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IPL 2026Mid-Season (Match ~70 of 74) Edition

IPL 2026 Power Rankings

All 10 IPL teams rated and ranked on batting, bowling, fielding, and bench strength. Updated weekly once the season begins.

Last updated: 2 May 2026 · By CricJosh Team

1
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Punjab Kings

PBKS
92/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerShreyas Iyer(Batter / Captain)
Strengths
  • Shreyas Iyer captaincy has unlocked a chase-first identity — PBKS pulled off the highest successful T20 chase in history (265 vs DC, Apr 25)
  • Top-order firepower with Iyer, Prabhsimran Singh and Glenn Maxwell consistently scoring at 9+ rpo
  • Arshdeep Singh + Yuzvendra Chahal give PBKS a genuine new-ball + middle-overs strangler combo
Weaknesses
  • Death-bowling depth still untested in a knockout
Team Ratings
Batting
9
Bowling
7
Fielding
7
Bench
7
Verdict

PBKS have rewritten their own story under Shreyas Iyer. The 265 chase against DC was a generational T20 statement, and at the time of writing they own the league's only undefeated stretch.

2
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Gujarat Titans

GT
87/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerShubman Gill(Batter / Captain)
Strengths
  • Shubman Gill's captaincy has matured — calm chase-master in pressure overs
  • Rashid Khan continues to be the most economical spinner in franchise T20 cricket
  • Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler have given GT a top-order with both Indian and overseas anchors
Weaknesses
  • Buttler-less squad recovery has been gradual when he misses games
  • Death-overs bowling beyond Rashid is still inconsistent
Team Ratings
Batting
8
Bowling
8
Fielding
7
Bench
7
Verdict

GT have been the steadiest top-2 side this season. Gill's evolution as captain plus Rashid's control through the middle gives them genuine title credentials.

3
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB
85/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerVirat Kohli(Batter)
Strengths
  • Defending champions — RCB ended their title drought in IPL 2025 against PBKS and the dressing room carries that confidence
  • Virat Kohli has just become the first batter to 9,000 IPL runs and is in vintage form
  • Phil Salt provides explosive opening partnerships at the top alongside Kohli
  • Rajat Patidar's captaincy has been understated but tactically sound
Weaknesses
  • Death-overs bowling continues to leak runs in the 17–20 phase
Team Ratings
Batting
9
Bowling
6
Fielding
7
Bench
7
Verdict

RCB are no longer chasing a maiden title — they are defending one. Patidar leads a side that combines Kohli's 9,000-run milestone with a proven champion mindset, even if their bowling depth still wobbles.

4
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Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR
82/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerVarun Chakravarthy(Mystery Spinner)
Strengths
  • Outstanding spin department led by Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy
  • Venkatesh Iyer remains one of the most impactful Indian all-rounders in T20s
  • Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy has steadied a side that lost a generational match-winner
Weaknesses
  • Lost Andre Russell (retired Nov 2025) — middle-order finishing has been a hole all season
  • Foreign-player balance still tricky after losing the Russell impact slot
Team Ratings
Batting
7
Bowling
8
Fielding
7
Bench
7
Verdict

KKR are still a playoff-contention side on the back of their spin twins, but the Russell-shaped hole at the death is a real tactical problem under Rahane.

5
▼

Chennai Super Kings

CSK
78/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerRuturaj Gaikwad(Opening Batter / Captain)
Strengths
  • Sanju Samson trade brings explosive top-order firepower next to Ruturaj Gaikwad (in for Jadeja + Sam Curran)
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy is settling — he is the long-term face of CSK leadership
  • Pathirana + Noor Ahmad give CSK a death + middle-overs spin spearhead
Weaknesses
  • MS Dhoni out for the season after a second calf re-aggravation
  • Ayush Mhatre (their leading run scorer at one point) ruled out with hamstring
  • Pace bowling depth a concern beyond Pathirana and Deepak Chahar
Team Ratings
Batting
8
Bowling
7
Fielding
7
Bench
6
Verdict

CSK have lost both Dhoni (calf) and Mhatre (hamstring) in the same window, and the Samson-for-Jadeja swap has reshaped the side mid-season. They remain a playoff threat on Samson + Ruturaj firepower, but the dressing-room math has changed.

6
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Delhi Capitals

DC
75/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerAxar Patel(All-rounder / Captain)
Strengths
  • KL Rahul brings elite consistency and anchor ability to stabilize innings
  • Axar Patel — now the IPL 2026 DC captain — is one of the most underrated all-rounders
  • Faf du Plessis adds senior-batter calm to a side that lost Rishabh Pant
Weaknesses
  • Lost the PBKS chase of 265 in front of their own crowd — confidence dent
  • No genuine pace spearhead in the powerplay
Team Ratings
Batting
7
Bowling
7
Fielding
7
Bench
6
Verdict

DC enter the back-end of the season with Axar Patel as captain (Pant moved to LSG) and Faf du Plessis as the senior batter. Talent is there; converting it under a brand-new captain is the challenge.

7
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Rajasthan Royals

RR
73/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerRiyan Parag(Batter / Captain)
Strengths
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal — premier Indian opener
  • Ravindra Jadeja arrived from CSK in the mid-season swap and gives RR a proper match-winning all-rounder
  • Kumar Sangakkara back at the helm as head coach
Weaknesses
  • Riyan Parag's first season as captain has been bumpy — fined 25% of match fee for the Apr 30 vaping incident
  • Lost Sanju Samson to CSK; the dressing-room recalibration is still happening
  • Death bowling has been inconsistent
Team Ratings
Batting
7
Bowling
6
Fielding
8
Bench
6
Verdict

RR are in a transitional season under a brand-new captain in Riyan Parag. Jadeja's arrival helps, but Parag's off-field issues and the mid-season Samson exit have left the side searching for an identity.

8
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Sunrisers Hyderabad

SRH
70/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerTravis Head(Opening Batter)
Strengths
  • Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen can still destroy any attack on their day — Head + Abhishek Sharma + Klaasen took Bumrah down on Apr 29
  • Abhishek Sharma has been the breakout Indian batter of the season
Weaknesses
  • Pat Cummins (contracted captain) is OUT for IPL 2026 with a lumbar stress fracture; Ishan Kishan is acting captain in the interim
  • Spin bowling remains the Achilles heel on turning tracks
  • Boom-or-bust batting model has produced too many low scores
Team Ratings
Batting
8
Bowling
6
Fielding
6
Bench
6
Verdict

SRH have lost Cummins for the season and are leaning on Ishan Kishan as acting captain while the batting unit (Head, Abhishek, Klaasen) keeps them in matches almost on its own. Either firework or whimper — no middle ground.

9
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Mumbai Indians

MI
62/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerJasprit Bumrah(Fast Bowler)
Strengths
  • Jasprit Bumrah remains the best death bowler in the world
  • Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav are still capable of single-handedly winning a chase
Weaknesses
  • Mid-season form is bleak — 2 wins from 8 matches; Simon Doull has publicly called for a Hardik release
  • Mitchell Santner ruled out for ~1 month with an ACL issue; Keshav Maharaj signed as cover
  • Middle-order depth — over-reliance on SKY if the top order fails early
Team Ratings
Batting
7
Bowling
7
Fielding
7
Bench
6
Verdict

A nightmare campaign for a five-time champion side. Hardik's captaincy is under genuine media pressure, the Santner injury hurt the spin balance, and only Bumrah-led miracles have kept MI mathematically alive.

10
▼

Lucknow Super Giants

LSG
58/100
FormPre-season
Key PlayerRishabh Pant(Wicketkeeper-Batter / Captain)
Strengths
  • Rishabh Pant remains the most destructive left-hander in Indian cricket on his day
  • Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran add senior overseas batting depth
Weaknesses
  • Bottom of the table — Pant's ₹27 Cr captaincy bet has not paid off this season; "Markram-as-captain" calls trending in the press
  • Death bowling lacks a consistent closer
Team Ratings
Batting
7
Bowling
6
Fielding
6
Bench
6
Verdict

LSG's record-breaking ₹27 Cr punt on Pant has misfired through the league phase. They are bottom of the table at the time of writing, and the conversation has already shifted to whether Markram should take over the armband.

How Rankings Work

Our IPL 2026 Power Rankings are calculated using a weighted formula that considers multiple factors across each franchise:

  • Squad strength and retention quality
  • Recent form and momentum
  • Auction strategy and value picks
  • Coaching staff and team management
  • Home advantage and conditions familiarity
  • Batting, bowling, fielding, and bench depth

Rankings are updated weekly once the IPL 2026 season begins, incorporating match results and in-season performance data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which team is ranked #1 in IPL 2026 power rankings?

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) top our pre-season IPL 2026 power rankings with a rating of 92 out of 100. Their elite retention strategy and the unmatched Dhoni factor give them the edge heading into the new season.

How are the IPL 2026 power rankings calculated?

Our rankings use a weighted formula that evaluates squad strength, batting and bowling depth, fielding quality, bench strength, auction strategy, coaching setup, recent form, and home advantage. Each team receives an overall rating out of 100.

When are the power rankings updated?

During the IPL 2026 season, power rankings are updated every week after the latest round of matches. Pre-season rankings are based on squad analysis, retention picks, and mega-auction buys.

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