MS Dhoni holds the record for most toss wins by captains in IPL. The former Chennai Super Kings skipper has won the toss 119 times in 226 matches as captain, giving him a toss win rate of 52.65 percent. That number is far ahead of any other captain in the history of the league.
The toss is a small moment, but it shapes every T20 match. The winning captain picks whether to bat or bowl first, and in the IPL the choice is almost always to chase. Dew in the evening, pitch behavior, and short boundaries all feed into the call. Luck decides who gets to make it, and some captains have been luckier than others.
Rohit Sharma sits second on the all time list with 81 toss wins from 158 matches as Mumbai Indians captain. Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir share third place with 70 toss wins each. Adam Gilchrist completes the top five with 44 toss wins, though his win rate of 59.46 percent is the best among the five.
Most Toss Wins by Captains in IPL Overview
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Record holder | MS Dhoni |
| Toss wins | 119 |
| Matches as captain | 226 |
| Teams captained | Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant |
| Toss win rate | 52.65 percent |
| Second place | Rohit Sharma with 81 toss wins |
| Best rate in top five | Adam Gilchrist with 59.46 percent |
Top 5 Captains with Most Toss Wins in IPL
| Rank | Captain | Teams | Matches | Toss Wins | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MS Dhoni | Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant | 226 | 119 | 52.65 percent |
| 2 | Rohit Sharma | Mumbai Indians | 158 | 81 | 51.27 percent |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 144 | 70 | 48.61 percent |
| 4 | Gautam Gambhir | Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals | 128 | 70 | 54.69 percent |
| 5 | Adam Gilchrist | Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab | 74 | 44 | 59.46 percent |
Record History
Dhoni took the lead early and never gave it up. He became CSK captain in the very first IPL season in 2008 and held the job for most of the next 16 years, with a two year gap when he led Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017. With 226 matches as captain, he simply had more chances at the coin than anyone else, and a 52.65 percent success rate kept him on top.
Rohit Sharma rose to second after taking over as Mumbai Indians captain in 2013. He led MI in 158 matches and won 81 tosses. Like Dhoni, Rohit combined toss luck with five IPL titles, which keeps the old belief alive that the toss matters on big nights.
Gautam Gambhir reached 70 toss wins in fewer matches than anyone else in the top five. He called the coin correctly 54.69 percent of the time across 128 matches for KKR and Delhi. Virat Kohli also finished on 70 toss wins, but from 144 matches, giving him the lowest win rate of the five at 48.61 percent.
Adam Gilchrist never led a large number of games, but his 59.46 percent win rate across 74 matches for Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab is the sharpest of the group. Shorter stints can swing a percentage either way, but Gilchrist was a lucky captain in his time.
Toss Win Rates of Current Era Captains
Among captains active in recent seasons, Hardik Pandya has the best toss win rate at 61.36 percent, winning 27 of 44 tosses as Mumbai Indians skipper. Faf du Plessis won 23 of 41 tosses for RCB at 56.10 percent. Sanju Samson has won 33 of 61 tosses for Rajasthan Royals at 54.10 percent. Shreyas Iyer won 36 of 69 tosses for Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals at 52.17 percent. Rishabh Pant sits at 51.16 percent with 22 toss wins from 43 matches, while KL Rahul won 27 of 64 tosses at 42.19 percent.
Dhoni’s toss record in IPL finals adds another layer. He has played nine finals as CSK captain and won the toss five times, losing it four times. Three of CSK’s title wins under him came after winning the toss, in 2010, 2011 and 2018, while the 2021 title came after losing it.
What This Record Tells Us
The toss is pure luck, but the list still tells a story about longevity. The top four all captained more than 125 matches. Winning the toss a little over half the time across 200 plus matches is about what chance allows, and Dhoni’s 119 wins are mostly a product of staying in the job for so long.
The win rates are more interesting. Gilchrist’s 59.46 percent and Hardik’s 61.36 percent stand out, though both come from much smaller samples. Kohli’s 48.61 percent shows the other side. Over enough matches, the coin evens out near 50 percent, which is exactly where this list settles.
Does winning the toss win matches? Not on its own. But it gives the captain control of the first big decision, and in a league where chasing teams win the majority of games, control matters. Dhoni and Rohit, the two most successful IPL captains ever, also sit one and two on this list. Luck and leadership arrived together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has won the most tosses as a captain in IPL?
MS Dhoni has won the most tosses as a captain in the IPL, with 119 toss wins from 226 matches for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant.
How many toss wins does Rohit Sharma have in the IPL?
Rohit Sharma has won 81 tosses in 158 matches as Mumbai Indians captain, the second highest total in IPL history.
Which IPL captain has the best toss win percentage?
Among the top five toss winners, Adam Gilchrist has the best rate at 59.46 percent from 74 matches. Among recent captains, Hardik Pandya leads with 61.36 percent from 44 matches.
How many toss wins do Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir have?
Both have 70 toss wins. Gambhir reached the mark in 128 matches at a 54.69 percent rate, while Kohli needed 144 matches at a 48.61 percent rate.
What is MS Dhoni’s toss record in IPL finals?
Dhoni has played nine IPL finals as CSK captain, winning the toss five times and losing it four times.
Does winning the toss matter in the IPL?
It gives the winning captain the choice to bat or bowl first, and most IPL captains choose to chase. Chasing teams have historically won the majority of IPL matches, so the toss call carries real weight on dew heavy nights.
For more IPL records, check our lists of the most dismissals by wicketkeepers in IPL and the most wickets taken as captains in the IPL, or visit the official IPL website for fixtures and news.
Who are the luckiest current IPL captains at the toss?
Hardik Pandya tops recent captains with a 61.36 percent toss win rate, followed by Faf du Plessis at 56.10 percent and Sanju Samson at 54.10 percent.
Statistics updated through: 10 October 2026
