Rajasthan Royals are one of the original IPL teams and won their first and only IPL title in 2008. They became the first champions in IPL history after defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final.
Shane Warne was the captain of that title-winning team and remains one of the most important figures in Rajasthan Royals history. Several other players have led the franchise over the years, including Shane Watson, Rahul Dravid, Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Sanju Samson has captained Rajasthan Royals in the most matches among the players in the supplied records, while Rahul Dravid has the highest win percentage among captains who have led the team for at least 20 matches.
Rajasthan Royals IPL Title
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Final Result | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | RR won by 3 wickets | Shane Warne |
List of Rajasthan Royals Captains
| Rank | Captain | Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | W/L | Win % | Loss % | NR % | Overall % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanju Samson | 2021-2025 | 67 | 33 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 1.030 | 49.25 | 47.76 | 1.49 | 50.75 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | 2008-2011 | 56 | 31 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 1.290 | 55.35 | 42.85 | 0 | 56.25 |
| 3 | Rahul Dravid | 2012-2013 | 40 | 23 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1.350 | 57.50 | 42.50 | 0 | 57.50 |
| 4 | Steve Smith | 2014-2020 | 27 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1.360 | 55.55 | 40.74 | 3.70 | 57.69 |
| 5 | Ajinkya Rahane | 2018-2019 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.600 | 37.50 | 62.50 | 0 | 37.50 |
| 6 | Shane Watson | 2008-2015 | 21 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0.630 | 33.33 | 52.38 | 4.76 | 40.00 |
| 7 | Riyan Parag | 2025-2026 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.830 | 45.45 | 54.54 | 0 | 45.45 |
| 8 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | 2026 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 50.00 | 50.00 | 0 | 50.00 |
Sanju Samson – Most Matches as Rajasthan Royals Captain
Sanju Samson has captained Rajasthan Royals in the most matches among the players in the supplied records. He led the team in 67 matches between 2021 and 2025. Samson won 33 matches, lost 32, had one tied game and one no-result. His win percentage was 49.25%, while his overall percentage was 50.75%. His long spell as captain made him one of the most important leaders in the franchise’s recent history.
Rahul Dravid – Highest Win Percentage Among Long-Term Captains
Rahul Dravid led Rajasthan Royals in 40 matches between 2012 and 2013. He won 23 matches and lost 17, giving him a win percentage of 57.50%. His overall percentage was also 57.50%. Dravid took over the leadership after Shane Warne’s captaincy period and helped Rajasthan remain competitive after their first IPL title.
Shane Warne – Captain of the 2008 Champions
Shane Warne was the first captain of Rajasthan Royals and led the team to their historic IPL title in 2008. He captained Rajasthan in 56 matches, winning 31 and losing 24. He also had one tied match. His win percentage was 55.35%, while his overall percentage was 56.25%. Warne’s leadership was a major part of Rajasthan’s success in the first IPL season.