As IPL 2026 approaches, several cricket experts have shared their predictions about which teams could reach the playoffs. Former players and analysts from the Star Sports panel, including Faf du Plessis, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Aakash Chopra and others, have picked their expected top four teams for the season.
Their predictions show some clear trends. Mumbai Indians appear in almost every list, while the remaining playoff spots vary depending on each expert’s view.
IPL History and Most Successful Teams
Over the years, several teams have reached the IPL playoffs, but only a few have consistently dominated the tournament.
Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are the most successful franchises in IPL history with five titles each.
Below is a summary of IPL title winners.
| Team | IPL Titles |
|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 5 |
| Mumbai Indians | 5 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 3 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 1 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 1 |
| Deccan Chargers | 1 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 1 |
| Gujarat Titans | 1 |
Some teams such as Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals are still chasing their first IPL trophy.
Mumbai Indians: The Most Common Playoff Prediction
Among all teams, Mumbai Indians are the most common choice among experts to reach the top four in IPL 2026.
The Star Sports expert panel includes several former cricketers such as Faf du Plessis, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Aakash Chopra, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Kaif, Piyush Chawla, Hanuma Vihari and Saba Karim.
Every expert included Mumbai Indians in their predicted top four teams.
The franchise has a strong squad led by Hardik Pandya and features world-class players such as Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma. Their experience and depth make them one of the strongest contenders this season.
RCB Expected to Stay Competitive
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are another team widely discussed in playoff predictions. The franchise recently won its first IPL title, with Rajat Patidar playing a key leadership role.
Former RCB captain Faf du Plessis included RCB in his top four predictions for IPL 2026.
However, not every expert agreed. Some analysts like Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari did not include RCB in their predicted playoff teams.
Virat Kohli’s form will be one of the key factors for RCB this season, as fans expect him to continue scoring heavily in the IPL.
Also See : Punjab Kings IPL 2026 Schedule: Full Fixtures, Squad, Venues and Coaching Staff
IPL 2026 Top Four Predictions by Experts
Different experts have predicted different combinations of teams for the IPL 2026 playoffs.
| Expert | Top Four Picks |
|---|---|
| Faf du Plessis | MI, RCB, PBKS, CSK or DC |
| Irfan Pathan | MI, DC, PBKS, RR |
| Harbhajan Singh | MI, SRH, PBKS |
| Aakash Chopra | MI, RCB, DC, PBKS |
| Cheteshwar Pujara | MI, GT, CSK, KKR |
| Mohammad Kaif | MI, RCB, PBKS, DC |
| Hanuma Vihari | MI, SRH, DC, PBKS |
| Piyush Chawla | MI, RCB, KKR, PBKS |
| Saba Karim | MI, RCB, DC, CSK |
| Sanjay Bangar | MI, RCB, PBKS, DC |
| Varun Balaji | MI, RCB, CSK, SRH |
| Aaron | MI, RCB, SRH, CSK |
While Mumbai Indians appear in every prediction, other teams such as Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans also feature regularly.
Teams Fighting for the Remaining Spots
Several franchises are expected to compete strongly for the remaining playoff positions.
Teams like Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings appear frequently in expert predictions. Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders are also seen as potential contenders depending on their performance during the league stage.
With balanced squads and experienced players, the competition for playoff spots in IPL 2026 could be very close.
Early predictions suggest that Mumbai Indians may once again be one of the strongest teams in the tournament. However, the IPL has always been unpredictable, and form during the season often decides the final standings.
Fans will be watching closely to see whether these expert predictions come true when the tournament begins.
