IPL 2025 Team Captains-The Pace Skippers Heading the Charge in Season 18

The eagerly awaited 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will get underway with a fresh bout of energy. One of the most talked about of the reforms leading up to the tournament has been the unveiling of captains for each of the ten teams. With a plethora of big-hitters, breathtaking captaincy shake-ups, and retained skippers, IPL 2025 is guaranteed to be an interesting season.

Axar Patel Embarks on Full-Time Captaincy Role at Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals have appointed Indian all-rounder Axar Patel as their permanent captain for the upcoming season. Having led the team in a couple of games last season, Axar takes over as captain in a full-time capacity. This following Rishabh Pant's exit, having signed a high-profile transfer deal with Lucknow Super Giants. Pant was purchased for a lot of money during the IPL Mega Auction and will now be the captain of LSG.

Rajat Patidar to RCB Captain Following Faf du Plessis' Resignation

There has been another significant leadership change at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The team's erstwhile three-season captain Faf du Plessis has quit. In his place, the franchise has appointed Rajat Patidar as the new captain. The 31-year-old Madhya Pradesh player has been among RCB's top performers, and his leadership skills will be put to the test in the 2025 season.

Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer Captain in New Franchises

Two of the costliest IPL players of all time have also been appointed captains of their new teams. Rishabh Pant, who has shifted from Delhi Capitals to Lucknow Super Giants, will captain the Sanjiv Goenka-owned franchise. Shreyas Iyer, who was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has been appointed the Punjab Kings skipper.

KKR Passes Captaincy Responsibilities to Ajinkya Rahane

Champions Kolkata Knight Riders have passed the captaincy responsibilities to Ajinkya Rahane. Seasoned Indian batsman has had experience leading sides in the IPL and will provide a composed and tactical leadership for KKR's title defense. The move to pass the responsibilities to Rahane follows after the release of Shreyas Iyer, who is now Punjab Kings' skipper.

Hardik Pandya Remains Mumbai Indians Captain

Though some had criticized Hardik Pandya during the previous season, Mumbai Indians kept the all-rounder as captain. The talented all-rounder will again captain the five-time champions, looking to replicate its championship-winning display. Pandya's presence will be an asset in team harmony and dealing with fan pressure.

CSK and RR Also Keep Their Captains for 2025

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have taken the continuity leadership strategy. CSK retained Ruturaj Gaikwad, who again will be the franchise captain despite the team not qualifying for a playoff in the previous season. Rajasthan Royals also will be commanded by Sanju Samson, relying on his experience and leadership to lead the team through IPL 2025.

Gujarat Titans Laid Out Their Karmas in Front of Shubman Gill

Gujarat Titans, who took everyone by surprise by making Shubman Gill their captain after Hardik Pandya's departure, have done the same for the next season as well. The young Indian batsman impressed just as much as a captain as he has proved to be an exceptional top-order batter, and his performance will be watched with a lot of interest this season.

Pat Cummins Remains Sunrisers Hyderabad Captain

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will retain Australian pacer Pat Cummins as captain. Cummins took the team to second place in the last season and had a strong case to be retained as captain. His experience and tactical knowledge will prove very useful for SRH in trophy hunt.

Full List of IPL 2025 Captains

Now that all the captaincy positions are finalized, here is the complete list of captains for IPL 2025:

Team

Captain

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Rajat Patidar

Mumbai Indians (MI)

Hardik Pandya

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Sanju Samson

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Pat Cummins

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Rishabh Pant

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Shreyas Iyer

Gujarat Titans (GT)

Shubman Gill

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Axar Patel

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Ajinkya Rahane

Thrilling Season Ahead for IPL 2025

With a combination of new and veteran captains leading the ten teams, IPL 2025 promises to be a closely fought season. While some have stuck with their trusted captains, others have taken a risk by naming new captains. It will be interesting to see how these captains lead their teams to IPL glory as the season progresses.

Set yourselves up for fun games, reversals and turnarounds, and leadership workshops as Indian Premier League Season 18 is about to kick start!