NEW DELHI: With IPL 2026 just around the corner, former England cricketers have shared their predictions on who could lift the trophy, sparking a debate among fans. While the likes of Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all in the mix, opinions differ on who has the edge this season.Convinced of Mumbai Indians’ chances, former England captain Michael Vaughan didn’t hold back, saying, “Only one team has won this year and that’s @mipaltan.”
Watch
Axar Patel questions Impact Player rule: ‘All-rounders lose value’He also doubled down on the “Stick to Cricket” podcast, adding: “I’m throwing the first name out there. Mumbai Indians are going to win it this year. They haven’t won it just a few. They’ve got an incredible team.”MI, one of the most successful teams in IPL history, will be led by Hardik Pandya this season. With experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah in the squad, they are expected to be strong contenders despite falling short in the playoffs last year.Not everyone agrees with Vaughan. Alastair Cook has backed defending champions RCB to retain their title, putting his faith in Andy Flower’s squad set-up and coaching. Phil Tufnell initially agreed with RCB but later leaned towards CSK as another strong option because of the Sanju Samson factor.However, RCB may face early challenges as key players like Yash Dayal will be unavailable and Josh Hazlewood will miss the opening matches due to fitness issues. Historically, only MI and CSK have successfully defended their IPL titles, so RCB will be aiming to join that elite list this season.
