New Delhi: With IPL 2026 just around the corner, former England cricketers have shared their predictions on who could lift the trophy, sparking a debate among fans. While teams like Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all in the mix, opinions differ on who has the upper hand this season.Former England captain Michael Vaughan Confident about Mumbai Indians’ chances and didn’t hold back saying, “Only 1 team is winning this year and that’s @mipaltan.”
He also doubled down on the “Stick to Cricket” podcast, adding, “I’ll throw the first name out there. Mumbai Indians will win it this year. They haven’t won it in a while. They’ve got an unbelievable team.”One of the most successful teams in MI IPL History, will lead to Hardik Pandya this season. With experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah in the team, they are expected to be strong contenders despite failing to make the playoffs last year.Not everyone agrees with Vaughn. Alastair Cook has backed defending champions RCB to retain their title, putting his faith in the team set-up and Andy Flower’s coaching. Phil Tufnell initially agreed with RCB but later swayed towards CSK as another strong option because of the Sanju Samson factor.However, RCB may face early challenges as key player Yash Dayal is unavailable and Josh Hazlewood will miss the opening matches due to fitness issues. Historically, only MI and CSK have successfully defended the IPL title, so RCB will aim to join the elite list this season.
