5 most successful captains in IPL history

"Leadership is like swimming, It cannot be learned by reading about it".

The famous quote signifies the importance of a captain. Over the years, the Indian Premier League has witnessed many different captains who tried to take their team to glory. Only a few of them stood out amongst the rest.

A skipper has to make instinctive decisions in the shortest version of the game. Captains not only fulfil a leadership role but also fulfil a management role.The captain's role in the IPL is even more crucial since he has to manage players from all around the globe.

An effective captain is invaluable to the team and its performance outcomes. They will seek to lead by example, to motivate and to inspire the team to successful performances.The format does not allow the skippers to take any time in finding the right combination.

In the first decade of the IPL, there were many successful players who led from the front.Before we enter into the second decade of the league, here is the list of most successful captains.

* The list consists of captains with the highest win percentage * (players to have led in 30 or more IPL games were considered)

#5 Shane Warne (M - 55, W - 30, L - 24, T - 1, W% - 55.45)

Shane Warne was one of the most interactive cricketers to have ever played for Australia. Warne is referred to as "the best Captain Australia never had". Warnie led the kangaroos in eleven one-day internationals winning ten of them. The veteran was given the responsibility of leading the Rajasthan Royals considering his vast experience in all formats of the game.

The wrist spinner was the most experienced player in the Rajasthan Royals camp. He had a young team to deal with and he did his job with perfection. After looking at the Royals lineup even the most optimistic fans wouldn't have imagined their success. Warne led the Rajasthan Royals to the title in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Apart from that, he helped the Royals to invest in young players like Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan. The 48-year-old led the franchise from 2008 to 2011 in which he featured in 55 matches.

#4 Gautam Gambhir (M - 123, W - 70, L - 52, T - 1, W% - 57.31)

The most aggressive captain that the IPL has witnessed. Gautam Gambhir has led his franchise from the front. He has inspired the Kolkata Knight Riders to some memorable wins in the past. The 36-year-old led Delhi Daredevils in the initial few editions and later changed the fortune of the Knight Riders.

Gambhir led the Knight Riders to glory on two occasions. Captaincy helped the opening batsman to excel in the IPL. He scored at an average of around 40 in the 2012 season where KKR clinched the title. His win percentage is on the higher side with 70 wins in 123 matches. The Delhi lad is likely to lead his home franchise Delhi Daredevils in the upcoming edition of the IPL.

#3 MS Dhoni (M - 143, W - 83, L - 59, T - 0, NR - 1, W% - 58.45)

MS Dhoni is the most influential captain to have ever played for the Chennai Super Kings. Under the influence of Dhoni, the Super Kings became the most successful franchise in the history of the IPL. The former Indian skipper led the franchise to two IPL titles in two consecutive editions.

The 36-year-old helped the likes of Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin to make a name for themselves. Dhoni backed the trio continuously which helped them to reach the ladder of success. He provided guidance at every step. His inspiring words from behind the stumps are a boost for a bowler's confidence.

He has captained the Chennai Super Kings in 143 matches which is the highest for any skipper in the IPL. The veteran skipper will be eager to lead the Chennai Super Kings again after a gap of two years.

#2 Sachin Tendulkar (M - 51, W - 30, L - 21, T - 0, W% - 58.82)

Sachin Tendulkar led the Mumbai Indians from 2008 to 2011. His captaincy stint with the Indian side ended on a disastrous note. Tendulkar led the Mumbai Indians in 51 matches, his win percentage of 58.82 was the highest for any captain till the previous edition of the tournament. He led the franchise to the final in the third edition of the tournament.

Captaincy benefited the top order batsman as he went onto procure the orange cap in the 2010 season of the tournament. The MI batsman was named as the player of the tournament for his heroics. He was the leading scorer in the 2010 edition scoring 618 runs at an average of 47.53.

He led Mumbai Indians to the playoffs in the 2011 season after which he gave up the captaincy role to start his duties as a mentor at the franchise.

#1 Rohit Sharma (M - 75, W - 45, L - 29, T - 1, W% - 60.66)

Rohit Sharma has been the most successful IPL skipper ever. With a win percentage of 60.66, Rohit is at the top of the list. The Indian opener has led the Mumbai Indians to three IPL titles which are the most for any captain in the history of the league. The flamboyant batsman also helped in nurturing the likes of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah who are integral members of the current Indian squad.

The 30-year-old took over the reigns in 2013. He made an impact straightaway after leading the franchise to a title victory in his first edition as a skipper. He went onto lead the franchise to glory in 2015 and then in 2017. He is one of the least vocal captains in the IPL but his on-field presence is a boost to other players since he backs them constantly.