There will also be a few fresh leaders in the mix, who are set to helm their sides in the IPL for the first time.

Five of the teams – Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad – have retained their skippers from the previous season.

SRH are the only team that will have an overseas captain in Australian Pat Cummins in IPL 2025.

However, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants have opted for a fresh approach by appointing new captains for IPL 2025.

While RCB have named Rajat Patidar as their new captain for IPL 2025, KKR have placed their trust in the experienced Ajinkya Rahane. DC, meanwhile, has awarded the role to Axar Patel, their longest-serving player.

Former DC skipper Rishabh Pant joined LSG as the most expensive player in IPL history during the 2025 mega auction and will be leading his new team this season. Nitish Rana, who led KKR to the title last season, will take charge of PBKS.

IPL 2025 captains list

CSK IPL 2025 captain – Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been with the Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and was made captain ahead of the IPL 2024 season, stepping into MS Dhoni’s massive shoes.

Under his leadership, CSK finished fifth on the points table last season with seven wins and as many losses. The team missed out on a place in the playoffs due to an inferior net run-rate compared to fourth-placed RCB.

DC IPL 2025 captain – Axar Patel

Axar Patel has been appointed as the captain of Delhi Capitals for IPL 2025. A key member of the franchise since 2019, he was retained ahead of the mega auction. In the previous season, Rishabh Pant led the side on his return from injury, guiding them to a sixth-place finish.

GT IPL 2025 captain – Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill will continue as the captain of Gujarat Titans after taking over the role in 2024. While he had a strong season with the bat, he couldn’t steer his team into the playoffs. Gill also served as the vice-captain of India’s Champions Trophy-winning squad.

KKR IPL 2025 captain – Ajinkya Rahane

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders have handed the captaincy to Ajinkya Rahane for IPL 2025. A seasoned leader with vast experience, Rahane previously played for KKR in 2022 and is among the select few to have featured in the IPL since its inception in 2008. Venkatesh Iyer has been named the vice-captain.

MI IPL 2025 captain – Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya will continue leading Mumbai Indians. Having guided Gujarat Titans to an IPL title in 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023, Pandya endured a challenging 2024 season as MI finished at the bottom of the table.

RR IPL 2025 captain – Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson remains at the helm of Rajasthan Royals, a position he has held since 2021. Under his leadership, the Royals have made two playoff appearances, including a runners-up finish in IPL 2022 – their first final since their title triumph in the inaugural 2008 season.

RCB IPL 2025 captain – Rajat Patidar

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have named Rajat Patidar as their new captain, replacing Faf du Plessis. Patidar, who made his IPL debut in 2021, has been a consistent performer for RCB, accumulating 799 runs at a strike rate of 158.85 across 27 matches.

SRH IPL 2025 captain – Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins will continue to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad, aiming to go one step further after guiding them to the IPL 2024 final – their first in six years. SRH had a strong campaign last season, securing five wins in their first seven matches before finishing second on the points table.

PBKS IPL 2025 captain – Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer has been appointed captain of Punjab Kings, reuniting with coach Ricky Ponting, with whom he led Delhi Capitals to the IPL 2020 final. Iyer captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the title last season before entering the mega auction in search of a new team.

LSG IPL 2025 captain – Rishabh Pant

Lucknow Super Giants have named Rishabh Pant as their new captain after acquiring him at the auction. He replaces KL Rahul, who led the franchise in its first three seasons before joining Delhi Capitals for IPL 2025.