Every cricket match has a very significant role for the captain. A captain’s choice can either win or lose a game. The captain makes a variety of decisions, including those regarding bowling changes, fielding changes, batting position sets, and whether to bat or field after winning the toss, among others. A good captain always accepts responsibility for a loss and always gives credit to his team when they win. He also has the responsibility of selecting an exact starting 11 by identifying the top players. Many captains have played in the IPL, but very few have succeeded at the highest levels.
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni, a former captain of the Indian national team and the Chennai Super Kings has played the most games—226—as a captain. He has also won 133 games, for a win percentage of 58.84 percent. CSK has won the title five times while Dhoni has been the team’s captain (2010,2011, 2018, 2021 & 2023). CSK has participated in 13 playoff games thanks to MS Dhoni’s outstanding leadership as captain. Dhoni has led his team to the most victories in the IPL.
Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma has been the IPL’s most effective captain. He has presided over Mumbai Indians in 158 games, winning 87 of them. Among captains, Rohit has the second-highest win percentage (55.06). The Mumbai Indians won the title for the first time in 2013 and went on to do so four more times (2015, 2017, 2019 & 2020). Fans already knew Rohit was a destructive opener, but he later showed off his incredible captaincy abilities and won the IPL’s best captain award.
Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir has served as captain 129 times, leading his team to victory 71 times with a win percentage of 55.03. Under Gambhir’s captaincy, KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) won the IPL twice (in 2012 and 2014). After failing to take home the trophy for four straight seasons, KKR finally succeeded in 2012 thanks to Gambhir’s leadership.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, the current captain of the Indian team, has led RCB in 143 games, winning 66 of them (46.15). Regrettably, Royal Challengers Bangalore has yet to win the IPL championship. The IPL’s most expensive batting lineup has not yet struck it lucky. Kohli lacks an IPL championship despite having scored 7263 runs, which is the most in IPL history.
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David Warner
David Warner, who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals in the IPL, has a win percentage of 48.19 after winning 40 of his 83 games. He has always taken the initiative and led the team to victory in 2016. With 6397 runs in 176 games, third most among all players in IPL history, Warner has proven to be the most valuable foreign player in the league.
Adam Gilchrist
In 74 games, Adam Gilchrist has led his team to 35 victories, which ranks fifth most among captains. It’s impressive that he has a 47.29 win percentage. Gilchrist guided his Deccan Chargers to victory in the second IPL season, winning the trophy.
Shane Warne
In 2008, Shane Warne became the first captain to win the IPL. He has a commendable win percentage of 54.54 for Rajasthan Royals, winning 30 of 55 games.
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Here is a list of the IPL captains with the most victories
| Captain | Matches | Wins | Loss | Draw | No Results | Win Percentage |
| MS Dhoni | 226 | 131 | 91 | 0 | 1 | 58.84 |
| Rohit Sharma | 158 | 87 | 67 | 4 | 0 | 55.06 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 129 | 71 | 57 | 1 | 0 | 55.03 |
| Virat Kohli | 143 | 66 | 70 | 3 | 4 | 46.15 |
| David Warner | 83 | 40 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 48.19 |
| Adam Gilchrist | 74 | 35 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 47.29 |
| Shane Warne | 55 | 30 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 54.54 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 51 | 30 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 58.82 |
| Virender Sehwag | 53 | 28 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 52.83 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 55 | 27 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 49.09 |
Who is the IPL captain with the most victories?
With 131 victories, MS Dhoni leads all captains in IPL game wins.
How many IPL games have Virat Kohli won as captain?
As IPL captain, Virat Kohli has led his team to 66 victories.
Who has the highest IPL captain win percentage?
With a 58.84 win percentage as captain, MS Dhoni leads the IPL.
Also Read: IPL players with the best bowling figures
