With the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to start in a few days, teams are busy with their last-minute preparations and training. RCB and MI will play the first game of the 14th edition in Chennai and with some of the world’s best cricketers in action, it promises to be a cracking affair.

As usual, several world-class players will be in action this season and some quality players like Jhye Richardson, Kyle Jamieson, Dawid Malan, and Riley Meredith will be participating in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL</a> for the very first time. These players are only going to enhance the quality of the grand event.

The team managements are constantly analyzing various stats and parameters in order to find out the best possible XI they can field. Selecting an XI when there are so many options available is quite a difficult task and even the smallest of errors can cost a team in a massive way.

On that note, here’s a look at the predicted XIs for all eight IPL teams:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-463697" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-2.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-463697" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

After reaching the final last year, Delhi Capitals would be looking to go one step further this time around and they certainly have the squad to do so. Shikhar Dhawan was in sublime form last season and looked in good touch during the ODI series against England as well. He will be accompanied by Prithvi Shaw who has been in good form in domestic cricket.

Shreyas Iyer’s absence opens up a place for Ajinkya Rahane at No.3 as the anchor. Steve Smith is likely to get the nod over Shimron Hetmyer at No.4, while captain <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4463892230308130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rishabh Pant</a> will come in at No.5 and also take care of wicket-keeping duties. Marcus Stoinis was one of the top all-rounders last season and along with Pant, he will provide the team with firepower during the second half of the innings.

Axar Patel and Ravi Ashwin will be the spin-bowling all-rounders in the team and along with scoring a few runs at the end of an innings, they will need to control the flow of runs during the middle overs. Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra will be fighting for the same spot, but the former is likely to start due to the fact that their initial games are at the Wankhede. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje will take up the remaining places, and the pace duo will quite obviously be vital to their chances.

Predicted Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant (C and WK), Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravi Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje

2. Kolkata Knight Riders

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-460430" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-team.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-460430" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Even KKR were quite inactive during the auction and didn’t buy a whole lot of players given their minimal budget. Thus, their starting XI will be pretty much the same as last season. Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi will open the innings with the former being assigned the role of an anchor. Nitish Rana will come in at No.3 and he will be key to them in the middle overs when the opposition spinners are bowling.

At No.4 it will be Shakib Al Hasan, and he will have quite a major role this season as a batsman and even as a bowler who can provide 3-4 overs. Eoin Morgan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/andre-russell-thanks-pm-modi-for-providing-jamaica-with-covid-19-vaccines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Russell</a>, and Dinesh Karthik will play at 5, 6, and 7, and it is arguably the most dangerous lower-middle order in the league.

Pat Cummins will be looking to repay the faith given that they retained him after quite a poor season. The Australian will have to lead the bowling attack and he is quite capable with the bat if and when the need arises.

Varun Chakravarthy will be their main spinner and KKR will hope that he can continue his form from last season. The Indian pacers in the team will be Prasidh Krishna and Kamlesh Nagarkoti, but if the conditions favour the spinners, Kuldeep Yadav or Harbhajan Singh could also come into the team for one of those two.

Predicted Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan(C), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(WK), Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-461391" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-461391" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

CSK will be looking to bounce back after their worst-ever campaign and they will go into the new season with a fairly similar squad. They are likely to open the innings with Faf du Plessis and Robin Uthappa, who they traded in during the off-season. Leaving out Ruturaj Gaikwad in favour of Uthappa might seem a bit unfair, but given the latter’s recent form in domestic cricket, it is something that they might end up doing.

Suresh Raina, who missed the last season will be back in action this year and will take up his usual No.3 position. Ambati Rayudu will come in at No.4 followed by a new signing, Moeen Ali at No.5. Ali will provide them with some firepower during the middle overs, and his job will be to ensure that the run-rate doesn’t fall during that period.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-ms-dhoni-takes-bowlers-to-the-cleaners-in-the-nets-looks-in-good-touch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS Dhoni</a>, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran will slot in at 6, 7, and 8 respectively, and will be assigned with the responsibility of finishing. While it may seem like Jadeja and Curran are being underutilized in this batting order, it is the best they can do given how they have built the team.

Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, and Deepak Chahar will complete the playing XI and they have quality batting depth till No.11. They also have six proper bowling options along with Suresh Raina, who can also bowl if needed. They have a pretty good bowling attack during the powerplay and middle overs, but the last five overs might be an area of concern.

Predicted Playing XI: Robin Uthappa, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni (C and WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar

4. Mumbai Indians

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-464247" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Trent-Boult-of-Mumbai-Indians.jpg" alt="Trent Boult of Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-464247" class="wp-caption-text">Trent Boult of Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

After having dominated the league last season, MI will be looking to defend their title and win a hattrick of trophies in the process. Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma form an excellent opening combination as the South African’s attacking style of play helps Rohit take time and settle down. Suryakumar Yadav, who recently made his debut for India will come in at his favoured No.3 position and his 360-degree range will be key for them.

Ishan Kishan finally showed his true potential last season as he scored more than 500 runs and they will be expecting more of the same this season. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shahrukh-khan-reminds-me-a-bit-of-kieron-pollard-anil-kumble/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kieron Pollard</a> and the Pandya brothers will form the lower middle order and all three of them have the ability to tear apart bowling attacks. In addition to their batting, they will also have to contribute 4-6 overs with the ball.

Rahul Chahar is going to be their lead spinner and his slight inconsistency is possibly their only weakness. They have a formidable pace trio in the form of Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and Jasprit Bumrah, and in terms of pure quality, it might be the best in the league. Their playing XI for the new season is the exact same as last season, which isn’t something we see on a regular basis.

Predicted Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457573" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab-1.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457573" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Punjab Kings was one of the few teams that were highly active during the auction and they made some big buys in order to improve their squad. The areas they are focused on were their middle order and bowling attack as it was evident that they weren’t particularly strong in those areas. KL Rahul and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/mayank-agarwal-makes-a-blunder-while-wishing-jasprit-bumrah-and-sanjana-ganesan-on-their-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayank Agarwal</a> were quite good at the top of the order last season, and they have no reason to try and change anything over there.

Dawid Malan and Chris Gayle will fight for the No.3 slot, and it is expected that the former will be given first preference given that he is the world’s No.1 ranked T20I batsman. Nicholas Pooran was very impressive last season and his power-hitting during the middle overs will be key to their success. Deepak Hooda and Shahrukh Khan are the finishers in their XI, and this is an area where they could struggle a bit this season as both of them aren’t proven players despite all their talent.

Even their tail is a bit too long for their liking as their bowlers will start from No.7 itself. Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin were pretty good as the leg-spin duo last season and with the league set to be played in India, they will get even more assistance from the pitches. Mohammed Shami didn’t get much support from the other pacers, but it won’t be the case this season as they have bought two extremely talented Australian pacers in the form of Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, who can bowl at any stage of the game.

Predicted Playing XI: KL Rahul (C and WK), Mayank Agarwal, Dawid Malan, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Riley Meredith, Murugan Ashwin

6. Rajasthan Royals

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-460786" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-3.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-460786" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

After a bottom-placed finish last year, it was evident that RR needed to change something and they did that by appointing Sanju Samson as their new captain whilst also making several changes to their squad. They could potentially open with the English duo of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, and it certainly has the potential to be the best opening combination in the league.

Sanju Samson will come in at the fall of a wicket and he will have a lot of responsibility on his shoulder given that he is their captain. He will be followed by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-rajasthan-royals-riyan-parag-wishes-to-perform-bihu-with-virat-kohli/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Riyan Parag</a> and Shivam Dube, who might also need to chip in with the ball on occasions. Leg-spinning all-rounder, Rahul Tewatia will come in at 6 and RR would want him to build on the promising signs he showed last season.

Chris Morris was bought by RR for big money and thus, he obviously will feature in their XI. Shreyas Gopal’s performances will be key to them as he is their best spinner by some distance. Given that Jofra Archer won’t be available during the initial matches, Mustafizur Rahman is likely to get the nod. Kartik Tyagi and Jaydev Unadkat will most likely be the two Indian pacers.

Predicted Playing XI: Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson(C and WK), Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Mustafizur Rahman, Kartik Tyagi

7. Royal Challengers Bangalore

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457828" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-vs-Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457828" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

RCB have never stuck to the same set of players and their constant chopping and changing of personnel. It will be the same this year due to the fact they released several players and there will be a few new faces in the team. Devdutt Padikkal will be assisted by Virat Kohli at the top of the order after the Indian skipper confirmed that he would open this season.

AB de Villiers will come in at 3 and is likely to fulfill wicket-keeping duties as well. Glenn Maxwell is expected to bat at No.4 and if he plays as he plays for Australia, RCB’s top 4 will be the best in the league. One of their domestic players is likely to bat 5 and Sachin Baby might get the nod initially given that he has previous IPL experience. Daniel Christian will have a massive role to play at 6 as RCB has lacked good finishers in recent times. The Australian will also be the sixth bowling option.

Washington Sundar will walk in at No.7, and he will look to continue his batting form while also ensuring that he chokes the flow of runs with the ball in hand. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/new-zealand-vs-bangladesh-kyle-jamieson-fined-for-breaching-icc-code-of-conduct/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Jamieson</a> was bought for big money during the auction, and RCB will expect a lot from him in all three departments. Aside from contributing a few runs with the bat, he will also be the lead fast bowler. Yuzvendra Chahal will once again lead the spin attack. Harshal Patel and Mohammed Siraj will occupy the remaining places in the XI.

Predicted Playing XI: Virat Kohli(C), Devdutt Padikkal, AB de Villiers(WK), Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Daniel Christian, Washington Sundar, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459856" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-6.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459856" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Like some of the other teams, even SRH are likely to head into the new season with a playing XI similar to what they fielded last season. Captain David Warner will occupy one of the two opening slots and there is a good chance that Wriddhiman Saha will take up the other spot. Manish Pandey, who recently returned from injury during the Vijay Hazare Trophy will come in at No.3 and play the role of an anchor.

Kane Williamson will compete with the likes of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow for a place in the team, but his performances last season should guarantee him a place initially. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-priyam-garg-reveals-kane-williamsons-reaction-after-the-latter-was-run-out-against-csk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Priyam Garg</a> showed a few glimpses of his potential last year, and he will be looking to improve on his showings. Likewise, even Abdul Samad showed raw potential as a power-hitter and will have to play a key role as a finisher. Jason Holder will be the team’s main all-rounder coming in at No.7 while also bowling 4 overs every game.

Rashid Khan is the world’s best T20 spinner and thus, his importance to SRH doesn’t need much justification. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been in pretty good form in recent times and will receive excellent support from T Natarajan in the pace department. Shahbaz Nadeem and Sandeep Sharma will be the two main contenders for the last place in the XI and given that they play their first 9 games in Chennai and Delhi, where conditions favour spin, Nadeem should get the nod.

Predicted Playing XI: David Warner (C), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shahbaz Nadeem, T Natarajan

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to start in a few days, teams are busy with their last-minute preparations and training. RCB and MI will play the first game of the 14th edition in Chennai and with some of the world’s best cricketers in action, it promises to be a cracking affair.
As usual, several world-class players will be in action this season and some quality players like Jhye Richardson, Kyle Jamieson, Dawid Malan, and Riley Meredith will be participating in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL</a> for the very first time. These players are only going to enhance the quality of the grand event.
The team managements are constantly analyzing various stats and parameters in order to find out the best possible XI they can field. Selecting an XI when there are so many options available is quite a difficult task and even the smallest of errors can cost a team in a massive way.
<h3>On that note, here’s a look at the predicted XIs for all eight IPL teams:</h3>
<h3>1. Delhi Capitals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_463697" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-463697" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-463697" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals-2.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-463697" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
After reaching the final last year, Delhi Capitals would be looking to go one step further this time around and they certainly have the squad to do so. Shikhar Dhawan was in sublime form last season and looked in good touch during the ODI series against England as well. He will be accompanied by Prithvi Shaw who has been in good form in domestic cricket.
Shreyas Iyer’s absence opens up a place for Ajinkya Rahane at No.3 as the anchor. Steve Smith is likely to get the nod over Shimron Hetmyer at No.4, while captain <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4463892230308130" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rishabh Pant</a> will come in at No.5 and also take care of wicket-keeping duties. Marcus Stoinis was one of the top all-rounders last season and along with Pant, he will provide the team with firepower during the second half of the innings.
Axar Patel and Ravi Ashwin will be the spin-bowling all-rounders in the team and along with scoring a few runs at the end of an innings, they will need to control the flow of runs during the middle overs. Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra will be fighting for the same spot, but the former is likely to start due to the fact that their initial games are at the Wankhede. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje will take up the remaining places, and the pace duo will quite obviously be vital to their chances.
Predicted Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant (C and WK), Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravi Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje

<h3>2. Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
<figure id="attachment_460430" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-460430" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-460430" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-team.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-460430" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Even KKR were quite inactive during the auction and didn’t buy a whole lot of players given their minimal budget. Thus, their starting XI will be pretty much the same as last season. Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi will open the innings with the former being assigned the role of an anchor. Nitish Rana will come in at No.3 and he will be key to them in the middle overs when the opposition spinners are bowling.
At No.4 it will be Shakib Al Hasan, and he will have quite a major role this season as a batsman and even as a bowler who can provide 3-4 overs. Eoin Morgan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/andre-russell-thanks-pm-modi-for-providing-jamaica-with-covid-19-vaccines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Russell</a>, and Dinesh Karthik will play at 5, 6, and 7, and it is arguably the most dangerous lower-middle order in the league.
Pat Cummins will be looking to repay the faith given that they retained him after quite a poor season. The Australian will have to lead the bowling attack and he is quite capable with the bat if and when the need arises.
Varun Chakravarthy will be their main spinner and KKR will hope that he can continue his form from last season. The Indian pacers in the team will be Prasidh Krishna and Kamlesh Nagarkoti, but if the conditions favour the spinners, Kuldeep Yadav or Harbhajan Singh could also come into the team for one of those two.
Predicted Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan(C), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(WK), Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna

<h3>3. Chennai Super Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_461391" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461391" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-461391" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-461391" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
CSK will be looking to bounce back after their worst-ever campaign and they will go into the new season with a fairly similar squad. They are likely to open the innings with Faf du Plessis and Robin Uthappa, who they traded in during the off-season. Leaving out Ruturaj Gaikwad in favour of Uthappa might seem a bit unfair, but given the latter’s recent form in domestic cricket, it is something that they might end up doing.
Suresh Raina, who missed the last season will be back in action this year and will take up his usual No.3 position. Ambati Rayudu will come in at No.4 followed by a new signing, Moeen Ali at No.5. Ali will provide them with some firepower during the middle overs, and his job will be to ensure that the run-rate doesn’t fall during that period.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-ms-dhoni-takes-bowlers-to-the-cleaners-in-the-nets-looks-in-good-touch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS Dhoni</a>, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran will slot in at 6, 7, and 8 respectively, and will be assigned with the responsibility of finishing. While it may seem like Jadeja and Curran are being underutilized in this batting order, it is the best they can do given how they have built the team.
Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, and Deepak Chahar will complete the playing XI and they have quality batting depth till No.11. They also have six proper bowling options along with Suresh Raina, who can also bowl if needed. They have a pretty good bowling attack during the powerplay and middle overs, but the last five overs might be an area of concern.
Predicted Playing XI: Robin Uthappa, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni (C and WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar

<h3> 4. Mumbai Indians</h3>
<figure id="attachment_464247" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-464247" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-464247" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Trent-Boult-of-Mumbai-Indians.jpg" alt="Trent Boult of Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-464247" class="wp-caption-text">Trent Boult of Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
After having dominated the league last season, MI will be looking to defend their title and win a hattrick of trophies in the process. Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma form an excellent opening combination as the South African’s attacking style of play helps Rohit take time and settle down. Suryakumar Yadav, who recently made his debut for India will come in at his favoured No.3 position and his 360-degree range will be key for them.
Ishan Kishan finally showed his true potential last season as he scored more than 500 runs and they will be expecting more of the same this season. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shahrukh-khan-reminds-me-a-bit-of-kieron-pollard-anil-kumble/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kieron Pollard</a> and the Pandya brothers will form the lower middle order and all three of them have the ability to tear apart bowling attacks. In addition to their batting, they will also have to contribute 4-6 overs with the ball.
Rahul Chahar is going to be their lead spinner and his slight inconsistency is possibly their only weakness. They have a formidable pace trio in the form of Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and Jasprit Bumrah, and in terms of pure quality, it might be the best in the league. Their playing XI for the new season is the exact same as last season, which isn’t something we see on a regular basis.
Predicted Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar

<h3>5. Punjab Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457573" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457573" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457573" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab-1.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457573" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab Kings was one of the few teams that were highly active during the auction and they made some big buys in order to improve their squad. The areas they are focused on were their middle order and bowling attack as it was evident that they weren’t particularly strong in those areas. KL Rahul and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/mayank-agarwal-makes-a-blunder-while-wishing-jasprit-bumrah-and-sanjana-ganesan-on-their-wedding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayank Agarwal</a> were quite good at the top of the order last season, and they have no reason to try and change anything over there.
Dawid Malan and Chris Gayle will fight for the No.3 slot, and it is expected that the former will be given first preference given that he is the world’s No.1 ranked T20I batsman. Nicholas Pooran was very impressive last season and his power-hitting during the middle overs will be key to their success. Deepak Hooda and Shahrukh Khan are the finishers in their XI, and this is an area where they could struggle a bit this season as both of them aren’t proven players despite all their talent.
Even their tail is a bit too long for their liking as their bowlers will start from No.7 itself. Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin were pretty good as the leg-spin duo last season and with the league set to be played in India, they will get even more assistance from the pitches. Mohammed Shami didn’t get much support from the other pacers, but it won’t be the case this season as they have bought two extremely talented Australian pacers in the form of Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, who can bowl at any stage of the game.
Predicted Playing XI: KL Rahul (C and WK), Mayank Agarwal, Dawid Malan, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Riley Meredith, Murugan Ashwin

<h3>6. Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_460786" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-460786" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-460786" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals-3.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-460786" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
After a bottom-placed finish last year, it was evident that RR needed to change something and they did that by appointing Sanju Samson as their new captain whilst also making several changes to their squad. They could potentially open with the English duo of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, and it certainly has the potential to be the best opening combination in the league.
Sanju Samson will come in at the fall of a wicket and he will have a lot of responsibility on his shoulder given that he is their captain. He will be followed by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-rajasthan-royals-riyan-parag-wishes-to-perform-bihu-with-virat-kohli/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Riyan Parag</a> and Shivam Dube, who might also need to chip in with the ball on occasions. Leg-spinning all-rounder, Rahul Tewatia will come in at 6 and RR would want him to build on the promising signs he showed last season.
Chris Morris was bought by RR for big money and thus, he obviously will feature in their XI. Shreyas Gopal’s performances will be key to them as he is their best spinner by some distance. Given that Jofra Archer won’t be available during the initial matches, Mustafizur Rahman is likely to get the nod. Kartik Tyagi and Jaydev Unadkat will most likely be the two Indian pacers.
Predicted Playing XI: Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson(C and WK), Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Mustafizur Rahman, Kartik Tyagi

<h3>7. Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457828" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457828" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457828" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-vs-Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457828" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
RCB have never stuck to the same set of players and their constant chopping and changing of personnel. It will be the same this year due to the fact they released several players and there will be a few new faces in the team. Devdutt Padikkal will be assisted by Virat Kohli at the top of the order after the Indian skipper confirmed that he would open this season.
AB de Villiers will come in at 3 and is likely to fulfill wicket-keeping duties as well. Glenn Maxwell is expected to bat at No.4 and if he plays as he plays for Australia, RCB’s top 4 will be the best in the league. One of their domestic players is likely to bat 5 and Sachin Baby might get the nod initially given that he has previous IPL experience. Daniel Christian will have a massive role to play at 6 as RCB has lacked good finishers in recent times. The Australian will also be the sixth bowling option.
Washington Sundar will walk in at No.7, and he will look to continue his batting form while also ensuring that he chokes the flow of runs with the ball in hand. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/new-zealand-vs-bangladesh-kyle-jamieson-fined-for-breaching-icc-code-of-conduct/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Jamieson</a> was bought for big money during the auction, and RCB will expect a lot from him in all three departments. Aside from contributing a few runs with the bat, he will also be the lead fast bowler. Yuzvendra Chahal will once again lead the spin attack. Harshal Patel and Mohammed Siraj will occupy the remaining places in the XI.
Predicted Playing XI: Virat Kohli(C), Devdutt Padikkal, AB de Villiers(WK), Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Daniel Christian, Washington Sundar, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

<h3>8. Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
<figure id="attachment_459856" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459856" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459856" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-6.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459856" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Like some of the other teams, even SRH are likely to head into the new season with a playing XI similar to what they fielded last season. Captain David Warner will occupy one of the two opening slots and there is a good chance that Wriddhiman Saha will take up the other spot. Manish Pandey, who recently returned from injury during the Vijay Hazare Trophy will come in at No.3 and play the role of an anchor.
Kane Williamson will compete with the likes of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow for a place in the team, but his performances last season should guarantee him a place initially. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2020-priyam-garg-reveals-kane-williamsons-reaction-after-the-latter-was-run-out-against-csk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Priyam Garg</a> showed a few glimpses of his potential last year, and he will be looking to improve on his showings. Likewise, even Abdul Samad showed raw potential as a power-hitter and will have to play a key role as a finisher. Jason Holder will be the team’s main all-rounder coming in at No.7 while also bowling 4 overs every game.
Rashid Khan is the world’s best T20 spinner and thus, his importance to SRH doesn’t need much justification. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been in pretty good form in recent times and will receive excellent support from T Natarajan in the pace department. Shahbaz Nadeem and Sandeep Sharma will be the two main contenders for the last place in the XI and given that they play their first 9 games in Chennai and Delhi, where conditions favour spin, Nadeem should get the nod.
Predicted Playing XI: David Warner (C), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shahbaz Nadeem, T Natarajan

Selecting an XI when there are so many options available is quite a difficult task and even the smallest of errors can cost a team in a massive way.

IPL 2021: Strongest Predicted Playing XIs of all teams

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to start in less than a week’s time, teams are busy with their last-minute preparations and training