Top 5 Youngest Captains In IPL: Will Riyan Parag Become The Youngest Captain Ever?

Significant news has emerged from the Rajasthan Royals (RR) camp, with Riyan Parag set to lead RR for the first three games of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). Sanju Samson is not 100% fit, yet, and is only fit enough to turn out to bat as an impact player, thus Parag will lead RR across the first three games as Samson will play as a specialist batter.

At 23 years and 133 days, Parag will become one of the youngest captains in IPL history. But will he become the youngest ever player to captain in the competition?

Curiously enough, no. There have been three captains who have captained an IPL team at a younger age than Parag will.

The youngest ever captain in IPL history is none other than Virat Kohli. He was just 22 years and 187 days old when he captained RCB for the first time back in IPL 2011, against RR. The second and third-youngest to captain in the IPL are Steve Smith (22 years 344 days) and Suresh Raina (23 years 112 days). 

Parag will hence become the fourth youngest captain in IPL history, and the youngest ever skipper for RR.