IPL 2022: 3 teams with least playoff appearances

The Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2022 will feature 10 teams, the first edition to do so after a gap of 11 years. Both new IPL teams - the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Gujarat Titans (GT) - have an opportunity to create a new sense of identity and establish themselves as a force to reckon with.

Unfortunately, it hasn't always been easy for IPL debutants to get off to strong starts. In IPL 2011 - the last time the tournament was a 10-team league - the new entrants finished in 8th and 9th place. The Gujarat Lions and the Rising Pune Supergiant, who were part of the IPL for two years, had one poor season and a strong one each.

Aside from franchises that have played in the league for three years or fewer, there are teams that have spent a considerable number of seasons watching the IPL playoffs from the outside. Here are the three IPL teams with the fewest playoff appearances.

---

#3 Rajasthan Royals - 4 IPL playoff appearances

RR have put up some strong performances over the years, only to disappoint during pressure situations.

Winners of the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) piqued a lot of interest in their strategy of picking lesser-known names and grooming them into match-winning performers. With the legendary Shane Warne at their helm, it seemed like the franchise had cracked the code of the IPL.

Fourteen years after their title triumph, RR have little to show by way of the merits of that strategy. They did not reach the playoff stages again till 2013, and finished 4th in 2015 and 2018. The team reached their nadir in IPL 2020 with an 8th place finish, but would be hoping that a new-look yet experienced outfit helps them correct their abysmal record.

---

#2 Deccan Chargers - 2 IPL playoff appearances

The Deccan Chargers tasted IPL glory in 2009, but couldn't impress during the rest of their time in the IPL.

Written off after a poor debut season, a new leader, jersey colour and approach helped the Deccan Chargers win the IPL 2009 title. While the momentum of the victorious season spilled over into a fourth place finish the following year, the team endured disappointing performances in 2011 and 2012.

Despite the presence of stars like Kevin Pietersen, Dale Steyn, Shikhar Dhawan and Kumar Sangakkara on their roster, the Chargers struggled to replicate the highs of their 2009 performance. Although the team's replacement - Sunrisers Hyderabad - has performed better, Deccan Chargers left their fans with a lot of expectations unfulfilled.

Check out the IPL Coaches here.

---

#1 Punjab Kings - 2 IPL playoff appearances

The Punjab Kings might look towards the 2022 IPL season with hope.

Just like the Rajasthan Royals, the Punjab Kings started off their IPL journey with much promise - reaching the semifinals, before crashing out - only to struggle to reach those highs again. In the thirteen seasons since, the Kings managed just one more playoff appearance - during IPL 2014, where Glenn Maxwell inspired them to reach the finals of the tournament. They are yet to lay their hands on the IPL trophy, unlike the Royals and the Chargers.

Not much has worked for the franchise in the meantime - neither Yuvraj Singh's contributions, nor Glenn Maxwell's all-round abilities, nor even KL Rahul's sublime run with the bat have been enough to help Punjab make the cut. With a strong and balanced squad heading into IPL 2022, the beleaguered franchise would be hoping for a change of narrative.