Seventeen years. Eighteen seasons. Hundreds of matches. Thousands of players.
But only a handful of captains lifted the IPL trophy.
Winning an IPL title is hard. Winning it as a captain is even harder. The pressure is enormous. The stakes are sky-high. And one mistake can cost everything.
That’s why IPL-winning captains are remembered forever. Their names are written in cricket history. Their faces are on posters and billboards. And their decisions are studied by every future leader.
But what does it take to win an IPL as captain? Is it about having the best players? Is it about luck in key moments? Or is it about something intangible—like presence, instinct, and the ability to inspire?
The truth is, it’s all of the above. Plus something more. Winning captains have a quality that’s hard to define but impossible to ignore.
They know when to attack and when to defend. They know which player to trust in which situation. And they stay calm when everyone else is panicking.
Some captains won because they built dynasties that lasted years. Some won because they made one perfect decision in the final. And some won because they believed when no one else did.
The ipl winning captains list 2008 to 2025 is a legacy of leadership. It’s a record of the men who stood tall when it mattered most. It’s a tribute to the captains who turned teams into champions.
IPL Winning Captains List 2008 to 2025

This article takes you through every winning captain from 2008 to 2025. You’ll see their journeys, their challenges, and their triumphs.
You’ll learn what makes a great IPL captain and why some leaders are simply unforgettable.
Let’s celebrate the captains who made IPL history.
IPL Winning Captains List 2008 to 2025
Here’s the complete ipl winning captains list 2008 to 2025 with winners, captains, runners-up, results, and venues.
| Year | Winner | Captain | Runner-Up | Final Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rajasthan Royals | Shane Warne | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 23 runs | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai |
| 2009 | Deccan Chargers | Adam Gilchrist | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won by 6 runs | Newlands, Cape Town |
| 2010 | Chennai Super Kings | MS Dhoni | Mumbai Indians | Won by 22 runs | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | MS Dhoni | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won by 58 runs | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore |
| 2012 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Gautam Gambhir | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 5 wickets | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore |
| 2013 | Mumbai Indians | Rohit Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 23 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 2014 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Gautam Gambhir | Kings XI Punjab | Won by 3 wickets | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore |
| 2015 | Mumbai Indians | Rohit Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 41 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | David Warner | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won by 8 runs | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore |
| 2017 | Mumbai Indians | Rohit Sharma | Rising Pune Supergiant | Won by 1 run | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 2018 | Chennai Super Kings | MS Dhoni | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 8 wickets | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 2019 | Mumbai Indians | Rohit Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 1 run | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 2020 | Mumbai Indians | Rohit Sharma | Delhi Capitals | Won by 5 wickets | Dubai International Stadium |
| 2021 | Chennai Super Kings | MS Dhoni | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 27 runs | Dubai International Stadium |
| 2022 | Gujarat Titans | Hardik Pandya | Rajasthan Royals | Won by 7 wickets | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 2023 | Chennai Super Kings | MS Dhoni | Gujarat Titans | Won via DLS method | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Shreyas Iyer | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 8 wickets | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Rajat Patidar | Punjab Kings | Won by 6 runs | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
Highlight: RCB finally won their first IPL title in 2025 under Rajat Patidar after 18 years of waiting.
Year-by-Year IPL Captains Timeline
Here’s a quick look at each season with one memorable moment.
- 2008 — Shane Warne (Rajasthan Royals)
Warne’s leadership and Yusuf Pathan’s final heroics shocked everyone. RR won the inaugural trophy.
- 2009 — Adam Gilchrist (Deccan Chargers)
Gilchrist’s explosive batting set the tone. DC beat RCB in a low-scoring thriller.
- 2010 — MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
Dhoni’s calmness and Suresh Raina’s knock delivered CSK’s first title.
- 2011 — MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
Back-to-back for CSK. Murali Vijay’s 95 in the final crushed RCB’s hopes.
- 2012 — Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Gambhir’s bold captaincy and Manvinder Bisla’s 89 shocked CSK in the final.
- 2013 — Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)
Rohit’s first title as captain. Kieron Pollard smashed CSK in the final.
- 2014 — Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Gambhir’s second title. Manish Pandey’s 94 sealed the win over KXIP.
- 2015 — Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)
Rohit’s 50 in the final destroyed CSK. MI dominated every department.
- 2016 — David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Warner’s aggressive captaincy and Ben Cutting’s cameo won SRH their first title.
- 2017 — Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)
MI won by just 1 run. Rohit’s captaincy under pressure was pure class.
- 2018 — MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
Dhoni returned after the ban. Shane Watson’s 117* powered CSK’s comeback.
- 2019 — Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)
Another 1-run win. Lasith Malinga’s final-over spell became legendary.
- 2020 — Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)
Fifth title for Rohit. Trent Boult’s 3/30 destroyed the Delhi Capitals.
- 2021 — MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
Dhoni’s fifth title. Faf du Plessis’ 86 and Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round show won it.
- 2022 — Hardik Pandya (Gujarat Titans)
Hardik’s debut season as captain. GT won in their first year itself.
- 2023 — MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
Rain-hit final decided by DLS. Dhoni’s tactical genius won CSK their fifth title.
- 2024 — Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Iyer’s calm leadership brought KKR its third title. Mitchell Starc’s 2/14 sealed it.
- 2025 — Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
RCB finally broke the curse. Patidar’s leadership and Krunal Pandya’s bowling won the trophy.
Quick Facts About IPL Captains
Most Titles by Captain
Here’s the most IPL winning captains list:
- Rohit Sharma (MI) — 5 Titles (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
- MS Dhoni (CSK) — 5 Titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023)
- Gautam Gambhir (KKR) — 2 Titles (2012, 2014)
Player of the Tournament (Season MVPs)
- 2023: Shubman Gill (GT)
- 2024: Sunil Narine (KKR)
- 2025: Suryakumar Yadav (MI)
Oldest & Youngest Winning Captains
- Oldest: MS Dhoni — 42 years (2023)
- Youngest: Hardik Pandya — 28 years (2022)
CSK: The Kings of Consistency
The ipl winning captains list 2008 to 2025 CSK shows MS Dhoni’s dominance. CSK won 5 titles under his captaincy.
Key CSK Moments:
- 2010 & 2011: Back-to-back wins.
- 2018: Comeback after 2-year ban.
- 2021 & 2023: Proved age is just a number.
Why CSK Wins:
- Experience over youth.
- Cool-headed leadership.
- Strong home advantage.
RCB: The 2025 Breakthrough
The ipl winning captains list 2008 to 2025 RCB finally has an entry. After 18 years, RCB won under Rajat Patidar in 2025.
RCB’s Journey:
- Lost finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016.
- Known for star power but lacked balance.
- 2025: Balanced squad and smart captaincy finally paid off.
Key Players in 2025 Final:
- Virat Kohli: 43 runs, calm anchor.
- Krunal Pandya: Match-turning bowling spell.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Tight death bowling.
IPL Winners List 2025 — Quick Recap
The IPL winners list 2025 saw RCB lift their maiden trophy. Here’s what happened:
- Final: RCB vs Punjab Kings
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
- Result: RCB won by 6 runs
- Captain: Rajat Patidar
- Man of the Match: Krunal Pandya (3 runs conceded in a crucial over)
- Top Performer: Virat Kohli finished 3rd in season run-scorers with 657 runs
IPL Team Captain List 2025
Here’s the IPL team captain list 2025 with all captains who led teams in the season.
| Team | 2025 Captain | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bangalore | Rajat Patidar | Champions |
| Chennai Super Kings | MS Dhoni | 5-time winner |
| Mumbai Indians | Rohit Sharma | 5-time winner |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Shreyas Iyer | Defending champ |
| Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill | Young leader |
| Rajasthan Royals | Sanju Samson | Explosive captain |
| Punjab Kings | Shikhar Dhawan | Runners-up |
| Delhi Capitals | Rishabh Pant | Comeback story |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Pat Cummins | Overseas captain |
| Lucknow Super Giants | KL Rahul | Stylish leader |
Most Successful IPL Captains — Who Wins and Why?
When we look at the ipl winning captains list 2008 to 2025, two names stand out: Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.
Why Rohit Sharma Wins:
- Cool under pressure.
- Smart bowling changes.
- Death-over specialist captaincy.
Why MS Dhoni Wins:
- Master of reading the game.
- Calm in chaos.
- Knows how to get the best from players.
Gautam Gambhir:
- Fearless approach.
- Backed young players like Narine and Russell.
FAQs
- Q1: Who has the most IPL titles as captain?
Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni — both have 5 titles each.
- Q2: Who is the best captain in IPL 2025?
Rajat Patidar led RCB to their first-ever title in 2025.
- Q3: Which teams have never won the IPL?
Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals have never won the trophy.
Conclusion:
The ipl winning captains list 2008 to 2025 is a story of legends, comebacks, and unforgettable moments.
From Warne’s magic to Dhoni’s calmness to Rohit’s consistency, every captain brought something special.
RCB’s 2025 win proved that patience pays off. CSK and MI remain the benchmark.
And new captains like Hardik and Shreyas show that fresh blood can challenge the old guard.
Which captain is your favourite? Drop your answer in the comments below! 🏆🔥
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