4 players who won IPL in their first season as captain

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is set to begin on March 28 with a high-voltage clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Captaining a franchise in the IPL is arguably the most challenging task in T20 cricket, given the immense pressure, voluminous expectations, and fierce competition. While many great players have led teams over the years, a select few have managed to win the title in their maiden season as captain. 

Here are four players who won IPL in their first season as captain:

Shane Warne (2008)

Shane Warne etched his name in IPL folklore by leading Rajasthan Royals to titular glory in the inaugural season. Despite being considered underdogs, Rajasthan Royals, featuring players like Shane Watson, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, and Munaf Patel, delivered one stunning campaign. After an early setback against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), they bounced back strongly, winning 11 league matches. They defeated Delhi in the semi-final and went on to beat Chennai Super Kings by three wickets in a nerve-wracking final, lifting the maiden IPL trophy.

Rohit Sharma (2013)

Rohit Sharma took over the reins of Mumbai Indians midway through the 2013 season. The youngster made an immediate impact, leading a star-studded squad with aplomb and guiding the team to their maiden IPL title in his debut season as captain. Mumbai Indians lost their opening game to RCB but found momentum eventually, winning 11 matches to qualify for the playoffs. Although they lost Qualifier 1 to CSK, they bounced back by defeating Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2. In the final, they once again faced CSK and emerged victorious by 23 runs.

Hardik Pandya (2022)

Hardik Pandya scripted a dream debut as captain, leading the newly formed Gujarat Titans to the title in IPL 2022 in their first season. Gujarat Titans started their campaign with a win against Lucknow Super Giants and maintained consistency throughout the league stage, winning 10 matches to qualify for the playoffs. They defeated Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 1 and again in the final.

Rajat Patidar (2025)

Rajat Patidar made history by leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their first-ever IPL title in 2025, ending an 18-year wait for silverware in his maiden season as an IPL captain. RCB had a stellar campaign, winning nine matches in the league stage. They defeated Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 and met them again in the final, winning by a whisker (six runs) to win one of the most closely-fought title clashes in the tournament’s history.