Several prominent IPL players have had the misfortune of reaching the final with three different franchises, only to lose on all three occasions.
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Yuzvendra Chahal finds himself in a unique category in IPL history. The leg-spinner has featured in the final for three different franchises and ended up on the losing side each time. His first heartbreak came in 2016 with Royal Challengers Bangalore, where RCB lost a closely contested final to Sunrisers Hyderabad despite a spirited chase.
Chahal’s second loss came in 2022 with Rajasthan Royals, where the team faltered against Gujarat Titans in the title clash. In 2025, Chahal turned out for Punjab Kings in the final against his former team RCB, only to suffer a third defeat.
Ravichandran Ashwin was part of successful Chennai Super Kings squads in the past; his most painful losses came with other franchises. In 2017, he was with Rising Pune Supergiants, who lost the final to Mumbai Indians in a last-over thriller.
Later in 2022, Ashwin was a key part of Rajasthan Royals, but the team again fell short in the final, this time against Gujarat Titans. Though Ashwin has played in multiple finals, he has officially lost with two different teams (RPS and RR), and has participated in final appearances with a third (CSK), making his record complex yet notable.
Shikhar Dhawan has consistently been one of the top batters in the IPL, yet he has never lifted the coveted trophy despite three final appearances with three different teams. His first came with Mumbai Indians in 2010, where they lost to CSK. In 2018, he featured in the Sunrisers Hyderabad side that again succumbed to CSK in the final.
Dhawan’s third final loss came in 2020 with Delhi Capitals when they were outclassed by Mumbai Indians. Despite his reputation as a reliable top-order batsman and a strong leader, Dhawan has had to walk off as runner-up in each of his three IPL final appearances, all with different teams.
Rahul Tripathi may not be the most high-profile player, but his journey through the IPL has been dramatic. In 2017, he was a breakout star for Rising Pune Supergiants, but the team fell short in the final against Mumbai Indians. His journey continued with another final loss in 2021 while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, who lost to Chennai Super Kings.
In 2024, Tripathi was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team that reached the final but lost to his former side, the Kolkata Knight Riders. This marked Tripathi’s third IPL final defeat with a third team.
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