as the ‘Hitman’, captained the Mumbai team in 158 matches. Under his leadership, the team won 87 matches and lost 67, resulting in a win percentage of 55.06, which ranks second only to Dhoni’s record.
3. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is another prominent Indian cricketer who has extensively led an IPL franchise. Unfortunately, his tenure as captain is notable for its absence of major trophies. Despite his prowess on the field, Kohli was unable to secure a world title for India or lead his team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), to an IPL championship during his 11 seasons as captain.
Kohli commanded RCB in 143 matches, securing 66 wins and suffering 70 losses. Notably, he is the only captain who has lost more matches than he won among those who have led over 100 IPL games.
4. Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir, celebrated for introducing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to championship success, gained widespread admiration for his assertive leadership style. He secured two IPL titles for KKR, which remain the team’s only championships to date. Gambhir will return to KKR for the 2024 IPL season as a mentor, raising expectations for the team now led by Shreyas Iyer.
In addition to his time with KKR, Gambhir also captained the Delhi Capitals (DC). Over his IPL captaincy career, he led in 129 matches, achieving 71 victories and 57 defeats. His win percentage stands at 55.03, closely trailing Rohit Sharma’s 55.06.
5. David Warner
David Warner, the fifth name on this list, has captained both Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC). Warner stepped in as a temporary leader for the Capitals when Rishabh Pant was unavailable for the 2023 IPL season. His most notable achievement as a captain was leading the Hyderabad franchise to an IPL title in 2016.
Unfortunately, Warner’s performance and leadership saw a significant decline, resulting in his removal from the SRH lineup in 2021 and his eventual release in 2022. Throughout his captaincy tenure, Warner led in 83 matches, winning 40 and losing 41, which gives him a win percentage of 48.13—higher than Virat Kohli’s.
Also Read about who created the most sixes in IPL by team.
Top five captains with most matches in IPL history
|
Player |
Teams |
Span |
Matches |
Won |
Lost |
Tied |
NR |
Win Percentage |
|
MS Dhoni |
CSK, RPS |
2008-2023 |
226 |
133 |
91 |
0 |
2 |
58.84 |
|
RG Sharma |
MI |
2013-2023 |
158 |
87 |
67 |
4 |
0 |
55.06 |
|
V Kohli |
RCB |
2011-2023 |
143 |
66 |
70 |
3 |
4 |
46.15 |
|
G Gambhir |
DC, KKR |
2009-2018 |
129 |
71 |
57 |
1 |
0 |
55.03 |
|
DA Warner |
DC, SRH |
2013-2023 |
83 |
40 |
41 |
2 |
0 |
48.19 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.1 Who has captained the most matches in IPL history?
MS Dhoni holds the record for captaining the most matches in IPL history, leading his teams in a total of 226 matches across two franchises, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS).a
Q.2 Which IPL captain has the highest win percentage?
MS Dhoni also has the highest win percentage among IPL captains who have led in over 80 matches, with a win rate of 58.84%.
Q.3 Has any IPL captain never lost a final?
Rohit Sharma, the captain of Mumbai Indians, has never lost an IPL final. Under his leadership, Mumbai Indians secured all five of their IPL titles.
Q.4 Which captain returned to his team as a mentor after his captaincy tenure?
Gautam Gambhir, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles, returned to the team as a mentor for the 2024 IPL season after retiring from his captaincy role.
Q.5 Which IPL captain had a tenure without winning any major trophies despite leading extensively?
Virat Kohli, despite his extensive leadership of Royal Challengers Bangalore over 11 seasons and captaining in 143 matches, did not win any IPL championships during his tenure as captain.