The best captain in IPL is a player who helps his team make the right decisions and react to the opponent’s play. He can be called a guide to the ideas of the head coach on the field. At the same time, he not only influences but also participates in the strategic development of the game. Thus, the player makes a profound contribution to the achievement of results.
On this page, you will find out who the most successful captain in IPL is by the number of games played and the winning percentage. Use this information to bet on Indian Premier League clashes.
Top Captains in IPL By Games Played
Over the years of the Indian Premier League, dozens of captains have participated in the tournament. We have prepared information about who is the best captain in IPL based on the number of matches played. The more such games, the more the team trusts the player who has the status of the leader. In the table below, you can find out which 10 players have the most matches in the captaincy status.
Rank
Player
Games played
Won/Lost
1
MS Dhoni (CSK/RPS)
226
133/91
2
Rohit Sharma (DC/MI)
158
87/67
3
Virat Kohli (RCB)
143
66/70
4
Gautam Gambhir (DC/KKR)
129
71/57
5
David Warner (DC/SRH)
83
40/41
6
Adam Gilchrist (DC/KXIP)
74
35/39
7
Shreyas Iyer (DC/KKR)
55
27/26
8
Shane Warne (RR)
55
30/24
9
Virender Sehwag (DC/KXIP)
53
28/24
10
KL Rahul (KXIP/LSG/PBKS)
51
25/24
Best IPL Captains By Win Percentage
Another critical factor determines who the best captain in IPL is. It is the percentage of wins a team has achieved under a particular captain. Logically, the more matches, the lower the rate may be. But at the moment, Hardik Pandya’s leadership in this indicator is undeniable.
Rank
Player
Overall Win %
Games played
1
Hardik Pandya (GT)
73.33
31
2
Steve Smith (PWI/RPS/RR)
59.52
43
3
MS Dhoni (CSK/RPS)
59.19
226
4
Sachin Tendulkar (MI)
58.82
51
5
Anil Kumble (RCB)
57.69
26
6
Rohit Sharma (DC/MI)
56.32
158
7
Shane Warne (RR)
55.45
55
8
Gautam Gambhir (DC/KKR)
55.42
129
9
Rishabh Pant (DC)
55
30
10
Daniel Vettori (RCB)
54.54
22
Top-5 Captains IPL in the League History
If you are wondering who the most successful captain in IPL is, any rankings will include five players. These are famous cricketers who have had many glorious moments and resounding victories in their careers:
MS Dhoni;
Rohit Sharma;
Virat Kohli;
Gautam Gambhir;
David Warner.
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni is a star of world cricket, he has taken CSK to ten finals in 14 seasons in which he captained the team and helped it become champions five times (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023). It was only in 2016 and 2017 that Dhoni played for another team (RPS) because CSK had a two-year ban for corruption allegations. The player then returned to his club and continued to be the captain. But on the eve of the 2024 season, he gave up this role to Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Dhoni was also a major contributor to India winning three ICC titles. This makes him one of the greatest athletes not only in IPL but also at the international level.
Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma, the top-order batter, is one of the most popular players in India. He has won one IPL title with DC and five as captain of MI. Rohit is one of only four players to have scored more than 6,000 runs in IPL in his career. He scored 538 runs in 2012, one of MI’s championship seasons.
Sharma is now the captain of the Indian national team. His experience and credibility are unquestionable, and young players look up to the captain for guidance and improvement.
Virat Kohli
Perhaps India’s most famous top order batter, Virat Kohli, can also be called the best captain in IPL. He is loved by millions of people in India and respected and feared by his opponents. Virat is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League with more than 8,000 runs. He holds the league record for the most centuries (8) and runs in a single season (973 in 2016). Even though they have never won the league title, RCB is one of the most popular teams in the IPL, thanks to Kohli.
Virat is also performing impressively at the international level. He has 9,230 runs in Tests, 13,963 in ODIs, and 12,886 in T20s. The player has also won all the major international honors for India, from the ICC Champions Trophy to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir is a perfect example of how a smart and successful player can become an effective coach. As captain of KKR, he led the team to two IPL titles (2012 and 2014). He also performed well at the international level, scoring 5,238 runs in ODIs, 4,154 in Tests, and 6,402 in T20s.
Gambhir completed his playing career in 2018 and is now India’s head coach in all formats.
David Warner
Australian David Warner is one of the most famous foreign batters in IPL history. He has played 184 matches in the league and, as SRH captain, led the team to the title in 2016. David has breached the 500-run mark in seven IPL seasons, which is the most for any batter.
Warner has been an orange cap winner three times in the IPL (2015, 2017, and 2019) – a record, and has hit the most fifties in the league.
Our Summary
We recommend always studying as many statistics as possible when preparing for betting. Understanding who is the best captain in IPL will help you to know how much influence he has on the game and his team’s results. The coach and captain always act in tandem, and the better they work together, the better the other players perform. On our website, you can always find all the necessary information to help you become a pro in IPL betting.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which IPL Captain has the Most Wins?
MS Dhoni has the most wins in the history of appearances in this league with 226. Therefore, he is the best captain in IPL by this measure.
Which Captains Have the Most IPL Titles?
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5), Rohit Sharma (5), and Gautam Gambhir (2) are the only IPL captains in the world with more than one championship title.
Can I Bet on IPL Captains?
Online bookies do not currently have a specific bet on the captain, but as a batsman or bowler can be him, you can bet on the best player of the match in this role. The captain can also be the absolute best player in the game.
