IPL 2025: Who Are the 10 Team Captains? Check Their Captaincy Records

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season brings a fresh mix of experienced and new captains leading the 10 franchises. Each team has placed its trust in a leader who can strategize, motivate, and drive performance.

With major changes in leadership, including Ajinkya Rahane for Kolkata Knight Riders, Axar Patel for Delhi Capitals, and Rajat Patidar for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the competition promises to be intense. Let’s take a closer look at each team captain, their records, experience, and leadership impact in IPL 2025.

List of IPL 2025 Team Captains and Their Records

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Captain – Ruturaj Gaikwad

• Matches Played: 66
• Matches as Captain: 14
• Wins: 7
• Losses: 7

Ruturaj Gaikwad continues as CSK’s captain after taking over from MS Dhoni in IPL 2024. He has already shown great promise with his calm and composed leadership. With an average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 136.86, he has been a consistent top-order batsman.

2. Mumbai Indians (MI) Captain – Hardik Pandya

• Matches Played: 137
• Matches as Captain: 45
• Wins: 26
• Losses: 19

Hardik Pandya retains his captaincy for MI. He previously led Gujarat Titans (GT) to an IPL title, making him a strong leader. As an all-rounder, he contributes with both bat and ball, scoring 2,525 runs and taking 64 wickets in his IPL career.

3. Rajasthan Royals (RR) Captain – Sanju Samson

• Matches Played: 167
• Matches as Captain: 61
• Wins: 31
• Losses: 29

Sanju Samson has been leading RR since 2021. With 4,419 runs in 167 matches, he remains a crucial player. His leadership has been steady, and he will look to push RR into the playoffs this season.

4. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Captain – Rajat Patidar

• Matches Played: 27
• Matches as Captain: 0

Rajat Patidar is the new captain for RCB, replacing Faf du Plessis. Although he hasn’t captained before, his 799 runs at a strike rate of 158.85 highlight his match-winning abilities. RCB fans will be eager to see how he leads.

5. Punjab Kings (PBKS) Captain – Shreyas Iyer

• Matches Played: 115
• Matches as Captain: 69
• Wins: 38
• Losses: 29

Shreyas Iyer, previously the captain of DC and KKR, now leads Punjab Kings. His consistent batting (3,127 runs, avg. 32.24) and strong leadership make him a great choice for PBKS. When comparing his captaincy record with MS Dhoni after 70 IPL matches, Dhoni’s experience and tactical brilliance stand out, while Iyer’s strategic approach and ability to build a stable batting unit add to his strengths.

6. Delhi Capitals (DC) Captain – Axar Patel

• Matches Played: 150
• Matches as Captain: 0

Axar Patel steps up as DC’s captain, replacing Rishabh Pant. As an all-rounder, he has taken 123 wickets and scored 1,653 runs, proving his ability in crucial moments.

7. Gujarat Titans (GT) Captain – Shubman Gill

• Matches Played: 103
• Matches as Captain: 14
• Wins: 5
• Losses: 7
• Tied: 2

Shubman Gill aims to improve GT’s performance. A talented batter with 3,216 runs, 4 centuries, and 20 fifties, he has the potential to lead GT to new heights.

8. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Captain – Ajinkya Rahane

• Matches Played: 185
• Matches as Captain: 25
• Wins: 9
• Losses: 16

Ajinkya Rahane, a seasoned IPL player, is the new KKR captain. With 4,642 runs in IPL history, his experience will be valuable in guiding KKR’s young squad.

9. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Captain – Pat Cummins

• Matches Played: 58
• Matches as Captain: 14
• Wins: 8
• Losses: 6

Pat Cummins retains his SRH captaincy after taking them to the IPL 2024 final. His leadership and all-round skills (63 wickets, 515 runs) will be crucial for SRH’s title hopes.

10. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Captain – Rishabh Pant

• Matches Played: 111
• Matches as Captain: 43
• Wins: 23
• Losses: 19
• Tied: 1

Rishabh Pant takes over LSG’s captaincy in a high-profile move. A dynamic batsman with 3,284 runs, 296 fours, and 154 sixes, he will aim to lead LSG to their first IPL trophy.