The IPL 2023 season is all set to kick off on 31st March, with Chennai Super Kings locking horns with defending champions Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad at 7:30 PM IST. The league is returning to its home-away format this year, with 70 league matches to be played across 12 venues in India. A total of 10 teams will be taking part in the league again and here, we shall look at how those teams stack up ahead of the season.
Gujarat Titans
The Titans surprised everyone last season by winning the title. It was an impressive achievement for Hardik Pandya, who was a full-time captain for the first time in league history. They have made some key additions to their roster this year, including Kane Williamson, Shivam Mavi, Odean Smith, and Joshua Little. Along with that, they have also maintained their core from last season, and it looks like they could enjoy another stellar outing this time.
Lucknow Super Giants
The Super Giants, one of the new franchises last year, couldn’t win the title like the Titans, but they also made it to the playoffs. They had a quality squad at their disposal last season and they have improved it even further with the addition of Nicholas Pooran's caliber. They have some quality spinners as well, led by young wrist-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, but it's their pace attack that doesn't really inspire confidence. Their batting unit looks really good, though, and they can go a long way if it fires properly.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB have been one of the most popular franchises in the IPL since the inaugural edition, but the title has always eluded them somehow. They have been one of the most consistent teams in the last few seasons though, making it to the playoffs multiple times. They retained their core group of players from last season, and have also made some key additions like Reece Topley and Will Jacks. It remains to be seen whether they can win the title finally this time, but they do look set for another top four finish.
Rajasthan Royals
The Royals have improved a lot over time and made it to the final last year, where they lost to Gujarat Titans. Sanju Samson led by example last season and will look to do the same this time. Rajasthan have also added top international players like Jason Holder, Joe Root, Adam Zampa to their roster this season, making them a well-balanced unit in all respects. They should be able to make it to the playoffs again.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH finished eighth last season, but they are expected to enjoy a much better outing this time owing to their superb auction work earlier this year. They have acquired top players like Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, and Heinrich Klaasen to strengthen their batting unit. Moreover, the arrival of Adil Rashid is also critical to make up for the absence of Rashid Khan. Aiden Markram, who led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title in the inaugural SA20 recently, has been appointed as SRH captain this season. They will be looking to claim their second title this time around.
Kolkata Knight Riders
The Knight Riders didn't do justice to the talent and potential of their squad last season as they finished seventh. But they will hope for a much better outcome this time after strengthening their roster with players like Lockie Ferguson, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Litton Das. Shardul Thakur is another player they traded from Delhi Capitals in a huge cash deal, and they will expect all round returns from him. Shreyas Iyer will lead KKR once again, and he will be hoping for much better results this time.
Punjab Kings
The Punjab Kings had a star-studded squad last season, yet they managed only a sixth-place finish. They let go of their captain ahead of this season and will line up this year under a new captain and coach. However, their core group of players is pretty much similar, and the addition of Sam Curran lends some excellent balance to their squad. Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza is another excellent addition, and they look all set to improve upon their results this time.
Delhi Capitals
The Capitals have been a very competitive side in the last few years, and they just missed out on a playoff spot last season, finishing fifth overall. They will be looking to go a step further this time around, but things have become quite tricky for them with their captain Rishabh Pant ruled out of the entire season due to a car accident. They do have an experienced player like David Warner to step up as captain in his absence, though. Delhi also have an excellent squad that is quite well-balanced in all departments, and that places them very well to qualify for the playoffs.
Mumbai Indians
The most successful team in the history of the Indian Premier League finished right at the bottom of the table last year. They have a strong batting unit, but they look thin on domestic batting strength and quality Indian pacers. More so with Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the season. That's why they will bank on Jofra Archer, who has recently recovered from a long injury, a lot. If Mumbai have to go far this season, then their batting unit will need to step up big time.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK also didn't enjoy the best of times last season. Their bowling really got exposed, and so much that even the batters couldn't cover up for their mistakes. As a result, they finished second from bottom, and will look to do much better this time. But the squad hasn't improved much on the bowling front even after the auctions. CSK have acquired Ben Stokes, but he can't solve their main problems. They are once again expected to end up with a mid-table finish at best.