IPL 2021: Predicting The Four Teams That Can Qualify For The Playoffs

Indian cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the 14^th edition of the Indian Premier League. Although the official dates for the tournament are yet to come, it is expected to be held in April 2021. The last season was played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to Covid 19 epidemic. But this time, the IPL 2021 will entertain the audience at the home venue in India.

Eight teams Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and Kolkata Knight Riders will once again enthral the audience to a great level.

Last year, Mumbai Indians won the trophy after they were by far the best team of the tournament. Mumbai Indians ended on the top spot on the points table and won the Qualifier 1 and final match to grab the trophy for a record 5^th time.

In IPL 2021, there have been some changes in the eight teams after IPL 2021 auction. Some new players have joined the squad which has added more value to the team. Here we will try to predict which four teams can qualify for playoffs in IPL 2021.

IPL 2021: Predicting The Four Teams That Can Qualify For The Playoffs

Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings did not have their leading players Suresh Raina and Dwayne Bravo in IPL 2020 which hampered their performance. While Suresh Raina opted out of the tournament due to personal reasons, Dwayne Bravo was ruled out after playing 6 matches due to a groin injury. Chennai Super Kings have many incredible all-rounders in the team which has been their strength.

Dwayne Bravo, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran are among the superb all-rounders that CSK has. The franchisee also bought two more all-rounders during IPL auctions- Krishnappa Gowtham and Moeen Ali. With their players in place, CSK is expected to give a far better performance than last season.

Also Read: IPL 2021: 5 Reasons Why Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Can Win The Title This Year

Except for IPL 2020, Chennai Super Kings qualified for playoffs in every IPL season they were part of. With the return of Raina and Bravo, the team looks balanced again and they are expected to one among the top four in IPL 2021 points table.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad is a strong team with brilliant players as part of the franchisee. Sunrisers Hyderabad have given a consistent performance for the last five years. After bagging the IPL crown in 2016, Sunrisers Hyderabad have qualified for playoffs in every subsequent season.

Due to the team’s good performance during the last few years, the owners retained most of the players in the team for IPL 2021. Sunrisers Hyderabad have hard-hitting batsmen like David Warner, Kane Williamson, Jonny Bairstow, and Manish Pandey. For bowling, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natrajan, and Rashid Khan account for a powerful bowling attack. Therefore, like last season, Sunrisers Hyderabad is highly expected to enter the playoffs in IPL 2021.

Delhi Capitals

During IPL 2021 auction, Delhi Capitals inducted players like Steve Smith and Tom Curran into their squad. The franchisee already comprises spectacular players in the team. For batting, Delhi Capitals have powerful hitters like Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, and also Steve Smith.

Also Read: IPL 2021: 5 Players From Punjab Kings Who Will Play Every Match

Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, and Chris Woakes are some great pacers to lookout for. Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin are fabulous spin bowlers. Therefore, Delhi Capitals have a strong squad in IPL 2021 and hence, they are highly expected to reach the playoffs.

Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians, who won the IPL title in the last two editions in 2020 and 2019, did not make many changes to the squad during IPL 2021 auction. Mumbai Indians have a strong line-up. Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock, Ishant Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav are brilliant in the batting department.

For the bowling department, Mumbai Indians have top-class bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and Trent Boult. Now, Adam Milne has also joined the team. Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard are astonishing all-rounders to lookout for. Hence, Mumbai Indians have a very strong squad and they will make it to the playoffs this time too.