Strongest all-time IPL XI featuring only captains 

#7 MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants)

Captaincy Record: Matches - 159, Won - 94, Win percentage - 59.49

MS Dhoni

The legend of MS Dhoni just grows with every passing edition of IPL. Amidst all the changes that have taken place in the biggest cricketing extravaganza, Dhoni remains a constant. Chennai Super Kings is the only team to have had the same player captaining them in all their seasons till date.

The rise of Dhoni’s captaincy in CSK mirrored his success in the Indian Cricket Team. He has an envious collection of silverware by leading CSK to 3 IPL trophies. Adding to the kitty, Dhoni also led them to glory in the now-defunct Champions League tournament in 2010 and 2014.

Dhoni individually has been one of the middle order mainstays for CSK with a healthy average of 40.16 and an envious strike rate of 138. He has finished off numerous innings in a flurry, chased some incredible targets and has clinched nail-biting moments with exemplary calmness and composure.

Initially though not known for his wicket-keeping skills, Dhoni quickly transformed himself to an excellent artist behind the stumps. The blink of an eye stumping, the quirky field placing and more than anything the assurance of Dhoni behind the stumps are invaluable to any bowler. Hence, he walks straight into the all-time Captain’s XI of IPL - not just as a keeper, or a batsman but as captain too.

The failure with Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) as a captain is the only poor assignment of Dhoni in his career of 10 years in IPL. RPS won only 5 of the 14 games and finished a disappointing 7th on the table. They could have finished last. However, Dhoni hit two sixes off the last two balls to secure a win against Kings XI Punjab in the last match of the season.