T20 cricket is a young man’s game. And even a tournament like the IPL is not an exception. That’s why IPL franchises look for more and more youngsters who can not only bat and bowl well, but can also lead the team.
In this article, we will take a look at the 10 youngest IPL skippers. Some of them have now achieved superstar status, but back then, they were promising youngsters. It will help even the betting enthusiasts who involve in online IPL betting.
We will see in detail their journey and why the franchise picked them in the first place.
Youngest Captains in IPL
| Captain | Age (at the start of match) | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli (RCB) | 22y 187d | RR | Jaipur | 11 May 2011 |
| Steven Smith (Pune Warriors) | 22y 344d | RCB | Pune | 11 May 2012 |
| Suresh Raina (CSK) | 23y 112d | Delhi Daredevils | Delhi | 19 Mar 2010 |
| Riyan Parag (RR) | 23y 133d | SRH | Hyderabad | 23 Mar 2025 |
| Shreyas Iyer (DC) | 23y 142d | KKR | Delhi | 27 Apr 2018 |
| Rishabh Pant (DC) | 23y 188d | CSK | Wankhede | 10 Apr 2021 |
| Rashid Khan (GT) | 23y 209d | CSK | Pune | 17 Apr 2022 |
| Shubman Gill (GT) | 24y 198d | MI | Ahmedabad | 24 Mar 2024 |
| Dinesh Karthik (Delhi Daredevils) | 24y 291d | CSK | Delhi | 19 Mar 2010 |
| Sam Curran (PBKS) | 24y 316d | LSG | Lucknow | 15 Apr 2023 |
1. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli was the youngest IPL skipper when he was elevated to the position by Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Bengaluru) in the 2011 season of the IPL.
He was 22 years and 187 days old when he was named the captain midway through the season. He was named the captain for three matches during the 2011 season, as Daniel Vettori missed a few games.
Although with the presence of senior cricketers in his midst, he would have to wait for a couple of years before he was named the full-time skipper in 2013.
He led RCB in 143 games, helping them win 66 games. However, RCB lost 70 games as well.
2. Steven Smith
Steven Smith became the second-youngest skipper in the IPL when he was asked to lead the Pune Warriors side in the 2012 season.
Under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, Pune were struggling and were knocked out. With nothing to lose, the management named Smith as the captain.
When he went out for the toss, he was 22 years and 344 days old, becoming the second-youngest IPL skipper in history. Smith would have a long IPL career, becoming a permanent skipper for the Rajasthan Royals and the Rising Pune Supergiants.
3. Suresh Raina
Unlike Smith, Raina was never made a permanent skipper. He captained once in the absence of MS Dhoni in the 2010 season, as he was the vice captain.
He led the side from the front, smashing 49 runs, which helped CSK chase down a target of 186 against Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals).
Although he was named the skipper of the Gujarat Lions, he went on to lead the side for two seasons in 2016 and 2017. However, they lost to the eventual 2016 champions, Sunrisers Hyderabad, in the second qualifier.
4. Riyan Parag
Riyan Parag is the latest entrant on this list. When he walked out as Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper in their 2025 season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he became the fourth youngest captain in the IPL.
Parag was 23 years and 133 days old as he stepped in for Sanju Samson, who was playing as ‘Impact Player’ due to his recovery from a right index finger injury. But his captaincy debut wasn’t noteworthy, as SRH beat RR by 44 runs.
Meanwhile, Parag has been the Royals’ mainstay even since the franchise bought him in 2019. The right-hander had a breakout season in 2023, as he scored 573 runs in 14 innings.
5. Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer was named the permanent skipper of the Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in the 2018 season. At 23 years and 142 days old, he became the third youngest skipper in the IPL.
Unlike some of the names mentioned above, Iyer was given a long run as he replaced Gautam Gambhir midway through the season. He would lead the side to the eliminator and the finals in the 2019 and 2020 IPL seasons, respectively.
Iyer then moved to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2022, but the team finished in seventh place. He was again set to lead in 2023, but a shoulder injury ensured he was ruled out.
Iyer was back at the helm in 2024, and this time he ensured to cap off the season with the trophy. He guided KKR to their third IPL title.
Final Thoughts
Is becoming a young skipper a mark of greatness in the IPL? Well, it certainly seems so.
Take, for example, Virat Kohli or Steven Smith. They became the captains in 2011 and 2012, respectively, and in the next few years, their game improved by leaps and bounds.
In the case of Iyer as well, you could see him taking more responsibility for his batting. Earlier, he used to throw away his wicket.
However, this is still not true for Rishabh Pant, who was as flamboyant as one can be. But that’s how these young captains are, who not only have contrasting batting styles but also contrasting natures, leading to contrasting styles of captaincy.
Suresh Raina remains the only outlier in this list, as he was never given a long run as captain until he went to the Gujarat Lions, which had a 2-year stay in the IPL.
Read Next | Most Centuries in Losing Cause in Test
