The best five IPL teams of all time  

The exhibition features big sixes, diving and sliding stops, great fielding, and close finishes. Three hours of high-octane action, complete with a trumpet solo, screaming spectators, and cheerleaders. This is essentially the purpose of the Indian Premier League.

Only the Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mumbai Indians have ever won the IPL.

 

1 Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings are without a doubt the best squad to ever compete in the IPL. CSK, led by “captain cool” MS Dhoni, is the only team to have made the playoffs in every season since its inception.

CSK has won the trophy twice and has reached the final six times, the most of any team.

They became the first and only team to successfully defend their IPL title in 2010 and 2011.

MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, and Brendon Mccullum have all represented CSK. CSK will return to the IPL after a two-year absence and hopes to win it this time.

132 Matches | 79 Wins | 52 Losses | 1 N/R Best Outcome: Champions (2010, 2011).

 

2 Mumbai Indians

 

In the first IPL, they had some of the top players on their team, led by Sachin Tendulkar.

Appointing Rohit Sharma as captain in the middle of the 2013 season was a brilliant move, since they went on to win three of the next five titles.

Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, and the Pandya twins all played exceptionally well for the franchise, and the captain led from the front.

They were the first team to win the title and finish first in their group the previous season. The defending champions are one of the favourites to win the tournament again.

IPL statistics:

 

157 matches played | 91 wins, 65 losses, 1 no-result | best result: champions (2013, 2015,

 

3 Kolkata Knight Riders

 

Kolkata Knight Riders, one of only three teams to win the IPL multiple times, saw their fortunes change after hiring Gautam Gambhir as skipper. With one of the largest fan bases in the IPL, they finished sixth, eighth, and sixth in the first three editions.

They have qualified for the playoffs five times since then, winning the title twice. They also have the greatest winning streak of any Indian T20 squad, having won 14 consecutive games.

They were eliminated in the qualifiers in the previous edition and would like to capture the title for the third time.

 

IPL statistics:

148 matches played | 77 wins, 71 losses, 0 no-results | Best Outcome: Champions (2012, 2014)

 

4 Royal Challengers Bangalore

 

RCB has bungled at the last step despite having a star-studded lineup every year. AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, and Jacques Kallis have all played for the current Indian captain Virat Kohli’s team. This squad has experienced its ups and downs, with the 2016 season being their worst in franchise history.

The main reasons for their unsatisfactory eighth place result were frequent changes in the squad and players not playing to their potential. This time, RCB would like to improve their fortunes and win their first IPL crown.

 

IPL statistics:

153 Matches | 73 Wins | 77 Losses | 3 N/R | Best Result: Finalist (2009, 2011, 2016)

 

5 Rajasthan Royals

 

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals were a tight call, with the latter receiving a node. The Royals have been a force to be reckoned with in every IPL they have played, led by some fantastic players like Shane Warne, Rahul Dravid, and Steve Smith.

They won the first tournament and advanced to the semifinals in 2013 and 2015.

A victory percentage of close to 54 is excellent for a team that doesn’t spend much and begins practically every IPL season as an underdog. After a two-year absence from the IPL, the Royals are eager to win their second crown.

 

IPL statistics:

118 matches played | 63 wins, 54 losses, 1 no-result | Best Outcome: Champions (2008)