In this article on the top IPL teams, I will analyse in detail the franchises that in my view are contenders for the trophy. My ratings are based on numerous factors, such as bookmakers’ odds and team composition post the auction.
Best IPL Teams in History by Most Wins
According to the previous performance and statistics of past Indian Premier League seasons, Mumbai Indians is the best team in IPL with 5 tournament wins, however looking at their match win percentage, they fall behind Chennai Super Kings.
This shows important is to dive deep into different sources of historical data if you are looking to make a choice on possible Indian Premier League bets.
Here’s the full list of IPL teams ranked by the number of wins:
🏆 Best #1 Team: Mumbai Indians
Wins: 125
Matches: 217
Lost: 88
Tied/No result: 4
🥈 Top #2 Team: Chennai Super Kings
- Matches: 195
- Wins: 117
- Lost: 76
- Tied/ No result: 2
🥉 Top #3 Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
- Matches: 209
- Wins: 107
- Lost: 98
- Tied/ No result: 2
Royal Challengers Bangalore
- Matches: 211
- Wins: 98
- Lost: 106
- Tied/ No result: 7
Delhi Capitals
- Matches: 210
- Wins: 93
- Lost: 111
- Tied/ No result: 6
Punjab Kings
- Matches: 204
- Wins: 91
- Lost: 109
- Tied/ No result: 4
Rajasthan Royals
- Matches: 175
- Wins: 84
- Lost: 86
- Tied/ No result: 5
Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Matches: 138
- Wins: 68
- Lost: 66
- Tied/ No result: 4
Gujarat Titans
- Matches: 16
- Wins: 12
- Lost: 4
- Tied/ No result: 0
Lucknow Super Giants
- Matches: 15
- Wins: 9
- Lost: 6
- Tied/ No result: 0
Which Team Would Do Best in IPL 2023?
In this part of my analysis of the top IPL teams, I predict which team will be the best. I believe Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will emerge as the IPL 2023 top team.
Why do I think so? Take a look at RCB’s best eleven. First, the franchise has a great opening pair in du Plessis and Kohli. Rajat Patidar was one of the sensations of IPL 2022. I expect him to continue from where he left off. The lower-order batting has Maxwell and Karthik who between them are among the best finishers.
The principal bowling attack consists of Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed, Hasaranga, Hazlewood and Siraj. Shahbaz is a left-arm orthodox, while Hasaranga bowls leg spin googly. Maxwell with his off-breaks gives the bowling more variety. The new ball is in the competent experienced hands of Siraj, Hazlewood and Harsha Patel.
No other team has such perfect balance in every department, with playing roles clearly defined. While Maxwell is a batting all-rounder, Harshal, Shahbaz and Hasaranga are bowling all-rounders. There is great batting depth, up to Hasaranga at number nine.
Furthermore, RCB have been denied at the altar on three previous occasions – 2009, 2011, and 2016 – when they reached the title clash. In recent years, the franchise has been knocking hard on the door, reaching the playoffs three years in succession in 2020, 2021 and 2022. RCB are ready to rule the roost – 2023 will be their year.
RCB IPL 2022 Performance
Here’s a summary of their last year’s performance:
| Group matches | Details |
|---|---|
| Group matches | Played 14 group matches, won 8 and lost 6 to finish 4th |
| Eliminator | Beat LSG by 14 runs in the eliminator |
| Qualifier 2 | Lost by 7 wickets to RR |
Full List of Participating Teams in 2023
The following is the full list of teams that will participate in IPL 2023:
- Chennai Super Kings
- Delhi Capitals
- Gujarat Titans
- Kolkata Knight Riders
- Lucknow Super Giants
- Mumbai Indians
- Punjab Kings
- Rajasthan Royals
- Royal Challengers Bangalore
- Sunrisers Hyderabad
Full list of teams in IPL 2023 With Best Elevens
| Team | Best Eleven |
|---|---|
| CSK | Ruturaj, Conway, Rayudu, Stokes, Dhoni, Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Theekshana, Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary |
| DC | Warner, Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan, Lalit Yadav, Yash Dhull, Marsh, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ngidi, Chetan Sakariya Nortje |
| GT | Gill, Williamson, Saha, Miller, Hardik, Tewatia, R Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Shami |
| KKR | N Jagadeeshan, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas, Russell, Nitish Rana, Shakib Hasan, Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Shardul, Varun Chakravarthy, Umesh Yadav |
| LSG | De Kock, Rahul, Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Pooran, Stoinis, Bishnoi, Krunal Pandya, Mohsin Khan, Unadkat, Wood |
| MI | Ishan Kishan, Sharma, Tim David, SKY, Donald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Cameron Green, Jasprit Bumrah, Jofra Archer, Hrithik Shokeen, Kumar Kartikeya |
| PBKS | Bairstow, Dhawan, Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma, Curran, Harpreet Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh , Rabada |
| RR | Buttler, Jaiswal, Samson, Hetmyer, Padikkal, Hetmyer, Parag, Holder, Ashwin, Prasidh Krishna, Chahal, Boult |
| RCB | Kohli, du Plessis, Patidar, Lomror, Maxwell, Karthik, Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed, Hasaranga, Hazlewood, Siraj |
| SRH | Abhishek Sharma, Agarwal, Tripathi, Brook, Markram, Philip, Adil Rashid, Sundar, Markhande, Umran Malik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
Top 2023 IPL Teams Batting Attacks Rank
Considering the top IPL teams of IPL 2023, I have ranked the batting attacks of the various competing teams:
1. Mumbai Indians
The best IPL team in history, MI has arguably the best batting attack after the IPL auction. Openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan are followed by Suryakumar Yadav — ranked the world’s number-one T20 batter after his exploits in 2022. Tilak Varma is another great player in the middle order – his brilliant performance in IPL 2022 is unforgettable. Furthermore, Tim David needs no introduction. MI used the auction to buy Cameron Green, one of the world’s best all-rounders. Green can bat as he proved during the India-Australia T20I series in 2022. MI also has a brilliant bench including the likes of Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis, both explosive batters from South Africa.
2. Chennai Super Kings
Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has been in red-hot form in domestic cricket. Either Devon Conway or Ben Stokes can open the innings with him. The middle order has the likes of Rayudu, Moeen Ali, and Shivam Dube, followed by Dhoni and Jadeja in finisher roles. The bench includes, apart from Rahane, the likes of Sheik Rashid, Nishant Sindhu, and Rajvardhan Hangargekar, famous for their exploits with India U19.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore
Kohli’s return to form is great news for RCB. The team management would also want skipper du Plessis to display his best form in the upcoming season. Rajat Patidar could end up playing a key role in the middle order. All eyes are on Maxwell who is returning from injury. His form could prove crucial to the team’s showing this season. In Dinesh Karthik, RCB has a proven finisher. Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed and Hasaranga can all bat, underscoring rare batting depth.
4. Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH invited criticism when they broke the bank for Harry Brooks. However, nobody objected to the inclusion of Mayank Agarwal to add solidity to a batting order that has the likes of Aiden Markram and Glenn Phillips. Domestic talent includes Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi. The likes of Abdul Samad and Washington Sundar are competent lower-order batters. The SRH bench has Vivrant Sharma, the J&K sensation.
5. Punjab Kings
The likes of Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Shahrukh Khan form a formidable quartet of big hitters. Dhawan would seek to provide quiet stability. The PBKS bench is a little bare, but for the presence of HS Bhatia acquired in the auction. However, Sam Curran could justify his record price by performing with the bat in a finishing role.
6. Delhi Capitals
Openers Prithvi Shaw and David Warner are followed in the batting order by Rossouw/Marsh and Pant. The bench includes Manish Pandey and Phil Sait. While Rovman Powell is not the most reliable middle-order bat, there is plenty of domestic talent. Players such as Ripal Patel, Lalit Yadav, and Axar Patel could be called upon to perform the finisher’s role.
7. Lucknow Super Giants
On paper at least, Rahul and de Kock are an explosive opening pair. LSG broke the bank for middle-order batter Nicholas Pooran. Deepak Hooda and Marcus Stoinis are proven performers. Finisher roles could be performed by Ayush Badoni and Krunal Pandya. LSG also has other batting options in Daniel Sims and Prerak Mankad.
8. Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR would be hoping for Venkatesh Iyer to regain the form he displayed in IPL 2021. In-form N Jagadeeshan provides top-order stability, while Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell complete the line-up. The likes of Ferguson, Gurbaz, and Thakur, bought at the auction, can bat a bit. So can back up options Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, and David Wiese. Best of all, Sunil Narine can bat too, giving KKR enviable depth.
9. Rajasthan Royals
Jaiswal, Buttler, and Samson are a formidable trio at the top of the order. However, RR would want Padikkal and Hetmyer to fire in the middle order. The acquisition of Holder in the auction gives the side a potential finisher. The bench includes Joe Root who could play a big role in a side that needs grafters to complement the hitters.
10. Gujarat Titans
Ironically, the defending champions are at the bottom of the batting heap. The acquisition of Srikar Bharat at the auction could allow the wicketkeeper batter to open the innings with Gill. Williamson could fit in at number 3 allowing skipper Hardik Pandya to occupy the number 4 slot. David Miller at number 5 could prove key to GT’s ability to make defendable scores. GT bought Odean Smith at the auction, a move that could prove a winning stroke.
On March 31st, the Gujarat Titans will face off against the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023 tournament. Both teams have strong players and have been performing well in the season so far. It’s difficult to predict who will come out on top, but fans and analysts alike are eagerly anticipating the match. Check our predictions article: Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings: who will win?
Which IPL Teams Have the Best Opening Pair?
In this part of my analysis of the best IPL teams, I consider which team has the best opening pair. There are several good batters in the fray, with every team boasting of at least one in-form opener. For instance, GT, KKR and SRH have Shubman Gill, N Jagadeeshan and Mayank Agarwal respectively. All of the other six teams have two openers that inspire confidence:
- CSK: Gaikwad and Conway
- DC: Prithvi Shaw and David Warner
- LSG: KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock
- MI: Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan
- PBKS: Dhawan and Bairstow
- RR: Jaiswal and Jos Buttler
- RCB: du Plessis and Virat Kohli
There is nothing to suggest that de Kock, Rohit Sharma, Dhawan, Jaiswal, and du Plessis are in great form. By contrast, DC’s Shaw has been in brilliant form in the Ranji Trophy. Warner’s 200 in Australia’s Boxing Day test match versus South Africa signalled a return to his best form. So, my vote for the best opening pair goes to Prithvi Shaw and David Warner. This pair represent the perfect blend of youth, experience and batting form. (Note: I have not considered CSK’s Gaikwad and Conway though both are in great form. This is because we do not know whether CSK will play Conway. They may instead opt for Pretorius – an all-rounder – as their fourth overseas option, along with Stokes, Ali and Theekshana).
Top IPL Teams That Hold Most Orange Caps
Delving into IPL history, I have compiled a list of IPL teams that hold the most Orange Caps:
| Teams | No. of orange caps won | Player and year |
|---|---|---|
| SRH | 4 | David Warner (2015, 2017, 2019); K Williamson (2018) |
| CSK | 3 | M Hayden (2009); M Hussey (2013); R Gaikwad (2021) |
| RCB | 3 | C Gayle (2011, 2012); V Kohli (2016) |
| PBKS | 2 | Marsh (2008); KL Rahul (2020) |
| MI | 1 | S Tendulkar (2010) |
| KKR | 1 | R Uthappa (2014) |
| RR | 1 | J Buttler (2022) |
Most Wickets in IPL History
While Dwayne Bravo holds the record the most wickets in IPL history, two players are tied in 5th place:
- DJ Bravo: 183 wickets in 161 matches
- S Malinga: 170 wickets in 122 matches
- YS Chahal: 166 wickets in 131 matches
- A Mishra: 166 wickets in 154 matches
- PP Chawla: 157 wickets in 165 matches
- R Ashwin: 157 wickets in 184 matches
Captains with Highest Winning Percentage in IPL
In the table below, I have listed the top five captains with the highest win percentage in IPL. For the purpose of my comparison, I have considered players who have captained their team(s) in at least 60 games. Incidentally, If we consider players with fewer than 60 matches as captain, Sachin Tendulkar has the highest win percentage in IPL of 58.82. Tendulkar captained MI in 51 matches — and won 30 — between 2008 and 2011. Note: CSK, MI, and KKR feature among the teams with the most wins in IPL history.
Top 5 Captains with Highest Winning Percentage in IPL (minimum 60 matches captained)
| Name of Captain | Matches Won | Winning Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni (210 matches) | 123 | 58.57 |
| Rohit Sharma (143) | 79 | 55.24 |
| Gautam Gambhir (129) | 71 | 55.03 |
| David Warner (69) | 35 | 50.72 |
| Virat Kohli (140) | 64 | 45.71 |
What’s the Worst IPL team in History?
In my view, Punjab Kings are the worst team in IPL history. For the purpose of comparison, I have considered teams that have featured in the IPL during the last 10 seasons. To start with, I have excluded six teams – MI, CSK, KKR, RR, SRH, and GT who have won the IPL trophy at least once. (Note: MI with five titles must rank as the most powerful team in IPL history.) That leaves PBKS, DC, RCB, and LSG. LSG reached the playoffs in their inaugural season in IPL 2022.
Of the remaining, while DC have reached the playoffs on 6 occasions, RCB have done so 8 times. Moreover, both these teams have done very well in the last few seasons. By contrast, PBKS have reached the playoffs just twice in 15 seasons. The last time they did so was in 2014 when they lost in the final to KKR. PBKS get my vote as the IPL worst team. PBKS’s relatively poor record speaks for itself, as the following table shows:
| IPL Season | PBKS Position |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 6 |
Other Interesting Statistics for IPL
In this section of my article on the top IPL teams, I consider some other interesting statistics for IPL.
Team with highest-paid player 2023
Punjab Kings set a record for the team with the highest paid player in the IPL 2023 auction. They accomplished the feat when they paid out INR 18.5 crore to buy England all-rounder Sam Curran. In the process, Sam Curran became the highest paid player in the history of IPL auctions.
Most overseas players in 2023
The most overseas players owned by a franchise in 2023 is eight. Seven out of 10 teams have eight overseas players each. They include players retained from last year and those bought in the IPL 2023 auction. The teams are CSK, DC, GT, LSG, MI, RR, and RCB, as detailed in the table below:
| Franchise | Retained Overseas Players | Bought Overseas Players |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Mitchell Santner, Dwaine Pretorius, Maheesh Theekshana, Maheesh Pathirana | Kyle Jamieson, Ben Stokes |
| Delhi Capitals | David Warner, Rovman Powell, Mitchell Marsh, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman | Rilee Rossouw, Phil Salt |
| Gujarat Titans | David Miller, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Noor Ahmad | Joshua Little, Odean Smith, Kane Williamson |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers, Mark Wood | Naveen Ul Haq, Daniel Sams, Romario Shepherd, Nicholas Pooran |
| Mumbai Indians | Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Tim David, Joffra Archer, Jason Behrendorff | Duan Jansen, Jhye Richardson, Cameron Green |
| Rajasthan Royals | Shimron Hetmyer, Jos Buttler, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy | Adam Zampa, Donovan Ferreira, Jason Holder, Joe Root |
| Royal Challengers Bangalore | Faf du Plessis, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Josh Hazlewood | Will Jacks, Reece Topley |
Most Retained players
Ahead of the IPL 2023 auction, Delhi Capitals emerged as the team with the most retained players. They retained 20 players and released five. The players retained by DC are:
- Rishabh Pant
- David Warner
- Prithvi Shaw
- Ripal Patel
- Rovman Powell
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Yash Dhull
- Mitchell Marsh
- Lalit Yadav
- Axar Patel
- Anrich Nortje
- Chetan Sakariya
- Kamlesh Nagarkoti
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Lungi Ngidi
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Aman Khan
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Praveen Dubey
- Vicky Ostwal
Indian Premier League Winners List
In the following table, I present a list of IPL winners for all completed seasons from 2008 to 2022:
| Winner by Year | Runner-up | Victory Margin in Final |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan Royals (2008) | Chennai Super Kings | 3 wickets |
| Deccan Chargers (2009) | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 6 runs |
| Chennai Super Kings (2010) | Mumbai Indians | 22 runs |
| Chennai Super Kings (2011) | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 58 runs |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (2012) | Chennai Super Kings | 5 wickets |
| Mumbai Indians (2013) | Chennai Super Kings | 23 runs |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (2014) | Kings XI Punjab | 3 wickets |
| Mumbai Indians (2015) | Chennai Super Kings | 41 runs |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016) | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 8 runs |
| Mumbai Indians (2017) | Rising Pune Supergiant | 1 run |
| Chennai Super Kings (2018) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 8 wickets |
| Mumbai Indians (2019) | Chennai Super Kings | 1 run |
| Mumbai Indians (2020) | Delhi Capitals | 5 wickets |
| Chennai Super Kings (2021) | Kolkata Knight Riders | 27 runs |
| Gujarat Titans (2022) | Rajasthan Royals | 7 wickets |
FAQ
I conclude my analysis of the top IPL teams by answering some frequently asked questions:
Mumbai Indians who have won 5 IPL trophies (the highest number) have the best overall record in IPL history.
In IPL 2022, Gujarat Titans topped the group table and went on win the competition.
Yes, MS Dhoni is set to play in Tata IPL 2023. He will captain Chennai Super Kings.
There are 10 teams in IPL 2023.
Rajasthan Royals’ opening batsman Jos Buttler scored the most runs in IPL 2022.
Four players – each with a base price of INR 2 crore – became the most expensive unsold players in the IPL 2023 auction. They are Tom Banton, Chris Jordan and Adam Milne.