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With the 11th season of IPL coming to a close, it’s time to reflect on the tournament right from the time of its inception. Since the IPL started in 2008, many franchises have come and gone while many have been prone to controversy.
The IPL and its franchises have been through a lot of ups and downs, but despite it all, the IPL still remains one of the biggest tournaments in the world. With 11 seasons over, I think it’s time we have a look at some of the performances of all the 8 current teams over the years.
This article only covers teams that are currently active in the IPL and doesn’t include teams like Pune Warriors India, Gujarat Lions, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Rising Pune Supergiants and even Deccan Chargers.
I have taken to account teams’ overall contribution to the IPL, how many times they made the playoffs, finals and how many trophies they have won.
Please feel free to give your own rating for each team in the comment section below.
8. Delhi Daredevils (3 playoffs)
Delhi Daredevils have been one of the most unluckiest IPL franchises. They managed to make the playoffs 3 times, but could never make it to the finals. As a result, they remain one of only three teams that have never won an IPL trophy.
The best year for Delhi came in 2011 when they won 11 out of 16 games and topped the table. Despite this, they couldn’t go on to play in the finals. This is as good as it got for DD.
This was also the last time they made the playoffs. They ended at the bottom of the tables 4 times throughout all seasons of the IPL.
It is surprising to see a time that once had so many great IPL players like AB de Villiers, David Warner, Dinesh Karthik and Shikhar Dhawan struggle so much in recent years.
They focused more on building their core on youngsters like Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant since last year. They had one of their strongest squads this year but still managed to finish last. They are prone to making some weird purchase decision in the auction. One can only speculate what purchase decisions they will make in next year’s tournament.
Rating: 3/10
7. Kings XI Punjab (2 playoffs, 1 final)
Kings XI Punjab suffer a similar fate to Delhi Daredevils. Punjab started their IPL journey in a great way by making it to the semi-finals in the inaugural edition. However, they couldn’t win their semi-final match.
In total, Kings XI Punjab have made the playoffs just two times throughout the years. Their best year came in 2014 when they capitalized on Glenn Maxwell’s superb form and topped the table. They also went on to play the finals that year against Kolkata Knight Riders.
They failed to defend 199 runs and ended up as runner-up. KXIP have been a team that should have qualified every year, but they miss out at the business end of the tournament.
The best example of this would be this year’s IPL where they won 5 out of their first 6 games and then went on to win just 1 out of their next 8 games placing them in 7th place. KXIP have also spent a considerable amount of time at the bottom of the table (3 times). They may not have done as badly as Delhi, but certainly not good enough to rank higher on this list.
Rating: 3.5/10
6.Rajasthan Royals (2008 champions)
Rajasthan Royals were the underdogs going into the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League. Every year, they are considered underdogs, but their performances have been above par.
After 2008, it took them 5 years to make the playoffs when they qualified in 2013. This time they didn’t make it past the qualifier 2.
In total, Rajasthan Royals have reached the playoffs 4 times but reached the finals only once.
They have always been a team that has been known for producing young talents like Ravindra Jadeja, Yusuf Pathan and Sanju Samson. This is one of the main reasons why they have been one of the exciting teams to watch in the IPL.
Rating: 7/10
5. Royal Challengers Bangalore (5 playoffs, 3 finals)
Royal Challengers Bangalore remain one of the best IPL teams to never win the trophy. They have always entertained us with their batting from Gayle at the top to AB de Villiers in the middle order.
They also hold numerous IPL batting records. RCB are a team that has always been known to have the strongest batting lineups. However, as strong as their batting is, their bowling has been even weaker and this has prevented them from lifting the coveted trophy.
In total, they have made the playoffs 5 times and reached the finals thrice (2009, 2011 and 2016), but they just couldn’t get the job done.
Their best year was in 2016 when Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers set the IPL ablaze with their spectacular batting that left the spectators in awe. Virat scored 973 runs and hammered four centuries while AB scored one hundred. They went on to play in the finals where they lost of Sunrisers Hyderabad by just 8 runs. Their focus has always been on strengthening their bowing, but with RCB’s small home ground, this remains a daunting task.
Rating: 7/10
4. Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016 champions)
Sunrisers Hyderabad came into existence in 2013 to replace the Deccan Chargers franchise. Since their inception, Sunrisers Hyderabad have turned heads with their magnificent and consistent display of batting and bowling.
They have been involved in 6 IPL seasons and have made it to the playoffs 4 times. Out of that, they have made it to the finals on two occasions (2016 and 2018).
Their best year came in 2016 when they defeated RCB in the finals by 8 runs to lift the IPL trophy. SRH have been one of the more consistent teams over the years.
In 2018, they proved that they can still remain consistent even with the absence of their skipper David Warner. SRH are definitely a force to be reckoned with in the future.
Rating: 8/10
3. Kolkata Knight Riders (2012 and 2014 champions)
Kolkata Knight Riders lit up the tournament in the first ever IPL match when Brendon McCullum scored 158 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore. They looked like a dangerous unit, but they soon started loosing.
Needless to say, their IPL journey was rocky in the first 3 years. It wasn’t until 2011 that they qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Since then, KKR have qualified for playoffs 6 times and have been involved in the finals twice.
Their best performances came in 2012 and 2104 when they beat the Chennai Superkings and Kings XI Punjab respectively to lift the IPL trophy twice. They are also the only team who has not lost an IPL final.
Seeing all their accolades over the years, it should come as no surprise to everyone that KKR are one of the most successful franchises in IPL history.
Rating: 8/10
2. Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015 and 2017 Champions)
Just like KKR, Mumbai Indians started their IPL journey in slow fashion. However, they got their big breakthrough in 2010 when they made it all the way to the IPL finals. Though they lost the match to CSK, it was just the beginning of their successful journey to becoming one of the most successful IPL franchises.
MI have qualified for the playoffs 7 times and have been involved in 4 finals winning the title 3 times (2013, 2015 and 2017).
One thing that has become synonymous with MI is their slow start. They start every season by losing a couple of games only to bounce back in the latter half of the tournament and win. Mumbai became the first team in IPL history to win the title 3 times.
All these have solidified Mumbai Indians as one of the most successful franchises in IPL history.
Rating: 9/10
1. Chennai Super Kings (2010,2011 and 2018)
Without a doubt CSK have been the most dominant IPL franchise in IPL history. They have been involved in 9 IPL seasons. Out of these 9 seasons, they have made the finals 7 times and won the trophy three times. They even have a Champions League T20 title to their name. They have never failed to qualify for the playoffs in all seasons that they have played.
What’s even more impressive is that they did all this under one man - M.S. Dhoni. CSK are the only franchise in history who have not changed captains since their inception.
CSK tasted IPL glory for the first time in 2010 when they defeated Mumbai Indians by 22 runs. They came back again next year and beat RCB in the finals by 58 runs making them the only franchise to successfully retain their title.
In 2018, the Kings were back again. This time supported by their ‘whistle podu’ army, the men in yellow qualified for the playoffs and went through to the finals with the odds stacked against them.
With a slightly older team, CSK proved that age is just a number when they marched on to win their third IPL title by beating SRH in the final comfortably by 8 wickets making the most decorated and successful team in IPL history.
Rating: 9.5/10
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