Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has predicted that Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings as the three teams to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs. However, Ashwin reckons RCB’s chances of making it to the last four will dip if Josh Hazlewood goes on to miss considerable time. RCB were able to go all the way in the previous season and they would want to replicate the same show in IPL 2026.

Ashwin feels Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, and Delhi Capitals will compete for the fourth spot.

Ashwin said SRH and DC have the ability to put pressure on other teams in the upcoming season.

“SRH and DC will dictate how this table pans out. Both these teams have the ability to put pressure on the top three teams or finish in the bottom,” said Ashwin on his YouTube Channel.

Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Titans had qualified for the previous season’s playoffs.

On the other hand, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra backed MI and DC to finish among the top two teams. Mumbai Indians have a potent squad for the upcoming season and they will be looking to win their sixth IPL title. Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, had failed to qualify for the playoffs in the previous season. 

“This is a tough one. No one knows because there are multiple variables like form, fitness, how the pitches would be, how much luck favors you, and all of that. However, the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals are the two teams that look very good to me on paper,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“If all their players remain fit and available, and the form remains decent, they actually should finish as No. 1 and No. 2 ideally, but one doesn’t know where they would go. However, I feel they should definitely qualify,” he added.

IPL 2026 will kick off when RCB will begin their IPL defense against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru on 28th March.