Talk about sports in India, and cricket would be the name on every tongue. Despite having over 35 different sports being played at the regional and national levels, cricket remains the most loved, watched and perhaps most debated sport in India. This craze over cricket goes up with IPL, the Indian Premier League, which is a world-famous cricket tournament held annually. In this format, ten teams are formed from national, international, or state-level cricket professionals.
The board selects top performers from different variants of cricket and makes them participate in this league under specific teams. In IPL 2026, ten teams will participate in the league with a key focus on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), which bagged the title last year. Over the last 18 years, IPL has carved its very own vertical and with a massive fanbase surpassing 40 million, it is quite obvious to have a never-ending debate on “Which is the best team in IPL”. Based on data, facts and figures, we have rounded up the top 5 IPL teams. While it won’t settle the debate, it will surely give some clarity.
5 Best IPL Teams of All Time That Ranked Highest
One of the world’s most popular sports leagues, IPL is especially popular because it includes T20 matches, lasting around 3 hours, with world-famous cricketers.
Here, we have named the 5 best IPL teams based on their winning percentages, according to the Times of India news agency.
5- Kolkata Knight Riders
A three-time IPL winner, the Kolkata Knight Riders is one of the most-loved and famous teams in the IPL. For the 2026 edition, Ajinkya Rahane has confirmed to lead this as a captain.
Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, and her spouse Jay Mehta host the team. However, that’s not the only reason why KKR is popular. Kolkata Knight Riders has got quite a space for its strategic focus, spin bowling, strong team culture and aggressive batting, which we believe has been inherited from the 2008 captaincy under Sourav Ganguly.
Total Matches: 269
WIN%: 50.19
Loss: 122
Wins: 135
Tied: 4
4- Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians are the fourth-most successful team in IPL history. RIL founded MI in 2008; the team has many skilled players like Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, etc.
And you know what is surprising? Even Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest cricketers of all time, also played for this team before his retirement.
This team earned five IPL titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 over the years. The Mumbai Indians have delivered excellent performance, making it one of the best IPL teams.
Total Matches: 278
WIN%: 54.32
Loss: 122
Wins: 151
Tied: 4
3- Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants is the 3rd best team in IPL. RPSG Group founded this team in 2021.
In my opinion, compared to many other teams, LSG is new in IPL but has made a name for itself with a high winning percentage.
This team qualified for the playoffs in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, after this, they struggled to outshine RCB and MI and emerged as one of the strongest teams.
Total Matches: 58
WIN%: 51.72
Loss: 27
Wins: 30
Tied: 0
2- Chennai Super Kings
If you ask, “Is CSK the best IPL team?” It holds second place among the best IPL teams. CSK included high-profile cricketers like Stephen Fleming, Ruturaj Gaikwad, etc. MS Dhoni, one of the best cricket captains, also played for this team.
This team won the IPL title 5 times in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. CSK is the first team to defend the IPL title, becoming the best team in IPL.
Total Matches: 254
WIN%: 55.91
Loss: 108
Wins: 142
Tied: 1
1- Gujarat Titans
The Gujarat Titans are the most successful team in IPL history. Founded in 2021, this team made its IPL debut in 2022 and won the title, shocking every other team.
During the 2023 IPL season the Gujarat Titans reached the runner-up spot.
CVC Capital Partners, which includes recognised players like Mohammed Shami, David Miller, Hardik Pandya, etc owns the Gujarat Titans.
Total Matches: 60
WIN%: 61.67
Loss: 23
Wins: 37
Tied: 0
Who Really Claimed The Title “Hero of the League”
India Premier League shatters and breaks records every year, and adds more madness, perhaps, with every passing year. The last year’s season got a massive 1 billion viewers across TV and Digital, leading to a 840 billion total minutes of watch time.
Now, if we round up the discussion to conclude on which is the best IPL team, there are two names that come up. We’ve tracked historic dominance, performance and total wins and a lot of other facts and Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are two names that top the list.
Frequently Asked Questions
1- When will IPL start in 2026?
IPL is set for March 28.
2- Is CSK the best IPL team of all time?
If you consider title wins, then yes, CSK is the best IPL team, with a record five wins. However, the Mumbai Indians also won the IPL trophy five times.
3- Who is Mr. IPL?
Suresh Raina is often called Mr. IPL due to his consistent performance in the League.
4- Who won the first IPL season?
In 2008, the Rajasthan Royals won the very first IPL trophy in the inaugural tournament.
