Ranking IPL teams with the most followers on Twitter

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become arguably the world's most popular and prominent T20 league.

Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has gone from strength to strength and has produced some of the biggest names in Indian cricket. Last year, it was widely reported that the IPL is now the second costliest sporting league in the world, behind only the National Football League (NFL).

The league continues to grow in fan following and popularity with the addition of two new teams last year, adding to the excitement and popularity of the IPL.

While the action on the field has been eye-popping, fans have also been keen to stay updated with other events concerning their teams.

All the franchises have stepped up to keep them fulfilled with regular updates on their social media handles through quotes, videos, memes, etc. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have played a massive role in the popularity and success of the league.

The IPL has an impressive Twitter follower count of 8.3 Million. We now rank each of the ten teams based on their Twitter follower count.

10. Gujarat Titans - 433.4K followers

One of the two new franchises from last year, Gujarat Titans (GT), has just started to become a household name after last year's incredible title run. Led by Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, the Titans' squad includes in-form opener Shubman Gill and the number-one-ranked T20I bowler in the world in Rashid Khan.

Considering the team's incredible performance in last year's IPL and with the return of the home and away format this year, one can expect the fan following of the franchise to rise in the coming years.

9. Lucknow Super Giants - 743.1 K followers

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were the second new franchise last year with the Gujarat Titans. The side, led by Indian right-hander KL Rahul, performed admirably in 2022, finishing third in the points table and making the playoffs.

The team boasts some popular overseas names like Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, and Mark Wood, along with some exciting Indian players like Deepak Hooda, Ravi Bishnoi, and Avesh Khan.

Having World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir as their global mentor for cricket operations should also add to the side's fan following in the coming years.

8. Delhi Capitals - 2.5 million followers

Delhi Capitals (DC) have been one of the most disappointing sides in IPL history despite boasting several big names over the years. They have never won the title and have only made the finals once in the 2020 season.

However, the franchise has improved over the past three to four seasons, making the playoffs in 2019, 2020, and 2021. They narrowly missed out on a playoff spot a year ago, finishing fifth in the points table.

The Capitals were dealt a severe blow due to the absence of their captain Rishabh Pant for this year's IPL and have named David Warner as the captain.

Their support staff comprises two of the most accomplished captains, Ricky Ponting and Saurav Ganguly.

7. Rajasthan Royals - 2.6 million followers

Last year's finalists Rajasthan Royals (RR) retained the core of their squad as they look to go one step further and win the title this year. The franchise won the inaugural IPL title in 2008 under the leadership of Shane Warne.

Led by the exciting Sanju Samson, the side boasts the Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvender Chahal. They also have some of the biggest international stars in their setup with the presence of Jos Buttler, Trent Boult, Joe Root, and Jason Holder.

6. Punjab Kings - 2.9 million followers

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have a great fan following despite the team making the playoffs just twice in 15 years.

Despite the disappointing results, PBKS has produced many exciting players in the years gone by, including Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, and Glenn Maxwell, to name a few. The current squad, led by veteran Indian left-hander Shikhar Dhawan, boasts the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone, and Shahrukh Khan in the mix.

The team will look to improve on its recent performances and make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, much to the delight of their fans.

5. SunRisers Hyderabad - 3.1 million followers

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are in the middle of the pack in terms of fan following on Twitter. Previously known as the Deccan Chargers, the Hyderabad franchise has won the IPL title twice, in 2009 and 2016.

SRH endured a poor run last year and have made wholesome changes to their squad and support staff. Under new captain Aiden Markram, the side will look to get back to winning ways this season.

SRH boasts several Indian and international stars like Mayank Agarwal, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, Rahul Tripathi, Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, and Glenn Phillips.

They also have former great West Indian batter Brian Lara as their newly appointed head coach.

4. Kolkata Knight Riders - 5.1 million followers

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are one of the most popular IPL franchises, both on and off the field. With two titles, KKR is the third most successful franchise behind the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings.

Co-owned by Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan, the franchise was led by one of India's most successful captains, Saurav Ganguly, before Gautam Gambhir took over the reins in 2011. Gambhir led the team to its only two titles in 2012 and 2014.

The franchise made the finals again in 2021 under the leadership of World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan. The squad, led by Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer (injured), is bolstered by the presence of two of the biggest T20 stars in the world, Sunil Naraine and Andre Russell.

3. Royal Challengers Bangalore - 6.5 million followers

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been one of the underachievers in IPL history. Although the franchise has made three finals and numerous playoff appearances in its 15-year history, their inability to break through and win the title has left fans starving for more.

The franchise has had numerous Indian stalwarts like Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, and Virat Kohli as captains. The team is currently led by former South African captain Faf du Plessis.

RCB has displayed consistency over the last three years by making the playoffs each time and going as far as Qualifier Two in last year's edition. The franchise hopes to better that this year by winning the elusive title for their massive fan following.

2. Mumbai Indians - 8 million followers

The Mumbai Indians (MI) have been the most successful IPL franchise, winning five titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. The franchise was led by the 'Little Master' Sachin Tendulkar at the start of the IPL before Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy midway through IPL 2013.

The side has not looked back since, winning five titles over the last ten seasons. They have helped bring in some of the biggest stars in Indian cricket, like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav.

The lack of form from key players and injuries have led to the team not making the playoffs the last two seasons. However, considering the pedigree of the squad and their humungous fan support, one expects MI to return to their winning ways soon.

1. Chennai Super Kings - 9.4 million followers

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been the most consistent team in the league's history. Led by India's World cup winning captain, MS Dhoni, the franchise has the most followers on Twitter.

The Super Kings have won four IPL titles and made the finals nine times in their 13-year history. CSK has been instrumental in developing some of the best current Indian players like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

The team won the IPL in 2021 but endured a lackluster 2022 by finishing in ninth place in the points table. In what could be Dhoni's swansong, fans of the Super Kings will be hoping for one final title run under him in IPL 2023.