IPL 2026: 5 teams that could surprise everyone

The Indian Premier League 2026 first-phase schedule has been announced. The tournament will begin with a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28. The first phase of the tournament will run until April 12.

After the schedule announcement and the recent IPL auction, most teams have already started their practice camps at different venues. While IPL 2026 is also about finding new talent and giving opportunities to young players, many franchises are still keeping their faith in experienced players.

After the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy, the South Africa home series, and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, several players have shown strong form. Many teams now have match-winners in their squads, and these players can change the result of a game within a few moments.

Kolkata Knight Riders look like a very strong side after making smart decisions in the auction and using their purse well. On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings have changed their usual strategy by bringing in more young players while leaving out some experienced names.

Keeping these points in mind, this article will look at five teams that could surprise everyone in the 2026 edition of the IPL.

Also read -SRH vs LSG IPL 2026 Tickets: Price, Booking Date & How to Book Full Step-by-Step Guide

1. Royal Challengers Bengaluru

The Defending champions have kept their strong core from last season, which gives them good stability to defend their title this year.

RCB used their limited purse well in the auction. They signed all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for INR 7 crore and added depth to their pace attack with Jacob Duffy. Their bowling lineup already includes quality pacers like Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal.

However, the team still lacks a quality wrist-spinner. This weakness could become a problem for them later in the tournament.

2. Mumbai Indians

The joint-most successful team in IPL history will be aiming to end their five-year title drought and win a record sixth championship this season.

Like RCB, the Mumbai Indians have mostly kept their strong core. Key players such as Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Will Jacks remain important parts of the squad.

Because of limited funds in the mini-auction, MI could not add much depth to their spin department. This could affect them in matches played on slow pitches.

3. Punjab Kings

After finishing as runners-up last season, Punjab Kings will aim to go one step further and win their first IPL title.

The team has mostly kept the same squad from last season. The only major change was replacing Josh Inglis with Cooper Connolly. They also added some depth in their all-rounder department.

PBKS may not have many big names, but their squad looks balanced and consistent, which makes them one of the strongest teams in the upcoming season.

4. Delhi Capitals

Versatility could be the biggest strength of the Delhi Capitals in the upcoming season. The Axar Patel-led team has the ability to change their playing combination based on match situations.

Their bowling unit allows them to try different combinations without weakening their top-order batting. This flexibility could be very important as DC look to win their first IPL title.

5. Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders look like one of the strongest teams after the mini-auction. They have strengthened their opening options with New Zealand wicket-keepers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen. Tejasvi Singh also provides another wicket-keeping option in the squad.

At the top of the order, players like Rachin Ravindra can play an important role, while the batting lineup looks stronger with the addition of all-rounder Cameron Green.

Their bowling attack is also very strong, featuring players such as Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Akash Deep, Matheesha Pathirana, and Mustafizur Rahman.

The three-time champions will enter the season as one of the strongest teams on paper under the new management led by Abhishek Nayar and Shane Watson.