Who Are the Most Successful Teams in IPL History?

The IPL will soon be back for another action-packed season, with the competition's 10 teams all hoping to get their hands on the trophy at the Eden Gardens final on 25 May.

Going back to the inaugural IPL season, Rajasthan Royals were the first to win the title and the 2024 season saw Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.

But which team is best in IPL history? Let's take a look.

A Tie for the Most Successful Team in IPL History

One of the best things about the Indian Premier League is how hard the games are to predict.

The first three seasons of the IPL were all won by different teams, while each of the past three tournaments has also seen a different name added to the trophy.

Retaining the IPL crown has proven to be particularly tough over the years, although Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have both managed to achieve the feat. As a result, it is no surprise to see that they are the most successful teams in IPL history.

Going into the 2025 season of the IPL, both the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings have racked up five Indian Premier League titles apiece.

Among the other contenders for the crown of the most successful team in IPL history are Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending champions who won the title for the third time in 2024.

New Challengers

Of course, not every team in the IPL has been competing in the tournament since its creation.

While the likes of Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians have been in the IPL since it debuted in 2008, other sides have had fewer chances to take the trophy home.

For example, Gujarat Titans only played their first IPL season relatively recently in 2022 and went on to win the IPL title in their debut season under captain Hardik Pandya.

The success of Gujarat Titans as newcomers to the tournament indicates they could become a challenger for the title of which team is best in IPL history in the years to come.

However, some teams are unlikely to ever be included in that conversation, unfortunately.

Let's take Royal Challengers Bengaluru as an example, with that team having got to the final on three occasions without having been able to win the IPL even once.

Other Ways to Measure IPL Teams Success

The number of tournament titles won is the most obvious way to decide the most successful team in IPL history, but with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings tied on five titles each, let's try to find another metric.

One fair way to decide which IPL team is best in history could be to look at how many times each of them has qualified for the play-off stage of the competition.

Going into the 2025 tournament, Mumbai Indians have competed in the play-offs in 10 of their 17 IPL seasons, which is a solid record.

But CSK have come out on top having made it to the play-offs in 12 seasons out of 15 in total.

Kolkata Knight Riders also impress in this category with eight appearances in the play-offs, especially since they have been to the final four times in total, losing the final only once.

Remarkably, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have made the play-offs nine times out of 17 but have not managed to go all the way just yet. Perhaps 2025 will be their year?

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have a poor record with just two play-off appearances in 17 IPLs.

The Best IPL Team in History by Finals Reached

Chennai Super Kings also lead the way when it comes to the number of IPL finals they reached.

With 10 appearances in the final out of 15 seasons of the IPL, they have qualified for the showpiece occasion on two-thirds of their opportunities to do so.

On the other hand, Mumbai Indians have been to the final six times and only lost once, which is a better record than CSK losing the final on five occasions ((2008, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2019).

Even more impressively, Mumbai Indians lost on their first appearance in the final of the IPL all the way back in 2010, but have since won five in a row (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020).

All the evidence suggests that Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are certainly the most successful teams in IPL history, but can either of them claim a record-breaking sixth title?

We'll bring you all the best IPL odds and predictions as the tournament unfolds. Stay tuned!