MS Dhoni Not No.1; Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli not in Top Five: 5 Captains with Best Win Percentage in IPL

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) places significant emphasis on effective captaincy, where strategic oversight and team leadership influence match results in the fast-paced T20 format.

With IPL 2026 preparations advancing, including potential squad adjustments and leadership transitions, updated historical data on captaincy performance offers context for evaluating sustained success.

The following list ranks the top captains based on win percentage (wins divided by decided matches, excluding no-results), limited to those with at least 40 matches captained. Although MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma have won 5 titles each, Dhoni is not the captain with highest win percentage, while Rohit is not even in the Top five list.

Steve Smith (Pune Warriors India, Rising Pune Supergiant, Rajasthan Royals)

Led in 43 matches, securing 25 wins for a 59.52% win rate. His tenure across three franchises demonstrated strong tactical insight, notably guiding Rising Pune Supergiant to the 2017 final. Smith holds the record for best win percentage among players who have captained more than 40 matches, but never won the IPL title.

Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians)

Captained in 51 matches, achieving 30 wins and a 58.82% win rate. Tendulkar provided stability during MI's early IPL years (2008–2011), establishing key elements for the franchise's later successes. Tendulkar was also a captain at the start of the IPL 2013 season, which was MI's maiden IPL title-winning year but Rohit Sharma replaced him as captain midway.

MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant)

Holds the record for most matches captained at 235, with 136 wins yielding approximately 58.36 %. Dhoni's leadership delivered five IPL titles for CSK, highlighting his enduring impact through composure and long-term team development. The former India captain has been instrumental in their success and is undoubtedly the greatest captain in the competition.

Hardik Pandya (Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians)

Captained in 60 matches, recording 35 wins for a 58.33% win rate. Pandya led Gujarat Titans to the 2022 title in their debut season and has managed transitions at Mumbai Indians since IPL 2024. Although he hasn't been successful with the Paltans so far, his win percentage still soars high.

Shreyas Iyer (Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings)

Led in 87 matches, Shreyas Iyer has guided multiple franchises to finals or titles, including recent success with KKR and PBKS. Iyer also captained Delhi Capitals to the final and has been a prolific leader in the IPL. With Punjab Kings, Iyer's first season was almost a success as they were beaten finalists, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. With KKR, Iyer led them to an IPL win after 10 years.

IPL 2026: 5 Captains with Best Win Percentage

The captains are being evaluated only with a minimum of 40 matches.