The Indian Premier League (IPL) has revolutionized the way cricket is played, viewed, and celebrated in India. This T20 game, since its inception in 2008 has not only brought together the best cricketing talents from across the globe, but also created a dynamic environment where leadership is constantly tested.
With a platform that is as intense as the IPL, captaining a team is a massive responsibility, which involves tactics, acumen, game assessment and sharp management skills to perform under the spotlight. While having ample experience is often considered a pre-requisite for leadership, IPL as a tournament has seen several young cricketers take on the captaincy role with panache and confidence. These youthful captains have often brought fresh energy, bold decision-making and fearless cricket to the forefront.
Let’s take a look at some of the youngest captains in IPL history, who took charge at an age when most players were still trying to cement their place in the squad.
The Indian Premier League gave these young minds a stepping-stone to make their foray into a leadership role early in their career.
Here we have explored the debut of 5 youngest captains in IPL history, who went on to lead their franchises and proved their mettle as leaders.
1)Virat Kohli –
- IPL Captaincy Debut Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals, Jaipur, 2011
- Age at Debut: 22 years 187 days
The name that has taken the top spot even on this list belongs to Virat Kohli, who was appointed as a full-time RCB skipper only in 2013. However, he got his first taste of leadership two years earlier when Daniel Vettori sat out of a RCB game against Rajasthan Royals due to an injury in 2011. He is till date the youngest player to have been appointed as a captain for a leading IPL team and also went to become the franchise’s longest-serving captain.
Already a regular in the Indian team by then, handing over the captaincy to him was the most natural progression. He kickstarted his captaincy career with back-to-back wins. In all, he has captained RCB for a total of 143 games in the IPL. Kohli’s aggressive style and passion became the hallmark of RCB’s play under his leadership.
2) Steve Smith –
- IPL Captaincy Debut Match: Pune Warriors vs RCB, Pune, 2012
- Age at Debut: 22 years 344 days
Next in line is the suave Australian batsman, Steve Smith. Long before he established himself as a great batter, Smith served as the skipper of IPL team Pune Warriors (now defunct) for one match towards the end of IPL 2012. Smith had gone unsold in the auction that year, but the management at Warriors, who boycotted the auction over disagreements with the BCCI, signed him before the season began.
At the far end of a poor season for Warriors, Smith who had captained Sydney Sixers in the previous Big Bash League season, took charge from the previous leader. At just under 22 years of age, Smith had shown remarkable composure and cricketing intelligence on ground. His calm demeanor and sharp decision-making earned him captaincy stints with other franchises, Rising Pune Supergiants and Rajasthan Royals.
3) Suresh Raina –
- IPL Captaincy Debut Match: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils, Delhi, 2010
- Age at Debut: 23 years 112 days
Probably one of the most loved and acclaimed IPL players has been Suresh Raina. During one of the IPL matches in IPL 2010, then-captain MS Dhoni was hit on the arm by a rising Shane Bond delivery and sidelined for a few days.
Suresh Raina, Chennai’s leading batter in the previous two editions, stepped in as a skipper for three games. Raina’s services were needed just twice more for CSK, in 2019, but he did captain Gujarat Lions (now defunct) for their two seasons, in IPL 2016 and 2017. He made his debut at an impressionable age of mere 23 years and remains one of the youngest captains till date.
4) Riyan Parag –
- IPL Captaincy Debut Match: Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2025
- Age at Debut: 23 years 133 days
The latest entrant to the club of youngest captains in IPL history is Riyan Parag, who at 23 made his debut as a captain during the IPL 2025 season. He was appointed as an interim captain for three games due to Sanju Samson, the original captain’s unavailability in the initial matches of the league. Samson was on his way to recovery due to a surgery.
Parag has been associated with the IPL for six years, and has captained his domestic side Assam in 23 matches across different formats. He had a breakthrough in 2024 when he scored 573 runs in the IPL and made his India debut that year too. Leading Royals in Samson’s absence seemed like a rewarding proposition for the fiery batsman, who’s unorthodox hitting and bravado have cast an impression in the minds of cricket spectators.
5) Shreyas Iyer –
- IPL Captaincy Debut Match: Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi, 2018
- Age at Debut: 23 years 142 days
Delhi Daredevils, as the Delhi franchise was known earlier, had lost five of their first six games in IPL 2018 when their out-of-form captain Gautam Gambhir decided to step down. Shreyas Iyer, who had captained India A and his state team Mumbai by then, was chosen as the bright player who could replace GG and lead the team.
While the Daredevils could not avoid the wooden spoon, they went out on a high with back-to-back wins against Mumbai Indians and CSK. At 23, making his debut as a captain, Iyer handled the pressure impressively, and reformed his team to make them qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2019 and into the finals in IPL 2020. His leadership undoubtedly proved to be a turning point in the DC trajectory.
Iyer went on to captain the Delhi franchise till IPL 2021 before being appointed as the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 and taking them to titular victory. His most recent assignment came with Punjab Kings as their skipper for IPL 2025. This change in his team made him the second Indian after Ajinkya Rahane to captain three different IPL franchises.
Conclusion
While age has never been a barrier for showcasing brilliance in the IPL, some leaders have outperformed others and led their teams to glorious heights over the course of their playing career. Shubman Gill is the captain of Gujarat Titans who has been leading since IPL 2024, is also quite young, at 25 years of age.
The league has repeatedly shown that leadership is not merely about the number of years in terms of the experience but more prominently about the vision, confidence and the ability to inspire others. The young captains mentioned above have proved their calibre by embracing the challenge early-on and led with utmost courage. As the IPL continues to evolve, we can surely expect more fresh faces to rise as leaders, adding new dimensions to the cricket’s most exciting and action-packed league.
FAQs on Youngest IPL Captains
1)When team did Riyan Parag make his captaincy in IPL?
Riyan Parag became a temporary captain of Rajasthan Royals for three matches in IPL 2025.
2) When did Virat Kohli make IPL captaincy debut?
Virat Kohli became a captain for RCB in 2011, the youngest in IPL history.
3) How many teams has Shreyas Iyer been captain of?
With IPL 2025, Shreyas Iyer becomes the second Indian after Ajinkya Rahane, to captain three different IPL franchises – Delhi Daredevils (2018), Kolkata Knight Riders (2024) and Punjab Kings (2025).
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