Cricket

List of Underdog IPL Champions in History

A list of IPL champion teams that were considered underdogs or unexpected winners before their title-winning campaigns.

5 itemsUpdated Mar 23, 2026

The IPL has produced some of cricket's greatest underdog stories. The tournament's two-month format, auction-based squad building, and playoff structure means that well-funded favourites do not always prevail. Rajasthan Royals (2008) and Deccan Chargers (2009) remain the biggest underdog champions in IPL history. Gujarat Titans' debut-season win in 2022 and CSK's comeback after a 2-year suspension in 2018 are among the most celebrated upsets. Even RCB's 2025 title had an underdog dimension — 18 years of heartbreak and a relatively inexperienced captain in Rajat Patidar.

#	Name	Year	Captain	Key factor	Underdog factor
1	Rajasthan Royals — 2008 Greatest Underdog Story in IPL History Rajasthan Royals spent the least at the 2008 IPL auction and had the lowest-profile squad. Under Shane Warne, they produced one of sport's greatest underdog triumphs — winning the inaugural title with a squad assembled on frugality and chemistry.	2008	Shane Warne	Warne's captaincy genius, team chemistry, Yusuf Pathan's ...	Lowest auction spend; least fancied team
2	Deccan Chargers — 2009 From Last Place to Champions Deccan Chargers finished last in 2008 — the biggest turnaround to champions in a single IPL season. Under Adam Gilchrist in South Africa, they produced a stunning reversal of fortune.	2009	Adam Gilchrist	RP Singh's bowling, Gilchrist's leadership, South Africa ...	Finished LAST in IPL 2008
3	Chennai Super Kings — 2018 Comeback Champions After 2-Year Suspension CSK's 2018 title had an underdog dimension — returning from a 2-year BCCI suspension with an ageing squad, doubted by critics who said the 'old guard' couldn't compete. Shane Watson's final masterclass silenced every doubter.	2018	MS Dhoni	Shane Watson's 117*, Dhoni's comeback leadership	Returning from 2-year suspension with ageing squad
4	Gujarat Titans — 2022 Debut Franchise Champions — Never Played IPL Before Gujarat Titans were a brand-new franchise that had never played a single IPL match before 2022. Winning the title in their debut season — against all scepticism about a new team's readiness — is the fastest underdog-to-champion story in the tournament.	2022	Hardik Pandya	Hardik's leadership, Rashid Khan, well-balanced squad	Debut season — brand new franchise
5	Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 2025 18 Years as Serial Chokers — Finally Won RCB had been labelled 'serial chokers' for 18 years, with three final heartbreaks, before finally winning in 2025. The underdog element came from their relative inexperience as a team under a new captain and the weight of 18 years of expectation.	2025	Rajat Patidar	Krunal Pandya's bowling, Kohli's consistency, team belief	18 years of failure; new captain (Patidar); 'serial choke...

This list is compiled from verified public records and reference sources. Last verified: March 23, 2026.

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