Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been one of the most successful franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with three championship titles under their belt. Over the years, KKR have been led by several iconic captains who have shaped the team’s journey.
As Ajinkya Rahane takes the reins for the IPL 2025 season, fans are eager to see how he will lead the team in their title defense.
Here’s a comprehensive list of all the captains who have led KKR in the IPL:
Sourav Ganguly (2008-2010)
- Matches: 27
- Won: 13
- Lost: 14
- Win percentage: 48.14
Ganguly was KKR’s first captain, leading them in the inaugural season and again in 2010. Despite his aggressive leadership, KKR struggled in the early years
Brendon McCullum (2009)
- Matches: 13
- Won: 3
- Lost: 9
- Tied: 1
- Win percentage: 23.07
McCullum took over in 2009 but had a tough season, with KKR finishing at the bottom of the table.
Jacques Kallis (2011)
- Matches: 2
- Won: 1
- Lost: 1
- Win percentage: 50.00
Kallis briefly captained KKR for two matches before Gautam Gambhir took over.
Gautam Gambhir (2011-2017)
- Matches: 122
- Won: 69
- Lost: 51
- Tied: 1
- No Result: 1
- Win percentage: 56.55
Gambhir had been KKR’s most successful captain, leading them to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.
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Dinesh Karthik (2018-2020)
- Matches: 37
- Won: 19
- Lost: 17
- Tied: 1
- Win percentage: 51.35
Karthik led KKR for three seasons before stepping down midway through the 2020 season.
Eoin Morgan (2020-2021)
- Matches: 24
- Won: 11
- Lost: 12
- Tied: 1
- Win percentage: 45.83
Morgan replaced Karthik and guided KKR to the 2021 final.
Shreyas Iyer (2022-2024)
- Matches: 29
- Won: 17
- Lost: 11
- No Result: 1
- Win percentage: 58.62
Iyer led KKR to their third IPL title in 2024 but was released by the franchise ahead of the 2025 season.
Nitish Rana (2023)
- Matches: 14
- Won: 6
- Lost: 8
- Win percentage: 42.85
Rana stepped in as captain in Iyer’s absence during the 2023 season.
Ajinkya Rahane (2025)
- Matches: Yet to play
Rahane has been appointed as the captain for the IPL 2025 season, succeeding Shreyas Iyer. He will be supported by Venkatesh Iyer as vice-captain.
