IPL – Tournament Guide

The IPL – Everything You Need To Know

The IPL is the leading domestic cricket competition in India and arguably across the world. Ten teams from India compete against each other and this is an annual Twenty20 tournament which is hugely popular, with a total of seventy-four matches being played before a champion is crowned.

The first edition of the Indian Premier League was played in 2008. There was a growing demand for a professionalised cricket tournament and it was clear that the popularity of the Twenty20 format was going to lead to a number of big money franchises getting themselves set up.

Over the years, we have seen several franchises come and go as part of the IPL. The current format of the tournament will see games played on a round robin basis, although the teams are split evenly between two groups. IPL teams in the same group will play each other twice as opposed to once if teams are not in the same group.

Mumbai Indians have currently been the most successful team in IPL history and they have claimed the championship on five different occasions, although the 2021 IPL success for the Chennai Super Kings was their fourth success in the competition and this is a competition that grows in popularity from a betting point of view.

Virat Kohli currently stands as the leading run scorer after racking up 6,283 runs and the 33-year-old is regarded as one of the best players of his era. Meanwhile, Dwayne Bravo has racked up over 170 wickets and the West Indian continues to operate in the Indian Premier League despite having announced a retirement which was later reversed.

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The Auction/Franchises

Before every Indian Premier League cricket season, there comes the important matter of deciding which players will be representing certain teams. An auction takes place for a number of players where the franchises bid on a selection of players and hope to secure their main targets who can get added to their roster for the coming campaign.

There are essentially three different ways that an IPL franchise can land themselves a player. There is the annual player auction where the franchises bid against each other to capture the star names. Alternatively, there is the opportunity to trade players with other teams when certain trading windows open up. Finally, replacements can be sought if players become unavailable for any particular reason.

There are certain rules in place which means that there’s a limit to the number of players that can be signed by any particular club. There are also financial restrictions in place to try and make everything a fairer playing field. The strength of squad must be between 18 and 25 players, while an IPL franchise is only able to have eight overseas players.

The salary cap of the entire squad must not exceed ₹850 million which means that wages have to be a careful consideration of any Indian Premier League club when they are looking to sign players for their teams. Similarly, clubs cannot buy Under-19 players unless they have already played first-class cricket or the List A alternative.

When it comes to the starting 11 selected by any IPL team for a particular match, there can be no more than four overseas players in the side. Every player’s contract can last no more than one calendar year, although signing a player means that there is an option further down the line to sign a contract extension by one year or two years.

In 2022, the most expensive IPL player in the auction was Ishan Kishan, with the Mumbai Indians spending 15.25 crore on this player, while Chris Morris was an even more expensive capture for the Rajasthan Royals in the previous year when costing 16.25 crore and he remains the record IPL auction signing.

The IPL Teams

Chennai Super Kings   

Team: Chennai Super Kings
City: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Ground: M. A. Chidambaram Stadium
IPL Debut: 2008
Number of IPL Titles: 5

The Super Kings were founded in 2008 and they play in the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai which has a capacity of 50,000. They have enjoyed four Indian Premier League wins, with successes coming in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021. India Cements are the owners of this franchise, with the team enjoying a rivalry with Mumbai Indians.

One of the most loved franchises in the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings doesn’t need any introduction. CSK enjoys a massive fan following across the globe and is currently the second most valuable IPL franchise. 

The Super Kings are a very popular IPL cricket team and they are well supported in their native India and all over the world. The fans like to describe themselves as the Yellow Army and for those wanting to be part of an official supporters club, you can sign up to the “Whistle Podu Army”.

Yellow Army

The Yellow Army have been part of the league since its inception and is the joint-most successful franchise along with Mumbai Indians. Owing to their consistent performances throughout the years, CSK have managed to garner love and admiration from across the world. 

The legendary captain, MS Dhoni has been captaining the franchise since the inaugural season. Under him, CSK have won as many as five titles, played finals on 10 occasions, and reached playoffs 12 out of 14 seasons that they played. 

The Chennai Super Kings franchise is owned by India Cements through their holding company, the Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited. India Cements Managing Director N. Srinivasan is currently the owner of Chennai Super Kings. 

Indian bettors are looking to CSK more and more in the outrights following two or the three most recent wins in the IPL. Also player bets are very popular with this team, due to the line up of stars in their team. There was an IPL online betting frenzy for CSK in the 2023 season, and some bettors were richly rewarded for backing this team.

The IPL History of Chennai Super Kings

CSK is the most consistent team in the Indian Premier League history. They finished third on the points table at the end of the league stage in the inaugural edition. They went on to reach the final but lost to Rajasthan Royals in the summit clash. 

In the following season, they finished second after the league stage but the hopes of lifting the titles were crushed after they lost to RCB in the semi-final. CSK reached the final for the second time in the 2010 season and this time, they ensured they lifted the title. 

The Yellow Army beat Mumbai Indians in the final to lift their first-ever IPL trophy. CSK became the first team to lift two consecutive titles after they beat RCB in the final of the 2012 season. The fans were overjoyed as CSK made a special place in their hearts. 

Losses in finals

2012 and 2013 edition saw them reaching the final on both occasions but failed to lift the title for the third time.

CSK, once again, lost the final in the 2015 edition at the hands of Mumbai Indians but what followed, thereafter, left everyone in shock. The Yellow Army led by MS Dhoni was banned from playing the league for two seasons due to the involvement of its owners in the 2013 betting case. 

MS Dhoni and Co. made its comeback in the 2018 edition and lifted the title for the third time to, once again, exert their supremacy. They replicated the feat in the 2021 edition after beating KKR in the final.  CSK had a poor outing in the 2022 edition but lifted their fifth title in the 2023 edition to become only the second franchise to win five titles in the cash-rich league

Who Holds the Chennai Super Kings Records?

Suresh Raina holds the record for the most runs scored by a CSK batter in the tournament’s history. In 176 matches, Raina has managed to score 4678 runs. 

Dwayne Bravo has picked the most wickets for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL history. In 113 matches played for the franchise, Bravo managed to pick 140 wickets. 

Murali Vijay has the record for notching the highest individual score by a CSK batter. He scored 127 runs against Rajasthan Royals in the 2010 IPL edition. 

Strong bowling attack

Ravindra Jadeja has the distinction of having the best bowling figures for CSK. He picked five wickets for just 16 runs against Deccan Chargers in the 2012 IPL edition. 

Devon Conway has the best career average for CSK by any batter. In 13 matches played for the franchise so far, he has managed to score 510 runs at an average of 46.36. 

Suresh Raina owns the record for scoring the most half-centuries for CSK- 33. 

Shane Watson has notched 2 centuries while playing for CSK in the Indian Premier League- the most by any CSK batter. 

MS Dhoni has the record for hitting the most number of sixes for CSK in the Indian Premier League. In 183 innings, he has managed to hit 205 sixes for the franchise. 

Suresh Raina also holds the unwanted record for scoring the most number of ducks (8) for CSK in IPL. 

Muttiah Muralitharan has the best economy (6.37) by any CSK bowler in the IPL history. 

Check out our free betting tips feed for up to date IPL betting tips as the tournament unfolds. We have IPL betting tips free for our readers to enjoy during the tournament.

If you’re betting on this years IPL, we list the best betting sites for IPL that have a great selection of cricket betting offers and if you’re looking for opportunities to place a free bet on the Indian Premier League, check out our IPL betting offers list

Delhi Capitals  

Team: Delhi Capitals
City: New Delhi
Ground: Arun Jaitley Stadium
IPL Debut: 2008
Number of IPL Titles: 0

Delhi Capitals are another founding member of the IPL who have stood the test of time, with this team playing at Arun Jaitley Stadium as their home ground. They are owned by Sajjan Jindal and G M Rao, with the team having originally been known as the Delhi Daredevils. Virender Sehwag is a notable operator for Delhi and he featured for the team in the opening couple of seasons.

The Delhi Capitals are one of the first eight teams to play in the Indian Premier League. In 2008, they were known as the Delhi Daredevils, owned by the GMR Group. Initially bought for $84 million by the GMR Group, they later sold 50% stakes in the team to the JSW Group at a valuation of U$138 million.

But GMR group sold 50% stake in the franchise to JSW Sports in 2018 and the team was subsequently rebranded as the Delhi Capitals in that year.

Huge support

Even though the Capitals are yet to win any Indian Premier League title, they have a large fanbase. That’s majorly because the franchise’s roots are in the capital city of the country. The Capitals have had a number of anthems and theme songs over the years.

The current theme song is “Roar Machaa” sung by Amit Trivedi. It became an instant hit and they have had a couple of other popular theme songs as well, like the “Dil Dilli hai, ab Dhadkega” in 2018 and “Dhuandaar Dilli” in 2016.

The IPL History of the Delhi Capitals

One of the oldest teams in the history of the IPL, Delhi Capitals, started as Delhi Daredevils in 2008. They had a high-flying start in the first campaign with two back-to-back wins, but they faced setbacks in the middle of the campaign. Despite that, they managed to qualify for the knockouts, where they suffered a defeat against the inaugural edition champions, Rajasthan Royals. 

In the 2009 season, they finished at the top of the table under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir, boasting the most successful batsmen in their lineup such as Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, and Aaron Finch. However, they lost to the spirited Deccan Chargers (now defunct) in the knockouts. 

Struggling for success

After the first two seasons and the mega auction in 2012, the team never looked the same until 2020. They often finished at the bottom of the points table or as the penultimate side, with only occasional exceptions. They qualified for the first time in a decade in 2019 under the tutelage of Ricky Ponting. Under his guidance, the side became formidable and came close to winning the title in 2020. However, they reverted to their previous struggles, facing challenges in qualifying for the knockouts, particularly with the absence of the firebrand player, Rishabh Pant.

Who Holds the Delhi Capitals Records?

Despite being unavailable for close to a season and a half, the top scorer record is held by the southpaw, Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper-batsman made his debut in 2016 for his side and has scored 2838 runs from 98 games for Delhi Capitals. He has achieved this feat at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of 148. The second and third places are occupied by the likes of Shreyas Iyer (2375 runs) and David Warner (2197 runs). 

The individual highest score is held by Rishabh Pant, who scored a swashbuckling century against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018. His unbeaten 128 remains the record for the side, surpassing Sehwag’s 119* and David Warner’s 109* against Deccan Chargers.

Strong bowling attack

Amongst the bowlers, the veteran leggie, Amit Mishra, holds the record for the most number of wickets. He has picked 106 wickets from 99 games at an average of 23.65. Mishra has been a long-serving member of the side. Kagiso Rabada (76 wickets) and Anrich Nortje (50 wickets) follow as the highest wicket-takers. 

The best bowling figures for Delhi Capitals were achieved by Amit Mishra, who took a fifer for just 17 runs against Deccan Chargers in the first edition of the campaign. Mishra also holds the second-best bowling record (4/11), while Rajat Bhatia, the all-rounder, ranks third with figures of 4/15 amongst the best bowling figures.

Gujarat Titans

Team: Gujarat Titans
City: Ahmedabad
Ground: Narendra Modi Stadium, Mothra
IPL Debut: 2022
Number of IPL Titles: 1

Gujarat Titans are a relatively new IPL brand having been founded in 25 October 2021, with CVC Capital Partners behind this Indian Premier League franchise. The team play at the Narendra Modi Stadium, with the club making their bow in the 2022 competition. Hardik Pandya will make history as the team’s first ever captain, while the franchise also picked Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan.

Runners up in 2023

However, the fireworks by Ravindra Jadeja meant they ended the season as runners-up. 

Despite all these achievements, Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season. 

Who Holds the Gujarat Titans Records?

The emerging batter in India, hailed “The Prince”, Shubman Gill holds the record for the highest run scored by a Gujarat Titans player. He has scored 1373 runs from 33 games. His highest score has come against Mumbai Indians who has scored 129 runs. 

He has averaged close to 60 in these games. He is the next skipper of the team in the absence of Hardik Pandya. 

The second highest scorer for Gujarat Titans is Hardik Pandya with 833 runs from 31 games. The third in the list is David Miller with 740 runs, who has remained instrumental in the side’s quest in the last season. 

Bowling strength

As far as the bowling is concerned, Mohammad Shami and Rashid Khan have a close fight and there might not be a final answer to this as well. Mohammad Shami has 48 wickets from 33 games at a strike rate of 16.15. He has bowled at an average economy of 8 runs per over. On the other hand, Rashid Khan has 46 wickets from 33 games at an economy of 7.4 runs per over and strike rate of 17. 

Mohit Sharma holds the best bowling figures for Gujarat Titans. Against Mumbai Indians, he has picked five wickets for ten runs. On the other hand, Mohammad Shami has four wickets for 11 runs, which is the second best figures for Gujarat Titans. 

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Kolkata Knight Riders  

Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
City: Kolkata, West Bengal
Ground: Eden Gardens
IPL Debut: 2008
Number of IPL Titles: 2

Kolkata Knight Riders is one of the biggest IPL franchises and was recently valued at over $100 million, with Red Chillies Entertainment and the Mehta Group the two owners of a club who are always competitive in the Indian Premier League. The Knight Riders have won the 2012 and 2014 titles, with the team playing their home matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Kolkata Knight Riders is a prominent franchise cricket team that represents the city of Kolkata in the Indian Premier League. KKR is one of the most successful outfits in the cash-rich league with 2 IPL titles to their name. 

One of the big reasons behind Kolkata Knight Riders’ huge fan following is the fact that the franchise is owned by the biggest superstar of Bollywood i.e., Shah Rukh Khan, along with actress Juhi Chawla and her spouse Jay Mehta.

It is pertinent to mention that Kolkata Knight Riders is the fourth-most valuable team in the Indian Premier League behind the likes of CSK, RCB and MI. It boasts of a valuation of $122 million. 

Success in 2012 and 2014

In its IPL history, Kolkata Knight Riders have lifted the Indian Premier League trophy twice in 2012 and 2014, both under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir. 

Bettors have moved away from the KKR in the IPL outright betting markets due to their lack of winning titles in recent years. There is more more interest in the Riders in the match betting and live betting IPL markets.

The IPL History of Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders lit up Indian Premier League in the very first game of the inaugural season, thanks to a sensational knock from Brendon McCullum. In the very first match of the inaugural season, Brendon McCullum played a heart-warming knock of 158 runs and the rest is history. 

However, KKR’s overall season didn’t inspire any confidence. They finished the season at number sixth spot, winning only 6 matches out of 14. 

They didn’t improve the following season, finishing at the bottom in 2009. Following disappointing run in the first few years, KKR’s fortunes changed when they roped in Gautam Gambhir in the 2011 IPL auction. 

New leadership in 2011

Gambhir took over leadership duties in the 2011 IPL season and took the team to the playoffs for the first time in the league. The franchise dished out improved performances next season and went on to seal their maiden final appearance in IPL 2012. 

Gautam Gambhir-led KKR beat Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2012 final to be crowned as champions for the first time ever. Gambhir had the hunger to achieve more and with him at the helm of affairs, KKR went on to win their second IPL title in 2014. 

Following the 2014 season, KKR have managed to reach the playoffs on four occasions and were also runners up in the 2021 season. However, the search for their third title in the tournament still goes on.  

Who Holds the Kolkata Knight Riders Records?

Gautam Gambhir is the leading run-getter for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL history. In 109 matches played for the franchise, Gambhir has scored 3035 runs. 

Brendon McCullum holds the record for notching the highest score by a KKR player in Indian Premier League. He smashed 154 against RCB in April 2008. 

Andre Russell boast of having the best strike rate of 176.61 for the franchise in the Indian Premier League. 

Gautam Gambhir also holds the record for having the most number of half-centuries (27) for KKR in the Indian Premier League. 

Andre Russell has hit 139 sixes for the Kolkata Knight Riders, which is the most by any player for the franchise in the Indian Premier League. 

Brendon McCullum has the record for hitting the most sixes in an innings for KKR in IPL. During his 154-run knock against RCB, the Kiwi batter smashed 13 sixes. 

Robin Uthappa owns the record for scoring the most runs in a single season of IPL. He scored 660 runs for KKR in the 2014 edition of IPL. 

Gautam Gambhir also holds the unwanted record of having the most number of ducks (10) for KKR in the Indian Premier League. 

Lucknow Super Giants

Team: Lucknow Super Giants
City: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Ground: BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium
IPL Debut: 2022
Number of IPL Titles: 0

Lucknow Super Giants are a relatively new name in the world of IPL, with this being one of the latest franchises to win a bid and join the Indian Premier League. The team play at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium which has a capacity of 50,000, with RPSG Group being the owner of this franchise. Andy Flower was hired as coach of the team in their inaugural season, while KL Rahul was the first ever captain.

The Lucknow Super Giants are one of the two new teams introduced into the Indian Premier League in 2022 to make the tournament a 10-team affair. They are a franchise based out of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh and are owned by the RPSG Group, who previously owned the Rising Pune Supergiant franchise between 2016 and 2017. The RPSG Group won the rights of this franchise for a massive bid amount of INR 7090 Crores.

The Super Giants also brought in a highly experienced administrative and support staff to help them in their maiden outing in the IPL. Zimbabwe legend Andy Flower, who has a terrific record as coach in different T20 leagues around the world, was roped in as head coach while two-time IPL title winning captain Gautam Gambhir was hired as the mentor. Among other notable hirings are Vijay Dahiya (Assistant coach) and Andy Bichel (Bowling Coach).

For the Indian betting public, Lucknow Super Giants have not delivered a great deal in the outright markets. However, 2024 may bring success for this team who are well funded. They could be a surprise package in this IPL tournament and will be desperate to get that first IPL title.

How was the Lucknow Super Giants Squad Assembled?

Ahead of the mega-auction 2022, LSG roped in KL Rahul for a record 17 crore, while also securing the services of the Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and Indian spinner, Ravi Bishnoi. They built a side with stalwarts and right mix of youngsters to balance the side. 

In the first season, they finished third on the points table and faced Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator. Despite the heroic effort of KL Rahul, RCB knocked the side out of the competition. 

In 2023, Lucknow Super Giants again made it to the knockouts yet again. Mumbai Indians, however, knocked them out of the compeition in the Eliminator clash. 

The Most Experienced Lucknow Super Giants Players

Lucknow Super Giants is only a two year old franchise and relatively new to the league. With the bat, none of the batter from the team has reached the 1000-run mark. In 24 matches, the Klassy Rahul has scored 890 runs at an average strike rate of 122 across two seasons. Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis take the second and third rank with 651 and 564 runs respectively.

The record for the best figures with the bat is held by Quinton de Kock. He scored 140 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders in the first season.

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Mumbai Indians

Team: Mumbai Indians
City: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Ground: Wankhede Stadium
IPL Debut: 2008
Number of IPL Titles: 5

Mumbai Indians play at the Wankhede Stadium and they are one of the original founding members of the Indian Premier League. Reliance Industries are the owner of arguably the most famous IPL team, with the team having racked up five IPL wins already which makes them the most successful club in the history of this tournament. In 2017, they made history by crossing the $100 million valuation mark.

Mumbai Indians is one of the biggest names in the Indian Premier League. It is the third-highest-valued franchise in the competition- coming in at $190 Million.

If MS Dhoni is synonymous with CSK, then Rohit Sharma is for Mumbai Indians. Thanks to him, Mumbai Indians, today, is the joint most successful captain in the Indian Premier League alongside CSK. 

Mumbai Indians won their first IPL title in the 2011 edition and, overall, has five titles in the bag. Ahead of the 2024 edition of the tournament, the franchise has appointed Hardik Pandya as their new captain. 

Rohit Sharma, however, will continue to be a vital cog in the team. Mark Boucher is the current coach of the franchise. Mumbai Indians are owned by Indiawin Sports Private Limited, which is a subsidiary firm of Reliance Industries. 

Links to Tendulkar

The Mumbai Indians have had a large fan following ever since the inaugural edition, mainly due to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s association with them. Tendulkar played for a long time for them and is now associated with the franchise as their mentor. Legendary former Sri Lankan batter Mahela Jayawardene is their head coach as well.

They have proved very popular team with bettors, who like to back them as tournament winners in the IPL outright markets. There previous success in the Indian Premier League makes them an extremely well backed team.

The IPL History of the Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians have been part of the IPL since the inaugural edition in 2008. Ahead of the first season, Sachin Tendulkar was picked as their icon player and also the captain of the franchise. Unfortunately, they missed out on a semi-final spot by just one point. 

After failing to make it into the playoffs for the first two seasons, Mumbai Indians staged a solid comeback in 2010 and went on to reach the finals. However, a 22-run defeat over Chennai Super Kings meant that they had to wait to get hold of their first IPL trophy. 

2013 was first taste of success

Mumbai’s success story began in the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League. Following his slump in his batting form, Ricky Ponting stepped down as the captain, and Rohit Sharma was appointed as MI’s new captain midway through the season. 

Rohit impressed one and all with his leadership skills as MI went on to win their maiden IPL title. With him at the helm of affairs, Mumbai registered title wins every alternative year- 2015, 2017, and 2019. All four titles came under Hitman’s captaincy. 

Mumbai Indians became the most successful team after they clinched their fifth IPL trophy in 2020. From not winning a single IPL trophy in the first five years to getting hold of five titles in the next 8 editions, Mumbai Indians became one of the strongest teams in the cash-rich league. 

Ahead of the 2024 season, MI would be keen to lift their sixth IPL title. You can check out our IPL online betting guide if you think you would like to place a bet on this team.

Who Holds the Mumbai Indians Records?

Rohit Sharma is the highest run-scorer for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League history. In 182 matches, the Indian captain has scored 4441 runs. 

Sanath Jayasuriya holds the record for hitting the highest individual score for MI. He played an unbeaten 114-run knock against Chennai Super Kings in the 2008 edition. 

Tim David possesses the best strike rate for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League- 185.71. 

Rohit Sharma has also hit the most number of half-centuries (35) for Mumbai Indians. 

Kieron Pollard has hit 214 sixes for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, which is the most by any batter. 

The record for hitting the most sixes in an innings is held by Sanath Jayasuriya. He hit 11 sixes during his 114-run knock against CSK in 2008. 

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Punjab Kings   

Team: Punjab Kings (PBKS)
City: Mohali, Punjab
Ground: Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium, Mohali
IPL Debut: 2008
Number of IPL Titles: 0

Punjab Kings are a well-supported IPL team who play the majority of their home matches at the Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium in Mohali. Mohit Burman is one of four different owners of an IPL franchise who have been in operation since 2008, with the team originally having started out as Kings XI Punjab. They are still awaiting their first ever IPL success, having finished runner-up in 2014 although they have regularly struggled to make the play-offs at the end of the season.

Who Are the Punjab Kings?

The Punjab Kings were actually originally called the Kings XI Punjab. The name was recently changed to the Punjab Kings in February 2021 as the franchise looked to “start a fresh” after not being able to win a title after thirteen seasons.

The Punjab Kings were one of the original teams in the IPL, making their debut in the first edition of the IPL in 2008. The team plays its home matches at the Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium in Mohali (more commonly known as the PCA stadium) which has a total capacity of 38,0000. More recently the franchise have started playing some of their home games in Dharamsala and Indore.

The franchise is jointly owned by the Dabur group’s Mohit Burman (46%), the Wadia group’s Ness Wadia (23%), Bollywood Preity Zinta (23%), and Karan Paul. In the current 2022 IPL they coached by former Indian spin bowler Anil Kumble and captained by Mayank Agarwal.

Overall, across the 14 editions of the IPL, the Punjab Kings have failed to make the impact they would have liked having never won an IPL title. The combination of a lack of success in the tournament and also the smaller size of its geographical region has meant they are not considered as one of the tournaments more popular teams.

The IPL History of Punjab Kings

One of the oldest franchises of the tournament, Punjab Kings has made only two knockouts appearances in their entire history. They have been perennial underachievers on and off the pitch compared to few other franchises. 

Appearance in the semi’s

In 2008, the team started poorly with two back to back defeats before being able to claw back into the competition. They went onto win games as soon as the missing stars arrived to the squad and made it to the semifinals. They bowed out to Chennai Super Kings in the semis. 

In 2009, they started off greatly with off the pitch success as they onboarded Emirates as their sponsor. However, due to the absence of Australian internationals, the team failed to qualify for the knockouts. 

After five seasons, the team returned to its full glory as they came close to winning the title. They not only topped the table but also were on the verge of winning the competition. However, they bowed down to Kolkata Knight Riders in the finals. 

Ever since then, they have failed to qualify for the knockouts. The team also underwent a rebranding exercise in 2021 to change the name to Punjab Kings.

Who Holds the Punjab Kings Records?

Punjab Kings have consistently had a high turnover of players throughout the years. They have unfortunately struggled to keep hold of their best players and so in comparison their batting and bowling records are not as impressive compared to other teams.

Big names

Currently, KL Rahul is one of the biggest names in the IPL. He was part of Punjab Kings from 2018 to 2021 and was one of the teams most impressive players being their all-time leading run scorer with 2,548 runs in only 55 matches at an average of 56.62. In comparison, the Australian Shaun Marsh was the team’s second leading run scorer, making 2,477 runs in 69 innings. KL Rahul also holds the highest individual score of 132 not out in 2020 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Only the bowling front, the Punjab Kings have always had extremely talented local Indian bowlers, with the likes of Mohammed Shami (58 wickets), Axar Patel (61 wickets), and Sandeep Sharma (71 wickets) but it’s the club legend Piyush Chawla who took has taken the most wickets for Punjab with 84 in 87 matches. Young Indian fast bowler Ankit Rajpoot also holds the best bowling figures in an innings taking 5 wickets for 14 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018.

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Rajasthan Royals

Team: Rajasthan Royals
City: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Ground: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
IPL Debut: 2008
Number of IPL Titles: 1

Manoj Badale and his company Emerging Media are the major shareholder of the Rajasthan Royals, with the team playing their home cricket at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. They play in a pink and navy blue kit and made history by becoming the inaugural winners of the IPL when triumphing under the captaincy of Shane Warne. They also finished runners-up in the Champions League in 2013.

Who Are the Rajasthan Royals?

The Rajasthan Royals are best known for being the winners of the inaugural edition of the IPL. Over the years they have developed a reputation for being able to find unknown, high-potential players, and on a uglier note, a team that has been involved in several controversies.

As previously alluded to the Royals are one of the original 8 franchises that played in the inaugural edition of the IPL. The franchise is based in Jaipur, the largest city in the state of Rajasthan, and play their home matches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000.

Wealthy owners

The franchise is owned by Manoj Badale (of Emerging Media IPL Ltd) who holds a 65% stake, with other key minority stakeholders including Lachlan Murdoch (13% stake) and RedBird Capital Partners (15% stake). On the field the franchise is currently led by Sanju Samson as captain and the team is coached by Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakarra.

Controversy

Apart from Rajasthan’s win in the inaugural tournament, the franchise may be best known for their scandals. The biggest being their suspension from the IPL in 2016 and 2017 after a 2013 betting scandal, in which 3 of their players were charged with match-fixing.

However, although they are the smallest IPL franchise (as determined by social media followers), through their canny signings, unearthing of young talent and strong leaders, like the late, great Shane Warne, they are a franchise which have always been able to punch above their weight.

The IPL History of Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals were the least expensive team in the 2008 IPL. But, they were crediting for unearthing the rare gems and high potential players. Even in the auction, they didn’t go for the household names of 2008, barring Shane Warne as their skipper.

The team was labelled as one of the weakest teams at the start and it was confirmed when they lost the first game against Delhi Daredevils by nine wickets. However, the narrative soon changed as Shane Watson shined in the first home game against Kings XI Punjab to hand his team the first win. Later, the same player went on to win the Man of the Tournament while helping the side to win the first ever title of the most glamorous league.

Struggled to recapture early success

In the coming seasons, they could not replicate the early success and fell behind in the race. In 2010, they were on the verge of expulsion from the league but they survived as the arbitration was successful. However, it was not enough as the team got caught in the match fixing scandal in 2015 and were banished from the league for two seasons. 

Making a comeback in 2018, they had lost the venom and the rigor they had. The side went on to finish in the second half of the table. However, since the COVID pandemic, they have become one of the formidable teams, almost making it to the playoffs twice and even closer to the title in 2022. 

Who Holds the Rajasthan Royals Records?

Known for securing the signature of rare gems, the highest scorer for the Rajasthan Royals is also an underrated player in the international circuit. The record is held by Sanju Samson, who has scored 3211 runs for the side over the last decade. The second spot is held by Ajinkya Rahane, who has 2810 runs in the seven seasons he represented the side. Jos Butler is the third highest run scorer for the team. 

Big batting totals

The highest individual score for the Rajasthan Royals is held by two players, Jos Buttler and Yashavsi Jaiswal, who have scored 124 runs. Jos scored that against the Orange Army in 2021 whereas Yashasvi scored it recently against Mumbai Indians in 2023. Sanju Samson holds the record for the second highest with 119 runs against the Punjab outfit. 

The best bowling records is in the name of Siddharth Trivedi, who was suspended in 2013. He has 65 wickets to his name, whereas, the second and third position is held by Shane Watson (61) and Shane Warne (57) respectively. 

The highest wicket in an innings, the best bowling records, is still of the first season where Sohail Tanvir bamboozled the batsmen with his bowling. He picked six wickets for just 14 runs in that innings against Chennai Super Kings. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore  

Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
City: Bangalore, Karnataka
Ground: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
IPL Debut: 2008
Number of IPL Titles: 0

Royal Challengers Bangalore are one of the founding members of the Indian Premier League, having been formed in 2008. United Spirits Limited are the owners and their leading liquor brand is Royal Challenge which gives the team its name. Throughout Indian Premier League history, the team has played its home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and they have been runners-up on three different occasions.

Who are the Royal Challengers Bangalore?

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is one of the most popular franchise cricket teams that plays in the Indian Premier League. RCB has been always been known for having high-profile players but, somehow, hasn’t quite managed to lift the IPL title in the tournament’s history. 

Despite that, the franchise boast of having the most loyal fans, who have stuck with them through thick and thin. India’s modern-day superstar Virat Kohli has been the face of the bangalore-based franchise for many years. 

Coming close

He is part of the team since the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008. In its IPL journey, the Red Army have managed to reach the finals on three occasions but couldn’t quite cross the final hurdle. 

RCB was initially bought by Vijay Mallya, who was the then chairman of Kingfisher Airlines and United Spirits for a $ 111.6 million. 

However, he was declared as a defaulter and, thus, was removed from the position as the owner of the franchise. Hence, RCB is now solely owned by United Spirits. 

For Indian bettors, RCB have been low down the list for picking in the outright markets. There are a lot more IPL bets placed on individual players, such as Virat Kohli.

The IPL History of Royal Challengers Bangalore

Ahead of the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League, RCB roped in Rahul Dravid as its icon player and also made him the captain of the franchise. 

However, after a disappointing performance in the first season, Anil Kumble took over in the middle of the second season in 2009. RCB’s performance improved dramatically and the Red Army went to reach the final. 

In the summit clash, however, the Red Army lost to Deccan Chargers by 6 wickets. The following season, RCB, once again, reached the semi-finals and played their second final in the 2011 edition of the tournament.

Previous heroes

The 2011 saw RCB produce a new hero in Chris Gayle. Both Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle topped the run-charts that season and took the team in the final. However, yet again, they failed to cross the final hurdle. 

Chennai Super Kings beat them in the final by 58 runs. Despite boasting of a powerful batting line-up, RCB, once again, couldn’t hold the trophy. The next three seasons were quite disappointing as they couldn’t reach the playoffs on a single occasion. 

Taking up the baton

Virat Kohli gave Royal Challengers Bangalore their best chance of winning the title in 2016. India’s run-machine activated his beast mode as he scored a record 973 runs that season, which included 4 centuries and 7 half-centuries. 

He took the team to the final which was played against SRH on 29th May 2016. David Warner lit up the clash with an incredible knock and powered SRH to a mammoth score of 208. In reply, Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli shared a solid 114-run partnership for the opening wicket. But, once the universe boss departed, wickets fell quickly and the Red Army, once again, fell short of the target. 

This was the last time when RCB managed to reach the final in their IPL journey. Under the captaincy of Faf du Plessis, Bangalore-based franchise finished at sixth spot on the table in the previous season. 

The fans, however, continued to support them and are expected to, once again, cheer for them in the upcoming season. 

Who Holds the Royal Challengers Bangalore Records?

Virat Kohli has scored the most runs for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. In 237 matches, he has managed to score 7263 runs for the franchise.

Chris Gayle owns the record of hitting the highest individual score for RCB in Indian Premier League. The southpaw smashed 175 runs against Pune Warriors in 2013. 

Chris Gayle also has the best average by a batsman for RCB in IPL. In 90 innings, he scored 3420 runs at an average of 43.29. 

Glenn Maxwell has scored runs with the best strike rate of 161.43 for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL. 

Multiple records for Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has scored the most number of half-centuries for RCB in the IPL. He has 52 fifties to his name for the Red Army. 

Virat Kohli also owns the record of having the most number centuries (7) for RCB. 

As far as the most sixes scored for RCB in the IPL is concerned, Chris Gayle is above them all with 239 sixes to his name. 

Virat Kohli has also scored the most runs for RCB in a single IPL edition. He hammered 973 runs for the Red Army during the 2016 edition of the cash-rich league. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
City: Hyderabad, Telangana
Ground: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
IPL Debut: 2012
Number of IPL Titles: 1

This is a team that play their IPL cricket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad, with the Orange Army having been founded in 2012 and they continue to prosper in this Twenty20 competition. They made history in the 2016 IPL when becoming champions for the first time, with the SUN Group the owners of this franchise and they are regularly competitive.

Sunrisers Hyderabad is a franchise cricket team based in Hyderabad that plays in the Indian Premier League. SRH plays all their home matches at the famous Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad is hailed as one of the most consistent teams in the Indian Premier League. They made their debut in the 2013 season under the captaincy of Kumar Sangakkara. 

Famous Aussies

Australian opener David Warner led SRH to their first ever IPL title in the 2016 edition of the tournament. David Warner has played a major role in building SRH’s reputation for being a consistent performer in the cash rich league. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise is owned by Sun Group. The founder and the chairman of the Sun group, Kavya Maran co-owns SRH with her daughter Kavya Maran. 

The IPL History of the Sunrisers Hyderabad 

Sunrisers Hyderabad announced their arrival in the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League. In their very first season, they managed to reach the playoffs but their performances dipped in the following two seasons. 

Under the leadership of David Warner, Sunrisers Hyderabad went on to claim their first ever IPL title in 2016. SRH posted a mammoth total of 208 runs in the final against RCB and won the game by 8 wickets. 

Strong performances

The Hyderabad franchise continued to exhibit stellar performances, reaching playoffs on four consecutive occasions. They, once again, reached the final in the 2018 edition but couldn’t win that time around. 

Having said that, SRH’s performances have seen a dip in the last few seasons. Their campaign ended in the league stage itself for three consecutive seasons in 2021, 2022, and 2023. 

Who Holds the Sunrisers Hyderabad Records?

Former SRH captain, David Warner has scored the most runs for the franchise in the Indian Premier League. Warner has amassed 4014 runs in 95 matches at an average of 49.55. 

David Warner has the highest individual score to his name for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. He played a stellar knock of 126 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017. 

Australia’s batting stalwart, David Warner also has the best average of 49.55 by any batter for SRH in the Indian Premier League. 

As far as the highest strike-rate is concerned, Ashish Reddy tops the list with 149.39. 

Strong batting records

The record for hitting the most number of half-centuries in the Indian Premier League for SRH is also held by David Warner. He has 40 half-centuries to his name in 95 innings. 

David Warner has also hit 2 centuries for SRH, which is the most by any batter for Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

Additionally, David Warner owns the record of hitting the most fours (379) and most sixes (143) for SRH in the Indian Premier League. 

The IPL Format

There are ten teams who compete in the Indian Premier League each season. The format is a round robin which means the sides will meet each other at least once. However, five IPL teams are put into Group A and five sides are put into Group B. The teams who are in the same group will meet on a home and away basis, rather than just a solitary meeting.

When all of the round robin matches of the IPL have been played, then the top four teams qualify for the IPL play-offs. The leading two teams go through to the Qualifier 1, while the third and fourth-placed sides go through to something called the Eliminator. As the latter name suggests, this is a straight shoot-out for the honour of remaining in the competition.

Meanwhile, the Qualifier 1 will determine the first finalist and the losing team from this match will then go through to the Qualifier 2 match. This game is now a straight shootout between the winner of the Eliminator and the loser of Qualifier 1. They will then go through to compete in the final.

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are the most successful IPL teams, with the former having landed five titles compared to their rivals’ four titles. However, the Super Kings have reached a record nine IPL finals and been runner-up on five occasions, which is an incredible achievement considering that the competition has been formed since 2008.

Next in the pecking order come the Kolkata Knight Riders, with this franchise having won the 2012 Indian Premier League title before doubling their tally in 2014. There are three other teams who have been successful and that includes the Deccan Chargers who no longer operate in the tournament. Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad are other champions. 

IPL Winners Record

Year	Winner
2008	Rajasthan Royals
2009	Deccan Chargers
2010	Chennai Super Kings
2011	Chennai Super Kings
2012	Kolkata Knight Riders
2013	Mumbai Indians
2014	Kolkata Knight Riders
2015	Mumbai Indians
2016	Sunrisers Hyderabad
2017	Mumbai Indians
2018	Chennai Super Kings
2019	Mumbai Indians
2020	Mumbai Indians
2021	Chennai Super Kings
2022	Gujurant Titans
2023	Chennai Super Kings

Records 

Batting Records 

Most Runs – Virat Kohli – 6,624 – Royal Challengers Bangalore 

Highest Individual Score – Chris Gayle – 175* v Pune Warriors India (2013) – Royal Challengers Bangalore

Highest Partnership – Virat Kohli & AB de Villiers – 229 v Gujarat Lions (2016) – Royal Challengers Bangalore

Most Centuries – Chris Gayle – 6 – Kolkata Knight Riders/ Royal Challengers Bangalore/ Punjab Kings

Most Half Centuries – David Warner – 55 – Delhi Daredevils/ Sunrisers Hyderabad

Most Sixes – Chris Gayle – 357 – Kolkata Knight Riders/ Royal Challengers Bangalore/ Punjab Kings

Bowling Records 

Most Wickets – Dwayne Bravo – 183 – Mumbai Indians/ Chennai Super Kings/ Gujarat Lions

Best Bowling Figures – Alzarri Joseph – 6/12 v Sunrisers Hyderabad (2019) – Mumbai Indians

Fielding Records 

Most Dismissals (wicketkeeper) – MS Dhoni – 170 – Chennai Super Kings/ Rising Pune Supergiant

Most Catchers (fielder) – Suresh Raina – 109 – Chennai Super Kings/ Gujarat Lions

Team Records 

Highest Total – Royal Challengers Bangalore – 263/5 (20) v Pune Warriors India (2013) 

Lowest Total – Royal Challengers Bangalore – 49 (9.4) v Kolkata Knight Riders (2017)

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