New Delhi: Ten teams will battle for the ultimate prize in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which is set to get underway on March 28. The upcoming season promises to be a fiercely competitive one after all franchises bolstered their respective squads in the mini-auction last year. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a blockbuster season opener at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28.

After clinching their maiden IPL title last season, RCB retained the majority of their squad and made some quality additions in the auction last year. They are set to start as one of the favourites alongside the likes of the Mumbai Indians and last year’s finalists, the Punjab Kings, who have incredible quality in their ranks. However, there will be some dark horses who might not look the strongest on paper but can spring a surprise next season.

Five strongest contenders to qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs:

Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians are one of the favourites to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs, thanks to their strong Indian core and all-round depth. MI have the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya in their batting line-up, while they have Jasprit Bumrah to lead their pace attack. If MI can fire as a unit, it will be hard to stop them from making it to the playoffs.

Royal Challenger Bengaluru

Defending champions RCB have one of the strongest squads on paper heading into IPL 2026. They have the likes of Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Rajat Patidar in their top order, while Tim David and Romario Shepherd can be used as finishers. Despite missing Josh Hazlewood for the initial few games, RCB have a strong bowling unit consisting of the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, and Jacob Duffy and Mangesh Yadav, among others.

Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings have completely revamped their squad, injecting much-needed youth and firepower into the team after their dismal campaign last season. With the additions of the likes of Sanju Samson, Prashant Veer and Matt Henry and MS Dhoni still around to guide skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad on the field, it won’t be a surprise if CSK qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2026. The five-time champions have one of the best batting line-ups in the tournament.

Punjab Kings

Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings will start as one of the favourites for the title once again this season. PBKS reached their first final since 2014 under Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting after a strong show in IPL 2025. They have retained the majority of their squad from last season and will be hoping to go all the way this time around to bring an end to their wait for their maiden IPL title.

Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals have one of the most balanced squads heading into IPL 2026. DC missed out on the playoffs last season, but with the additions of the likes of Pathum Nissanka, Auqib Nabi and David Miller in the auction last year, they have managed to plug a lot of gaps in their team. DC can be one of the strong contenders for the playoffs if they can ply to their potential.