There isn’t another competition like the Indian Premier League in world spot. The competition sees the best players in the sport compete against each other for the honour of winning the prestigious tournament.
It is a gruelling schedule that players will need to contend with, and that doesn’t end after the final regular season. The best teams are able to stand out from the rest when the playoffs get underway, and it could be argued that this year’s competition is the tightest that it has been in years. But, which team is best placed to win the IPL this season?
Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians remain the team to beat in the IPL, as they were crowned champions of the 2019 season. That success means that they have won the championship more than any other side in the competition. However, it was a nerve-rattling experience for fans of the Indians last season, as they beat the Chennai Super Kings by just one run.
Kieron Pollard was the star for the Indians as he scored an impressive 41 runs, while Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets in the victory. There is no doubting the quality within this squad, with Quinton de Kock scoring the most runs for the team last season. He scored 529 runs in total, which was an average of 35.26 per match. Hardik Pandya hit the most sixes for the Indians in 2019, while Bumrah recorded 19 wickets in 16 matches. However, the transfer season could mean that new challengers have emerged.
Delhi Capitals
The Indians are the favourites, but if gamblers fancy a different option, like the one that you can get with LeoVegas India, then the Delhi Capitals may be the best option. The Capitals finished in third place in the regular season in 2019, as they won nine of their 14 games. However, they were unable to make it to the finals, as the Chennai Super Kings beat them in the round before the final.
They were beaten in that match by six wickets, but they strengthened before the start of the 2020 season. Delhi were able to add Jason Roy, Alex Carey and Chris Woakes to their team. Meanwhile, Marcus Stoinis has also been an excellent addition. Stoinis scored a brilliant 53 runs in his league debut this term for the Capitals as they beat the Kings XI on the opening day. They still look like a serious threat in the IPL this season.
Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals endured a disappointing 2019 season as they finished seventh in the league standings. However, they already look to be on course to beat their total of five wins that they recorded last term. It is also hard to look past the quality that they have within their squad.
They are captained by one of the best batters in the world of cricket in Steve Smith, while they have quality bowlers in the forms of Jofra Archer, Tom Curran and Shreyas Gopal. They could also have Ben Stokes back at some point towards the end of the season, which would improve their chances immeasurably.