Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have had eight captains in their 17-season IPL history. The team struggled in the early years but found success when a new captain led them to two titles. After a few seasons of mixed results, a new leader guided them to the runners-up position. In the most recent season, KKR dominated the league and clinched the title under fresh leadership. Despite their recent success, the captain was unexpectedly released ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. KKR’s leadership history has been marked by both challenges and triumphs.
Kolkata Knight Riders have won the IPL thrice
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been a prominent team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since the competition’s inception in 2008. With three IPL titles to their name, KKR is one of the most successful franchises in the tournament’s history.
Over the course of 17 seasons, KKR has had eight different captains and has reached the playoffs on eight occasions. Sourav Ganguly, the franchise’s first captain, led them in 27 matches, securing 13 wins and 14 losses.
The team faced struggles in the early years, finishing sixth, eighth, and sixth again in the first three seasons. However, their fortunes shifted when Gautam Gambhir took over as captain in 2011.
Under Gambhir’s leadership, KKR made their first IPL playoff appearance in 2011, although they were defeated by the Mumbai Indians. The team, however, made a strong comeback, clinching their first IPL title in 2012 by defeating Chennai Super Kings in a memorable final.
Gautam Gambhir once again led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title in 2014, guiding them to a thrilling victory against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) while chasing a daunting 200-run target at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
After Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik was appointed as KKR’s captain in 2018. Despite the team showing promise, they were eliminated in Qualifier 2 in his first season as captain. The 2019 and 2020 editions saw KKR failing to reach the playoffs.
In IPL 2021, the franchise finished as runners-up under Eoin Morgan. However, it was Shreyas Iyer who brought the glory back in 2024. Under his leadership, KKR dominated the season, finishing at the top of the league table. They defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in both Qualifier 1 and the final to clinch the title.
Iyer, however, was shockingly released by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Here is the list of all Kolkata Knight Riders captain in IPL:
| Player | Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | NR |
| Sourav Ganguly | 2008-2010 | 27 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brendon McCullum | 2009-2009 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 2011-2017 | 122 | 69 | 51 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jacques Kallis | 2011-2011 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dinesh Karthik | 2018-2020 | 37 | 19 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Eoin Morgan | 2020-2021 | 24 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 2022-2024 | 29 | 17 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nitish Rana | 2023-2023 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 2025 – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |