IPL 2025: Full List of Captains Announced as Teams Prepare for New Season
With just over 10 days remaining until the highly anticipated IPL 2025 season, teams have begun their training camps, strategizing their path to the prestigious title. The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League promises to be exciting, especially with five teams appointing new leaders in a major IPL 2025 captains reshuffle following the mega auctions.
Among the 10 franchises, Delhi Capitals remains the only team yet to confirm its captain for IPL 2025. Reports suggest that KL Rahul has declined the captaincy offer, leaving the franchise in search of a new leader.
The IPL 2025 captains’ reshuffle is set to bring a fresh strategic approach to several franchises this season.
Five Teams Appoint New Captains for IPL 2025
While some franchises have opted for continuity by retaining their core squads, others have introduced new leadership in a bid to change their fortunes. The five teams that will enter IPL 2025 with new captains are:
- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – Ajinkya Rahane replaces Shreyas Iyer.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – Rajat Patidar takes over from Faf du Plessis.
- Delhi Capitals (DC) – Captain yet to be announced (last season: Rishabh Pant).
- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – Rishabh Pant replaces KL Rahul.
- Punjab Kings (PBKS) – Shreyas Iyer replaces Shikhar Dhawan.
This significant IPL 2025 captains reshuffle is expected to have a major impact on team strategies, on-field decision-making, and overall performances in the tournament. With five teams appointing new leaders, the IPL 2025 captains list reflects a mix of experience and young talent.
Full List of IPL 2025 Captains
With five teams undergoing leadership changes, here is the full list of IPL 2025 captains:
Confirmed Captains:
- Mumbai Indians (MI) – Hardik Pandya
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – Pat Cummins
- Rajasthan Royals (RR) – Sanju Samson
- Gujarat Titans (GT) – Shubman Gill
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – Rajat Patidar (Last season: Faf du Plessis)
- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – Rishabh Pant (Last season: KL Rahul)
- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – Ajinkya Rahane (Last season: Shreyas Iyer)
- Punjab Kings (PBKS) – Shreyas Iyer (Last season: Shikhar Dhawan)
Yet to be Announced:
- Delhi Capitals (DC) – Captain TBA (Last season: Rishabh Pant)
With Delhi Capitals yet to name their leader, speculation is high on who will take charge. Some reports suggest that David Warner or Prithvi Shaw could be in contention, while others believe the franchise might opt for a fresh overseas player. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how the IPL 2025 captains adapt to their roles and influence their teams’ performances.
How Team Retentions Shaped IPL 2025 Squads
Aside from IPL 2025 captains changes, this season has witnessed significant shifts in team compositions due to the mega auction and player retentions. While some franchises retained the core of their squads, others made sweeping changes to rebuild their teams.
Teams That Retained Their Core Players:
1️⃣ Mumbai Indians (MI): Retained five key players for stability:
- Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma
2️⃣ Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Retained MS Dhoni and core squad members:
- Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni
3️⃣ Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Opted to retain six key players.
4️⃣ Rajasthan Royals (RR): Followed a similar approach by retaining six core members.
These teams have focused on continuity rather than major overhauls, ensuring stability in their squads.
On the other hand, teams like Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Punjab Kings made significant changes—particularly in captaincy roles—hoping for a fresh start in IPL 2025.
What the Leadership Changes Mean for IPL 2025
With half of the teams opting for new IPL 2025 captains, the tournament’s tactical landscape will be different from previous seasons.
🔹 Fresh Leadership Approach – Teams with new captains will likely experiment with different strategies, batting orders, and bowling rotations.
🔹 Increased Pressure on Young Captains – Players like Rajat Patidar (RCB) and Shubman Gill (GT) will have to prove themselves as leaders under high-pressure situations.
🔹 Experienced Heads Leading New Teams – The appointment of Ajinkya Rahane (KKR) and Shreyas Iyer (PBKS) adds stability and experience to these franchises.
🔹 Uncertainty Around Delhi Capitals – With no confirmed captain yet, DC’s leadership dilemma remains a key talking point heading into the season.
With IPL 2025 expected to be one of the most competitive seasons yet, every franchise will be looking to hit the ground running. The combination of new captains, retained core players, and fresh auction signings makes this year’s tournament even more exciting.
The uncertainty surrounding Delhi Capitals’ leadership makes the IPL 2025 captains’ lineup even more intriguing.
Final Thoughts: Will the Captaincy Changes Reshape IPL 2025?
As IPL 2025 approaches, all eyes will be on how these new captains adapt to their roles and whether these leadership changes will impact team performances. While some franchises have banked on experience, others are betting on young leaders to take them forward.
🚀 Key Takeaways:
✅ Five teams have new captains, bringing a fresh leadership approach.
✅ Delhi Capitals remains the only franchise without an announced captain.
✅ Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings retained their core squads for continuity.
✅ Young captains like Rajat Patidar and Shubman Gill will face high-pressure challenges.
✅ IPL 2025 promises an exciting mix of experience, youth, and new strategies.
With only 10 days to go, the excitement for IPL 2025 captains and team performances is at an all-time high.
Which team do you think will benefit the most from their new captain? Let us know in the comments! 👇🏏
