The Indian Premier League (IPL), officially called the Vivo Indian Premier League, is a glitzy and glamorous professional Twenty20 Cricket league in India which started in 2008. There are eight teams representing eight different Indian cities, namely Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals.
The league was founded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and was a brainchild of Lalit Modi. The league, in its 10 years of existence, developed into the world's biggest and the richest T20 league. IPL also has an exclusive window in International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme.
The format of the league is divided into two halves - Round Robin and Qualifiers. Each of the eight teams will play each other twice in a home and away round robin format in the league phase. After the end of the league phase, the top two teams from the league phase will play against each other in 1st Qualifier for a place in the final. However, the team which loses in the 1st Qualifier will get another chance for the IPL by playing the second qualifying match (Winner of the Eliminator match between third and fourth place teams). The winner of the second qualifier will play the final match against the winner of the first qualifier.
SRH coach Daniel Vettori confirmed Pat Cummins is fit and could return within 10–12 days, though bowling workload remains a concern. Meanwhile, uncapped batters Smaran and Salil Arora are pushing for IPL debuts amid tough team selection calls.
Jasprit Bumrah has joined Mumbai Indians ahead of their IPL 2026 opener vs KKR, while Mitchell Santner and Will Jacks are yet to link up. Meanwhile, Angkrish Raghuvanshi continues wicketkeeping drills for KKR. Meanwhile, MI aim to end their long-standing opening-match jinx.
Aakash Chopra believes Virat Kohli could outshine Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni in IPL 2026, citing his fitness and consistency. While Rohit eyes a comeback to runs in IPL and Dhoni faces a tough role, Kohli’s form and fitness at 37 give him an extra edge.
SRH enter IPL 2026 with a formidable batting line-up but a thin bowling attack. With Pat Cummins sidelined and fitness doubts over Ehsan Malinga, the team may rely on Harshal Patel, David Payne and Shivam Mavi to lead the pace, while spin options remain inexperienced.
After a stellar Ranji Trophy season with 60 wickets, Auqib Nabi enters IPL 2026 focused on helping Delhi Capitals win their maiden title. While linked with India Test selection, Nabi downplays international talk, prioritising performance and backing his strengths in the tournament.
RCB host SRH in IPL 2026 opener at Chinnaswamy’s return after the June 4 tragedy. RCB miss Thushara, Hazlewood and Dayal, while SRH are without Cummins. Despite so many missing, a cracking game is expected in Bengaluru. Read the pitch report.
J&K clinched a historic Ranji Trophy after years of progress, overcoming Bengal in the semis and dominating the final against Karnataka. Auqib Nabi highlighted the win’s social impact, inspiring youth and shifting perceptions, after finishing as the season’s leading wicket-taker.
RCB face a major setback ahead of IPL 2026 opener as Nuwan Thushara fails Sri Lanka Cricket’s fitness test and is denied NOC. With Yash Dayal out and Josh Hazlewood uncertain, Jacob Duffy may step in. Pathirana and Hasaranga also await fitness clearance.
With the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026 all set to kick off on March 28, let us have a look at the top five oldest players who will be competing in the upcoming edition of the season. The likes of Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, AJinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, and Sunil Narine feature on the list.
With the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026 all set to kick off on March 28, let us have a look at all the squads, the schedule of the tournament, and the where to watch details of the marquee event that is right around the corner.
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan took centre stage and talked about how star India batter KL Rahul could be a key performer for Delhi Capitals in the upcoming edition of the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026.
Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin took centre stage and gave his take on the potential opening combination that Chennai Super Kings could use in the upcoming edition of the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026.
Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill took centre stage and talked about how confident he feels in his abilities to perform, and opined how he has nothing to prove ahead of the new season of the IPL (Indian Premier League).
LSG head into IPL 2026 with a stronger pace unit after injury setbacks last year. Tom Moody praised the squad depth, calling it a “selection headache,” while owner Sanjiv Goenka said the team’s identity is still evolving and stressed the need to win a title.
Virat Kohli is nine sixes away from joining the 300-club in IPL history alongside Chris Gayle and Rohit Sharma. Meanwhile, IPL 2026 will begin without an opening ceremony in Bengaluru, with BCCI planning a closing event instead.
KKR face a tricky IPL 2026 start with key absences in their bowling line-up. Finn Allen and Ajinkya Rahane are likely to open, while the team searches for a solution to fill Andre Russell’s role. The squad will rely on a mix of experienced and emerging players.
Ruturaj Gaikwad confirms he will open with Sanju Samson for CSK in IPL 2026, with Ayush Mhatre likely at No.3. Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube are set for middle-order roles, while MS Dhoni’s position could be key to finishing games.
Yash Dayal has opted out of IPL 2026 amid ongoing legal issues, though RCB retained him. Mo Bobat backed the pacer while stressing the squad’s depth, naming Rasikh Salam Dar, Abhinandan Singh and Mangesh Yadav as strong replacement options.
Prithvi Shaw returned to Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026 after a difficult phase marked by poor form and setbacks in domestic cricket. Following a break to reset mentally and physically, he now looks to compete for an opening spot and rebuild his career.
The BCCI had introduced the Impact Player rule in IPL 2023 and extended it next year till 2027. The majority of the current IPL captains have expressed reservations against the rule.