Seven IPL teams have at
least one Indian player who was part of the victorious Indian squad that won
the T20 World Cup 2026. Interestingly, three teams did not have even one player
from the victorious Indian team, namely:
- RCB
- LSG
- RR
Among these three, LSG are the bottom huggers, RCB are the table toppers, and RR can still qualify. What this proves is that in the IPL, it is not merely Indian stars but team composition that matters. RCB are proving that even without present Indian superstars from the World Cup-winning squad, a team can still do exceptionally well. RR, meanwhile, have terrific talent in Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal and might still qualify for the playoffs.
Mumbai Indians (MI): The most puzzling case is that of MI. They had the best Indian world cup winning players, Surya, Tilak (batters), Bumrah (the best pace bowler in the world), and Hardik (all-rounder), yet they are already eliminated. Just imagine having nearly half the World Cup winning team and still getting knocked out!
Hardik’s form has dipped, and he does not seem to be on the best of terms with the team management and some of his yellow-star teammates. The dip in Surya’s form is also alarming, and he may have to retire in the near future, at least from the T20I format.
Indian World Cup Winners in MI: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah – (4)
Delhi Capitals (DC): DC did not have a great season, and it might be difficult for them to qualify. Their team composition seems to be suffering, and they do not possess the batting firepower required in the modern slam-bang IPL style of cricket.
In a team devoid of explosive batting stars, there is hardly any chance for bowlers like Axar and Kuldeep to shine consistently. They may once again fail to qualify for the playoffs, and the IPL trophy could elude them for the 19th time.
Indian World Cup Winners in DC, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav – (2)
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): SRH are extremely lucky to have Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan from the World Cup-winning team. Add Travis Head and Klaasen to the mix, and SRH possess the most explosive batting line-up in IPL 2026.
If Abhishek and Head can put their heads down and bat sensibly, with Cummins returning and Eshan Malinga along with the rookie fast bowlers doing well, SRH could go all the way. They need a little bit of luck, and this could still be SRH’s year.
Just wait for a day when all the top four click together, and we could be looking at a 270+ score. But the real surprise is how well SRH’s Achilles’ heel is performing. SRH’s bowling has always been ridiculed, but this year the bowlers are finally coming to the party. Against CSK, it was the bowlers who restricted the opposition to 180, which SRH later overhauled, not easily, but effectively.
Indian World Cup Winners in SRH, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan (2)
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): CSK’s 2026 campaign has been hampered by the continuous chatter surrounding Dhoni. The talisman who carried CSK for 18 years has ironically become the team’s biggest weakness this season. The constant debate over whether Dhoni will play or not seems to have affected everyone in the CSK camp.
Even two explosive players like Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube have not been able to stem the rot. Ruturaj has proved to be an insipid leader, and the famous “Whistle Podu” spirit seems absent this year. The whistle simply refuses to blow.
Fleming says the team is in transition, but that sounds more like false bravado. It is almost confirmed that Dhoni will retire after this season, and the CSK management should answer its fans as to why commercial interests outweighed the team’s interests.
If CSK had let go of Dhoni last year, maybe it would have hurt financially, but perhaps the team would have performed better. Dhoni is not merely a wicketkeeper-batsman and leader; he is an institution. The void created by his fading presence has proved too deep to overcome. CSK might not qualify for the playoffs.
Indian World Cup Winners in CSK. Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube – (2)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Varun’s mystery has been cracked, and Rinku’s blow-hot, blow-cold form has not helped either. Rahane has been a total flop and might find himself back in the bidding pool next year.
He could face the same ignominy suffered by David Warner, captain one season, thrown into obscurity the next. For players like Rahane, the sell-by date appears to have already expired. It was a bad decision by KKR to retain him as both player and captain. A costly mistake. KKR might not qualify for the playoffs.
Indian World Cup Winners in KKR, Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy – (2)
Gujarat Titans (GT): The surprise team this year has been GT. They started slowly but have shaped up magnificently. Shubman Gill is playing well and leading from the front, ably supported by Sai Sudharsan. The bowling unit also looks solid, with Rabada, Siraj, and Rashid Khan firing on all cylinders.
Washington Sundar is lucky to be in such company. So far, his performance with the bat has been good, though he may still get opportunities to prove his worth as a bowler. GT, along with SRH and RCB, look like the strongest contenders to win IPL 2026. Mohammed Siraj has been a revelation and, along with Rabada, forms perhaps the best pace duo among all IPL teams.
Indian World Cup Winners in GT, Washington Sundar and Mohammed Siraj – (2)
Punjab Kings (PBKS): What do we say about PBKS? They have been the biggest enigma this year. After winning six matches and collecting 13 points out of a possible 14 from their first seven games, some even predicted they would win all 14 matches. But how the mighty have fallen.
After losing six on the trot, they may now not even qualify for the playoffs. PBKS have deservedly been receiving bad press. There have been accusations of indiscipline within the squad, especially against Prabhsimran. He has been accused of not practising enough and not giving his best. These allegations appear to have negatively affected team morale.
The cocky antics of Shreyas Iyer have also not gone down well. He seems to have taken his non-selection very badly, and his leadership appears to be faltering.
Most disappointing, however, has been the behaviour of Arshdeep Singh. His aggressive sledging of teammates and his insensitive comments about Tilak Varma have outraged Indian cricket fans.
Arshdeep Singh must understand that he is a senior Indian player and that he will continue to play alongside Tilak Varma in the future. Publicly targeting a fellow Indian player in such a manner was unnecessary and avoidable. Even now, a public apology would help heal matters. Punjabis themselves have historically faced prejudice, and Arshdeep should understand how hurtful such comments can be.
Indian World Cup Winner in PBKS, Arshdeep Singh – (1)
Conclusion: All IPL stars must understand that once the IPL ends, they will return to their respective state teams and eventually the Indian national side. Let there not be deep divisions like those seen in certain European football leagues, where club loyalty sometimes appears greater than national loyalty.
The former Liverpool manager once remarked rather condescendingly: “I have to let go of my players so they can play in a small tournament in Africa.” The tournament he referred to was the Africa Cup of Nations, one of the most passionately followed football tournaments on the continent.
Let the IPL feed and strengthen Indian cricket, not become the reason for weakening it at its roots.
IPL Captains and Their Fate After This Year’s IPL
1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Ruturaj Gaikwad might retain his captaincy, but personally I would prefer Sanju Samson as captain. Sanju has the aggression, modern mindset, and natural flair that CSK currently seem to lack. Ruturaj appears too calm and understated for a side that desperately needs fresh energy.
2. Delhi Capitals (DC): Axar Patel may not have had a great season as captain, but K.L. Rahul himself had a poor season too. My guess is that Axar might be given another chance. DC do not have too many strong leadership alternatives, and changing captains repeatedly has never really helped them. Axar at least brings stability and calmness, even if the results were disappointing.
3. Gujarat Titans (GT): Shubman Gill has been exceptional. He will definitely remain captain. He has matured enormously as both batter and leader. GT look disciplined, balanced, and tactically sharp under him. Gill seems destined to become one of the long-term leaders of Indian cricket.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Ajinkya Rahane might lose both his captaincy and even his place in the team. The big question is: who replaces him?
My bet would be Sunil Narine, a wonderful choice for captaining KKR. He understands the franchise culture, has immense experience, and commands natural respect within the dressing room.
5. Mumbai Indians (MI): Hardik Pandya might either quit or possibly get traded — maybe even to CSK. Bumrah would probably be the best choice as captain. He is calm, respected, disciplined, and leads through performance rather than theatrics.
MI’s biggest problem this season was not talent but dressing-room harmony. Too many stars, too many egos, and not enough cohesion.
6. Rajasthan Royals (RR): RR should retain Riyan Parag as a player but make Jaiswal the captain.
Jaiswal has the aggression,
confidence, and long-term future needed in a leader. RR need to think beyond
temporary fixes and build around young Indian talent.
7. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Rajat Patidar did very well as captain and should definitely be retained. RCB finally looked like a disciplined, balanced side instead of merely a superstar-driven franchise. Patidar brought calmness and clarity without unnecessary drama.
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Pat Cummins did well and will remain captain next year too. His leadership style suits SRH perfectly, aggressive when needed but composed under pressure. More importantly, the players seem to trust him completely.
9. Punjab Kings (PBKS): Even though PBKS’ campaign appears to have derailed badly, Shreyas Iyer might still retain the captaincy simply due to lack of alternatives. PBKS always seem to promise much and deliver little. Leadership instability has been one of their biggest long-term problems.
10. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): Rishabh Pant had a horror show as captain, but he might still remain captain because LSG do not have too many alternatives. What choices do LSG really have? Markram? Shami?
Maybe Markram could take over and relieve Pant of the captaincy burden. Pant’s decline, along with Surya’s dip in form, does not augur well for the Indian national team, especially Pant, who seems to be fading alarmingly fast. Once considered the future of Indian cricket, he now appears burdened, distracted, and short of confidence.
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