It takes a strong leader for everyone to take notice of an underdog team. And Shane Warne was exactly the same kind of leader Rajasthan Royals (RR) got.
He stood as a force behind RR in the initial years. Warne’s fearless captaincy culminated in a title for RR straightaway in 2008, which made others aware of their power. While the Royals haven’t been able to clinch the title again, they have had some reliable leaders.
Here, we’ll list all the captains who’ve led Rajasthan Royals in IPL history.
1. Shane Warne
When IPL started in 2008, Rajasthan Royals (RR) were an underdog team. They were a bunch of young and raw players captained by Shane Warne.
While Warne’s spin game was strong, he had little captaincy experience. But the Australian legend donned not one but two hats – one as captain and the other as coach or mentor.
Warne brought the best out of his young unit to return as the inaugural IPL champions. It was surprising, as many hadn’t given RR a chance to lift the trophy.
Warne continued to be at the helm till 2011, but he couldn’t bring the major success. He bowed out with 31 victories in 55 games as RR skipper.
2. Rahul Dravid
As Warne bid adieu, RR needed a solid skipper to see through the transition. And they handed the task to Rahul Dravid in 2012.
While Dravid brought in a wealth of experience as India’s skipper, it was a tough road ahead for him. RR endured a seesaw season in 2012 to finish seventh.
But they staged a royal comeback in 2013. Dravid guided RR to their first playoffs after 2008. RR’s quest to lift the title again, though, didn’t materialise as Mumbai stopped them in Qualifier 2.
Nonetheless, Dravid’s calm leadership brought 18 wins out of 34 matches for the Royals.
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3. Shane Watson
Shane Watson became RR’s third full-time captain. He took over the reins from Dravid in 2014.
The Australian all-rounder had a tumultuous time as RR’s captain. The Royals mustered eight wins under Watson’s tutelage in 21 matches.
4. Steven Smith
While Steven Smith got the full-time captaincy in 2019, he stood in for Watson in 2015. He showed his leadership tactics as RR qualified for the playoffs that season.
Smith returned as RR skipper in the middle of the 2019 edition. He took over the captaincy duties from Ajinkya Rahane.
The Australian batter had another season as RR skipper, though it was a rough ride. In all, Smith led RR to 15 wins in 27 matches.
5. Ajinkya Rahane
Before Smith replaced him at the job, Ajinkya Rahane led RR after their two-year ban. The Royals desperately wanted an image makeover.
And there wouldn’t have been a better way than making the playoffs. Rahane’s composed captaincy bore fruit for the Royals in 2018.
Halfway through the league, they weren’t even in playoff contention. But the Royals sprang back with four wins in their last five matches to finish fourth.
While they couldn’t get past the Eliminator, it showed Rahane’s brilliance as captain. But he couldn’t do the same in 2019.
The Royals’ performance slumped in IPL 2019, prompting Rahane to step down. He captained RR in 24 matches, with nine wins to show.
6. Sanju Samson
As the Royals had the services of the above captains, they groomed Sanju Samson for the big task along the way. And he proved their choice correct.
Although RR had a poor season in 2021, Samson changed the team’s fortunes in 2022. He became the second RR skipper to lead the team in the IPL Final.
A calm Samson led a strong RR squad to the second spot in the league stage. They couldn’t cross the final hurdle, but it was a cornerstone moment for Samson.
The Royals missed out on the knockouts in 2023. But they made it back in 2024. They marched till Qualifier 2 but fell short of another final.
Since his appointment, Samson has emerged as RR’s most successful skipper. And his record speaks for itself.
7. Riyan Parag
While Samson is still the full-time captain, Riyan Parag filled in for him in 2025. He couldn’t have a desirable start to his captaincy career, though.
Nevertheless, when Parag took charge in their first league match, he became the fourth-youngest to lead a team in the IPL.
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