5 instances when the IPL defending champions crashed out in the league stage ft. KKR in 2025

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) endured heartbreak in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), crashing out in the league stage. This comes as an eye-opener for the franchise as they were widely believed to be among the teams to beat, on paper, this term.

KKR's elimination was confirmed following their washed-out game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, May 17. Currently, they sit seventh in the league table, with Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, and RCB having booked their berths in the playoffs already.

Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals will now battle it out for the fourth spot in the playoffs.

In this piece, we take a look at five of the instances when the defending champions crashed out of the IPL in the league stage itself:

#5 Rajasthan Royals, 2009

Rajasthan Royals (RR), who won the IPL in 2008, were the first team to achieve this dubious distinction. They crashed out of the league stage in the second edition of the IPL, conducted in South Africa in 2009, owing to the Lok Sabha elections in India. They won six out of their 14 matches and finished sixth in the table.

Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings and eventual champions Deccan Chargers (DC) made it to the playoffs in 2009, with RCB and DC squaring off in the final in Johannesburg. RR were led by the late Shane Warne in this edition of the IPL, just as they were in 2008.

#4 Kolkata Knight Riders, 2013

Kolkata Knight Riders first achieved this distinction in the 2013 edition of the tournament, when they crashed out of the group stage with six wins in 16 matches. They ended the group stage in the seventh position, with Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad moving to the next round.

The 2012 winners started the season well with a six-wicket win over Delhi at home, but followed it up with two consecutive losses. Towards the end, they lost their last two matches, against Pune Warriors in Ranchi and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad.

#3 Chennai Super Kings, 2022

Five-time winners Chennai Super Kings also find a mention on this list. They failed to make it to the playoffs in the 2022 edition of the tournament after having won it in 2021. In 2022, CSK endured a horrible season, ending the league phase in the ninth position with just eight points.

In 2021, CSK had beaten KKR by 27 runs in the final, but their sudden loss of form in 2022 sparked concern among their supporters. The MS Dhoni-led side was seen as being mortal for the first time in the history of the tournament.

What’s more, this was repeated in 2024 as well, when they failed to make it to the playoffs after having won IPL 2023.

#2 Mumbai Indians, 2016

Mumbai Indians (MI), who enjoyed one of their best phases from 2010 to 2015, shocked everyone when they missed out on the playoffs in the 2016 edition of the IPL. This came as a surprise, especially after they had thrashed their long-time rivals Chennai Super Kings by 41 runs in the 2015 final.

Between 2010 and 2015, MI won the IPL twice and ended as runners-up once, while also winning the Champions League T20 on two occasions. In the 2016 edition, however, they won seven out of their 14 matches and ended in fifth position. Losing their last league game against the Gujarat Lions in Kanpur proved to be the final straw.

#1 Kolkata Knight Riders, 2025

Spectators waits as toss is delayed due to rain prior to the 2025 IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 17, 2025, in Bengaluru, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

KKR are the only team in the IPL who have failed to reach the playoffs right after winning the title thrice. In the ongoing edition of the IPL, their dreams of making it to the playoffs ended in a washed-out encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Having entered into folklore for stopping the Sunrisers Hyderabad juggernaut in 2024 and beating them single-handedly in the final, KKR failed to live up to expectations in this campaign. Currently, they have won five out of their 13 matches, while two were washed out.

Under new captain Ajinkya Rahane, KKR started with a defeat against RCB at home. They just couldn't build any momentum, faltering regularly during the middle phase of the tournament.

Even though two of their games were sacrificed to the fury of the rain gods, they never looked like a side capable of breaching the top four. With such a disappointing season right after a mega auction, the management will be left rueing what might have been.