The Indian Premier League was introduced in 2008, but the competition has had a powerful impact on cricket over the past 13 years. Nowadays, it’s not shocking to see run chases of more than 300 or boundary riders taking incredible catches during Test Matches. Many people believe that the IPL has transformed the sport for the better.
So, which franchises have had the biggest impacts? Which teams are the leaders of a revolution that could protect cricket commercially and traditionally for decades to come? IPL fans may think there is only one answer, but the truth is a little more complicated.
The Most Successful Team: Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians are like Manchester United in football or the New England Patriots in American football – their rivals like to see them lose because of their success. And it’s impossible to deny that MI aren’t the kings of the competition when you look at the franchise’s record. For example, it has more IPL titles than any of its rivals with five. Chennai Super Kings has won it three times, while Kolkata Knight Riders managed two victories in 2012 and 2014. Mumbai Indians also has the most victories in terms of matches won, with 122 from 212. That record includes 86 losses and four draws. Judging by those numbers, it’s hard to look past Mumbai.
Highest Win Percentage: Chennai Super Kings
Another way to look at success is through the highest win percentage stat. Mumbai Indians has the most victories under its belt, but what if it has played more matches? In that case, we can use the numbers to tell us which franchise would be at the top of the league if everything was equal. The answer is Chennai Super Kings, as the team has an IPL win percentage of 59.89%, which is around 2% greater than Mumbai. Chennai has played 25 fewer games and also lost fewer games (73).
Largest Average Attendance: Kolkata Knight Riders
This metric is caveated because some stadiums are larger than others. Indeed, Eden Gardens is the mecca of Indian cricket due to its size. Several India upcoming cricket matches will be played in Kolkata, which highlights the importance of the ground. Of course, teams still need to put bums on seats, and the Knight Riders does this better than its peers. 66,000 spectators regularly fill the ground to cheer on their heroes. To put it into perspective, the average IPL attendance is closer to 35,000.
Favourite Team in India: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Favourites are hard to judge because there are several ways to do it. However, the consensus in India is that most people have a soft spot for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Now, it could be its exciting foreign signings such as AB de Villiers or its fancy red uniforms, or it could be Virat Kohli. The Indian captain has 94 million Instagram followers, making him the most famous Indian alive. He often tops the Forbes rich list in India, too. His infamy is possible due to the fervour of the Indian cricketing fraternity that lives to watch him bat. They grab an opportunity to do so, including during the spring when the great man strides out to the crease for RCB.
Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in terms of most wins and IPL titles. However, there are other ways to judge success, which is why CSK, KKR and RCB deserve honourable mentions.