IPL 2019: 4 tentative favorites to lift the trophy this year

The 12th edition of the IPL - IPL 2019 - is just a few months away, and the fans are already excited to witness the ever-entertaining T20 tournament.

Every year, the top players from all around the globe make their presence felt in the league. It's fair to say that the club competition might be the biggest and most followed cricket league in the world.

Over the years the IPL has given us many mind-boggling moments. It's the level of drama, emotions and most importantly talent involved in this tournament that makes us tune in every year.

This season the 8 teams will be vying for the big prize again. And like every year, this time too there are expectations, predictions and favourites.

When talking about favourites, differences in opinion are bound to happen owing to the fact that these 8 teams are blessed with special fan bases.

Here, we talk about the 4 teams that could be considered favorites for the upcoming edition of IPL:

#4 Kolkata Knight Riders

Let’s go all the way to the city of Joy which is home to the Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR is one of the most successful sides in the history of the IPL.

With 2 trophies in their cabinet, the Knight Riders have been a force to reckon with in the league. The purple-clad team did reach the semifinals of the 2018 edition of IPL too, and they seem to possess the winning mantra needed to claim the prestigious IPL trophy.

The Knight Riders have an exciting squad this year. If a vote is taken about which team has the hardest hitters, then KKR might top the list by a huge margin.

Men like Chris Lynn, Andre Russell and Robin Uthappa can send the ball straight out of the park, let alone clearing the ropes. 'Robust' is the right word to describe KKR's batting unit; with the kind of squad they possess, no target is good enough against them.

The striking addition to their squad is that of Carlos Brathwaite, the strong lad from West Indies who famously struck 4 sixes in a row in the 2016 World T20 final to help West Indies overwhelm England for the trophy.

KKR have every box ticked in order to considered one of the favourites for the trophy.

#3 Chennai Super Kings

CSK will be vying for their 4th IPL title

The most successful side in the IPL, CSK are counted among the favourites every time an IPL season commences. What makes this side so lethal is their balance. A perfect blend of experience and youth, Chennai possess every tool in their arsenal to lift the trophy for a record 4th time.

CSK hold the best of the Indian contingent in the form of men like MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayadu and more. What has worked tremendously well for CSK is the presence of several match-winners.

Overseas talent is present in abundance and men like Shane Watson, Sam Billings and Dwayne Bravo are well-known names in the IPL.

Records do speak and they scream volumes for CSK, as the men in yellow have been dominant and consistent over all these years.

The key addition in the form of Indian pacer Mohit Sharma strengthens the bowling lineup for CSK. With MS Dhoni at the helm, this team is capable of wreaking havoc in any circumstance and at any ground.

#2 Rajasthan Royals

Ben Stokes

The inaugural champions of the IPL, Rajasthan Royals have been impressive over the last couple of seasons. The Royals possess a star-studded squad and with the return of Steve Smith, the team is all set to rock the IPL 2019.

What really makes the Royals so dangerous on paper is the presence of the English trio - Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. In Buttler, Rajasthan have one of the best T20 players around. Buttler had a superb run last season and his promotion to the top of the batting lineup proved to be a pretty beneficial decision for the Royals.

Ben Stokes is one of the most expensive players in the history of IPL. And looking at his attributes and what he brings to the team, the English star is worth every penny.

Ajinkya Rahane is the key Indian attraction in this side along with Sanju Samsun and Jaydev Unadkat.

#1 Sunrisers Hyderabad

The return of David Warner will do wonders to the team's morale

One of the strongest teams to watch for is Sunrisers Hyderabad. SRH have been brilliant over the past few seasons, even winning the majestic trophy in 2016.

The team from Hyderabad were without their star batsman and captain, David Warner, in the previous edition, but still managed to reach the finals where they were defeated by Chennai Super Kings.

This season the orange army is back and the great news for SRH fans is that David Warner will be available. The squad is loaded with quality match winners and it might not be an overstatement to call them the early favourites for the tournament.

In Rashid Khan, they surely have one of the best T20 spinners in the world. The likes of Jonny Bairstow, Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson provide ample firepower to this dynamic squad. And the presence of Indian starlets in Manish Pandey and Bhuvneshwar Kumar does give SRH an edge over others.

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