The Indian Premier League has produced some memorable champions since its first edition in 2008, but the last five years have been particularly varied. Two title wins for the same franchise sit alongside first-time glory and long-awaited breakthroughs, giving the competition's recent history real depth and drama.
Whether you are new to the tournament or looking to sharpen your knowledge ahead of following the IPL odds this season, here is a closer look at who has lifted the trophy since 2021.
2021: Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings claimed their fourth IPL title in 2021, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders in the final in Dubai. The victory was especially significant given the turbulence of the previous year. Chennai had endured a difficult 2020 campaign, finishing seventh and missing the playoffs for the first time in the competition's history. The response under MS Dhoni was emphatic.
Dhoni's leadership remained central to the triumph, and the team's core of experienced players, including Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina, and Deepak Chahar, performed when it mattered most. It was a reminder that Chennai's consistency is built on culture and stability as much as individual brilliance.
2022: Gujarat Titans
Few IPL stories have been as striking as Gujarat Titans winning the title in their debut season. The franchise, one of two newcomers introduced ahead of 2022 alongside Lucknow Super Giants, came into the competition with no history and no established identity. By the end of it, they were champions.
Hardik Pandya captained the side and was integral to their success, contributing with both bat and ball across the tournament. Their final victory over Rajasthan Royals completed one of the more remarkable maiden campaigns in franchise cricket history. Gujarat backed it up with another final appearance the following year, underlining that their 2022 success was no fluke.
2023: Chennai Super Kings
Chennai returned to the top in 2023, claiming a fifth IPL title and cementing their status as the competition's most decorated franchise alongside Mumbai Indians. Their final victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was decided by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, with rain interrupting Chennai's chase.
At the point the match was called, Chennai had posted 171 for 5 with five overs remaining, chasing a target of 214, and the DLS calculation handed them the trophy.
MS Dhoni, though stepping back from the captaincy during the season before resuming the role, remained a totemic presence. For Chennai fans, it was confirmation that the franchise's winning formula still had plenty left in it.
2024: Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders ended an 11-year wait for IPL glory in 2024, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final in Chennai. It was their third title overall, and it arrived on the back of one of the most dominant batting displays the tournament had seen in years.
Shreyas Iyer's side were relentless throughout the tournament, with Mitchell Starc providing pace and control from the new ball and Sunil Narine rediscovering his form with both bat and ball. For supporters who had watched the franchise go close on a number of occasions since their 2014 triumph, the wait made the moment all the sweeter.
Anyone placing a cricket bet on KKR at the start of that campaign would have been rewarded handsomely, with the side coming together at the right time under clear, confident leadership.
2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL title in 2025 was one of the most anticipated moments in the competition's history. Despite consistently fielding star-studded squads across nearly two decades of the tournament, the franchise had never won the title, finishing as runners-up on three occasions and becoming something of a symbol of near-misses and what-might-have-beens.
When they finally lifted the trophy in 2025, it was met with scenes of enormous celebration among one of the IPL's most devoted fanbases. The result brought an end to a wait that had stretched the full length of the competition's existence, and it gave their supporters a moment they had long been promised, but had begun to wonder might never come.
Five titles, five different stories
What the last five IPL winners illustrate, more than anything, is the competition's capacity for variety. A resurrection story, a fairy-tale debut, back-to-back triumphs for a franchise built on consistency, a long-overdue breakthrough, and a drought finally ended. The IPL rarely does things quietly, and its recent champions are proof of that.