10. Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer has a reputation as a player of impeccable integrity and extraordinary skill. Iyer is the perfect representative of an aggressive top-order batsman with a penchant for beautiful, sophisticated strokeplay. His skill, reliability, and maturity make him a great player and a strong leader. Delhi reached the IPL final in 2020 under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership for the first time in 12 years. At the tender age of 23, Shreyas Iyer became the team’s first captain. He took over as captain of the Delhi team midway through the IPL season, and his team’s first opponent was the Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite the difficulty of the situation, Iyer faced it head-on. He took to the job of captain with gusto, scoring 93 not out off 40 balls in his debut to help turn things around for Delhi.
9. Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid was one of the finest IPL captains because Indian cricket always looked to him for answers whenever problems arose.Dravid, the ever-curious game student, who was also a master of strategy. He had an excellent win-loss record as Rajasthan Royals captain because of his keen eye for strategy, whether it be bowling changes or field placements. When he took over as India’s leader, he made history by being the nation’s first captain to win his first four (a feat matched since by Rohit Sharma). He managed India’s remarkable winning streak, during which the team achieved a record of 16 successful straight chases.
8. Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag is a well-known and very successful skipper in the Indian Premier League. During his impressive career, Sehwag has been awarded and crowned with many accolades and achievements, including two World Cup titles. Sehwag, renowned for his aggressive approach to the game of cricket, has often won games for the teams he has captained. Since he is a strong hitter and has an excellent eye for the ball, he has scored many vital runs in important matches. This has helped him win those matches. He is also an outstanding fielder, as seen by the countless catches he has taken with success at short leg or midwicket. Due to this, Sehwag is considered one of the most successful leaders in the history of the Indian Premier League.
7. Shane Warne
Shane Warne was Rajasthan Royals’ captain for the first ever season of the Indian Premier League, which took place in 2008, and the team won that season. Warne was widely regarded as one of the greatest spinners in the game’s history. Warne passed away in March of this year due to a heart attack. Shane Warne is legendary for his explosive-hitting talents and ability to crush the hitters he faces in competition. In addition, he is an excellent captain who effectively manages his team and takes command of the game from the middle order.
6. David Warner
It may surprise some that Warner is included on this list; yet, it is tough to dismiss the Australian’s record as leader of the Sunrisers. Warner was awarded the Orange Cap for scoring 562 runs in his first season as Hyderabad’s captain in 2015, although Hyderabad was narrowly eliminated from playoff contention. The following year, the Sunrisers were crowned IPL champions for the first time, and Warner was presented with his second Orange Cap the same year (2017). Warner regained his status as captain of the Sunrisers in 2020 and led the team to another trip to the playoffs in the United Arab Emirates. Kane Williamson had taken up the role of captain for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He has been the team captain 62 times, during which they won 34 games. His overall winning rate of 54.8 per cent makes him one of the greatest and finest captains in the history of the Indian Premier League.
5. Adam Gilchrist
You know the starting lineup for the Deccan Chargers in the first season of the Indian Premier League. In other words, they had a dream squad that VVS Laxman managed to ruin completely. The following year, DC’s management replaced captain Michael Clarke with Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Choosing a guy who has never been named captain but has served as vice-captain throughout his entire career was risky. However, Gilchrist showed his mettle as captain in 2009, leading a youthful squad to an IPL championship. For such a young group of athletes, he demonstrated remarkable maturity and patience in leading them to a title. DC continued to succeed under Adam Gilchrist’s leadership, as the team won 35 of 74 games during his captaincy.
4. Virat Kohli
Fifteen years ago, when the IPL first began, nobody could have imagined that some of these players would eventually become global superstars. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise acquired Virat Kohli as a player, and he remains with the team to this day—a first in the history of the IPL. Kohli initially took the helm as RCB captain in 2011 against the Rajasthan Royals, the team that won the first-ever Indian Premier League. RCB won by nine wickets in the game. Kohli’s charisma and charismatic leadership skills impressed everyone. His total number of games as RCB captain was 140, leading the team to 66 victories.
3. Gautam Gambhir
After being signed by his hometown side, the Delhi Daredevils, to play under Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir left in 2011 to captain the newly reformed Kolkata Knight Riders. Gambhir has captained the KKR in 105 matches across all tournaments, and he and Robin Uthappa have been instrumental in the team’s success by attacking from the top of the order. The most generous praise came from the team’s guru and veteran bowler Wasim Akram, who termed Gambhir the “best captain of IPL” for turning KKR into a stout squad. Including the Champions League T20, KKR has a 60–55 win-loss record (or 58.17%) under Gambhir’s leadership in 105 matches. Between the 2009 and 2018 IPL seasons, Gambhir captained two different clubs, winning 61 of 106 games (or 58.01 per cent of the time).
2. Rohit Sharma
It was in 2007 that Rohit Sharma marked’s debut in the world of international cricket. During India’s run in the World Twenty20 in 2007, he was one of the most important players for the team. Since then, he has not stopped moving forward and has achieved great success in the Indian Premier League (IPL) both as a player and as the captain of his team. To this day, Rohit has a total of two victories to his name: one as a player with Deccan Chargers in the 2009 edition; and five as the captain of Mumbai Indians, which is a remarkable total. He has been effective in putting the plans into action on the battlefield, and he has made some critical choices. His dominance over the competition also earned him the right to lead the Indian team.
1. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni is considered to be a top-tier skipper in the league. The Chennai Super Kings have won four titles during his tenure as captain. During his stint in the IPL, he has also won numerous individual accolades. Dhoni is a well-respected leader and player because of his keen judgment and ability to lead his team effectively. He can keep his squad calm and focused even under intense pressure. Dhoni’s batting technique is also quite precise. He has a knack for getting on base when things appear bleak, and he can also deliver many hits in the thick of an inning. No wonder he is one of the most feared players on the pitch because of his abilities as both captain and batter.
