Ranking the ten squads from greatest to worst after IPL 2026 Auction ft. CSK

The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction was held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16 because the franchises accomplished their squads for the subsequent season. The groups had submitted the listing of their retained gamers in November and used the remaining purse to accumulate new gamers.

The 2026 Auction was a historic affair as file bids have been launched and uncapped gamers grew to become the main attraction. In the tip, what the franchises have find yourself with is the fruits of retentions, trades, and acquisitions. The remaining squad which incorporates the core group, again ups, bench gamers, and prospects, will dictate how the crew fares throughout the 2026 season.

On that word, allow us to rank the ten squads from greatest to worst after the IPL 2026 Auction.

#1 Mumbai Indians

MI have been already probably the most formidable outfits on paper after the mega public sale, as evidenced by their third-placed end within the 2025 season. They have managed to work on their susceptible spots throughout the low season by trades, and after the public sale, they as soon as once more have a fairly promising aspect to place out on the sphere.

While type will play a large issue because the event unfolds, even when the vast majority of the first-team gamers play as much as their potential, it can show to be sufficient for MI to be simply within the playoffs. With an improved Rohit Sharma and the returning Quinton de Kock, the franchise have a trusted opening mixture as soon as once more.

They have roughly lined all of the remaining bases as nicely, with an important a part of the puzzle being Sherfane Rutherford. If MI can someway determine a mix the place they’ll match each Mitchell Santner and Allah Ghazanfar, which is believable due to their Indian-heavy batting, they’ve a well-rounded bowling unit as nicely. MI even have a really sturdy bench, with choices like Mayank Markande, Corbin Bosch, and Shardul Thakur, able to being impression gamers when wanted.

#2 Royal Challengers Bengaluru

The defending champions gained IPL 2025 due to the sheer prowess of the squad, and contemplating that they retained most of it and introduced in some reinforcements, they continue to be one of many strongest models within the competitors.

RCB have already got a well-settled mixture that they needn’t tamper, and their main focus is extra oriented in direction of bench power. With two main signings in Venkatesh Iyer and Jacob Duffy, each arguably being first-team materials, together with a slew of future prospects, RCB have upgraded on an already stellar squad, and look in respectable form to mount a severe title defence.

The one factor that might have propelled RCB’s power even additional would have been enhancing on their spin bowling shares. While each Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya performed their roles nicely in IPL 2025, different confirmed choices would not significantly damage the aspect.

#3 Punjab Kings

With a really sturdy Indian batting core, a correct mix of expertise and youth, a confirmed captain and coach, together with a powerful bench, PBKS have the right setup to go one step additional after narrowly lacking out on the title in IPL 2025.

PBKS needed to deal with their abroad unit after each Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell declared their unavailability for the subsequent season. They arguably availed the very best possibility in Cooper Connolly who almost ticks all the bins, alongwith the truth that he’s a large prospect.

The solely minor chink of their armour is they do not have an honest backup for Arshdeep Singh, a bowler who can bowl in all three phases of the innings. Their different Indian seam bowling choices, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yash Thakur, are largely loss of life over specialists.

#4 Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR had a landmark public sale to conduct their rebuild and have definitely upgraded their squad with some good picks. They had the duty of revamping the highest order, the decrease center order, and get in an abroad bowling spearhead. All of the picks to fill these slots had readability behind it as Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, Rachin Ravindra, Mustafizur Rahman, and Finn Allen, completely match into their plans.

If they’ll get this squad in the appropriate order within the crew setup, it has plenty of potential. With Venkatesh Iyer not within the scheme of issues anymore, it offers the room for gamers like Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh higher roles to excel. As far as their substitute for Andre Russell is anxious, Rovman Powell’s type and Ramandeep Singh’s potential might show to be the reply as KKR didn’t actually go for a finisher on the public sale.

KKR have gotten it mistaken prior to now with their batting order and crew mixture, however the best way the new-look squad is formed up, it’s arguably arduous to overlook because the gamers’ power are fairly apparent.

#5 Chennai Super Kings

A serious motive why CSK nonetheless have a comparatively good squad even after their questionable public sale is due to their shrewd signings as trades and replacements. The five-time winners have a well-settled prime 5, however what comes after that’s what makes CSK’s power a debatable topic.

With Dewald Brevis and Noor Ahmad being among the many first names on the crew sheet, CSK have the room to play solely two extra abroad gamers out of Nathan Ellis, Matt Henry, Akeal Hosein, and Jamie Overton, and their decisions will dictate plenty of how the crew intends to form their taking part in XI.

Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, and Rahu Chahar are comparatively dependable Indian bowlers that type just a little core, however for this CSK aspect to actually flourish, their new star uncapped signings, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma have to come back into play from the beginning.

A reason behind concern within the CSK setup is the truth that they lack uncooked tempo of their tempo bowling unit. A speedster that might strain on the batters within the center overs whereas the spinners operated would have been a stable component to enhance their aspect.

#6 Rajasthan Royals

RR have controversial dealt with Sanju Samson’s departure in the easiest way attainable as they repaired considered one of their basic flaws earlier than heading into the public sale. The restructed Indian-centric batting unit now has the room to push the likes of Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel up the order, and depart the ending duties to explosive abroad gamers like Shimron Hetmyer, Sam Curran, and Donvan Ferreira.

Ravi Bishnoi’s acqusition for INR 7.2 crore is arguably a recreation changer as RR return again to their two Indian spinner mixture after the failed experiement with Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana.

The largest disadvantage that they face is the shortage of a correct, real, Indian seam bowler. As issues stand, their main choices are Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma, each of whom had a poor marketing campaign final season. While different names like Yudhvir Singh Charak and Kuldeep Sen should not have a lot expertise.

But that space of concern could be subdued if they’ve each Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger match and within the taking part in XI.

#7 Gujarat Titans

GT are banking on their unsustainable mannequin as soon as once more within the IPL 2026, hoping for the highest three to attain the vast majority of the runs as they’ve made no makes an attempt to bolster their center order. Parting methods with Sherfane Rutherford, GT are entrusting Washington Sundar and Shahrukh Khan to be the spine within the center order.

They spent the majority of their price range on Jason Holder, who could possibly be a key half of their powerplay and loss of life bowling plans. However, to incorporate him within the taking part in XI, GT must depart Glenn Phillips on the bench, which onlhy weakens the already susceptible center order.

#8 Delhi Capitals

While each Pathum Nissanka and Ben Duckett are shrewd buys, realistically, they’ll play solely considered one of them. There continues to be a large query mark concerning the early center order slots, as Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, and Nitish Rana haven’t precisely been constant within the IPL over the previous couple of years to be assured decisions for such vital roles.

With that being aspect, DC do have a formidable decrease center order with the quartet of Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, David Miller, and Ashutosh Sharma promising some severe firepower.

The bowling assault is a little bit of a blended bag for DC, principally the tempo bowling unit. Mitchell Starc tends to be just a little inconsistent within the IPL, and that isn’t a sample you’ll need in a spearhead. If the veteran just isn’t at his greatest, DC should not have sufficient assets to cowl for him.

Spin bowling stays DC’s largest power with the trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam and Axar Patel. But in relation to an off-spinner, they ony have Tristan Stubbs’ and Nitish Rana’s part-time spin to depend on.

#9 Lucknow Super Giants

While LSG have mounted the vast majority of the errors they made throughout the mega public sale, the tip consequence stays unsure. They do have a squad that has potential if all of it comes collectively, however the difficulty at hand is the truth that the chances of the whole lot coming to perfection with such a mix are unlikely. Largely due to how there are such a lot of unknown risky elements within the setup with out assurance.

LSG had an damage inclined tempo assault final season, and their newest addition to that division is one other damage inclined candidate in Anrich Nortje. Wanindu Hasaranga is one other shrewd acquisition, however his availability and impression within the IPL has been a large query mark in current seasons.

An inexperienced ending unit is one other concern that strains up for LSG, particularly after David Miller’s launch. The franchise went all out for Liam Livingstone in direction of the tip of the public sale to handle this space of concern, however couldn’t compete with the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s purse.

Given that they’ve a abroad heavy batting unit, with your entire prime order comprising overseas gamers, they’ll solely discipline considered one of Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje. Their Indian bowling setup must be at their best possible and damage free to again their explosive batters.

#10 Sunrisers Hyderabad

From runner-ups in IPL 2024 to remaining within the backside half of the desk for almost all of IPL 2025, SRH have had a fall from grace, largely resulting from their very own doing. Having needed to retain the vast majority of their explosive squad for the mega public sale, SRH needed to compromise with stability and prowess of their bowling unit.

While they nonetheless have a really succesful and harmful batting unit, they nonetheless should not have the bowling to again it up. While they managed to dump Mohammad Shami to LSG in an all-cash deal, all of it went in bringing Liam Livingstone in whereas there have been different priorities to handle.

The bowling unit lacks credible choices, one thing that SRH will want contemplating Pat Cummins will play the IPL season after recovering from a serious damage, and likewise after the Ashes and the T20 World Cup marketing campaign. Inexperience within the spin division, and lack of confirmed Indian bowlers are among the different plaguing points that make SRH an incoherent aspect.