IPL 2023: Predicting where each team will finish in the group stage

IPL 2023 is a stone’s throw away and the excitement has already reached fever pitch. That is in large part down to the home-and-away format being restored this season, adding several more layers of intrigue to another potentially fascinating IPL rendition.

The Gujarat Titans will hope to defend the title they won last year in IPL 2023. The Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians, who missed out on the playoffs in 2022, would be hoping for a better showing in IPL 2023, as would the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The Lucknow Super Giants, the Rajasthan Royals and the Royal Challengers Bangalore would want to continue from where they left off last season, whereas the Delhi Capitals and the Punjab Kings would be hoping to get over the heartbreak of 2022 in IPL 2023.

With only a few days left for the start of IPL 2023, the time is ripe to indulge in predictions. Of course, these can go awfully wrong but what fun is an IPL season without some wild predictions.

This is how the IPL 2023 points table could look like, post the round-robin stage.

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IPL 2023 predictions

#10 Kolkata Knight Riders

In a highly-competitive ten-team league such as IPL 2023, it is very difficult to predict who will finish at the bottom of the pile. Someone, though, has to finish last and it might just be the Kolkata Knight Riders this season.

A major reason is that they could be without regular skipper Shreyas Iyer throughout IPL 2023. Shreyas’ absence also leaves a gaping hole in the middle order – something an already threadbare batting unit might find tough to plug. Nitish Rana has been asked to fill in while Shreyas recovers from his back injury but there remains uncertainty around how much of an impact he can recreate.

The bowling also does not inspire confidence. Sunil Narine still remains tough to get away, Shardul Thakur has a knack of picking up crucial wickets, and Umesh Yadav can be a force in the powerplay. Sustaining it throughout the season, however, might just be too much of an ask for an experienced but inconsistent bowling attack.

That said, KKR have match-winners in their ranks. Narine can single-handedly win them a game of cricket, as could Andre Russell. N Jagadeesan and Venkatesh Iyer are excellent batting options to have, while Litton Das and Rahmanullah Gurbaz would be longing to leave a mark on IPL 2023.

Unfortunately, there seem to be plenty of asterisks attached to everything KKR do. Apart from having a new skipper, they will also be having a new coach in charge. Such transitions take time and with Shreyas not around (at least for the first half of the season), KKR might just have to consign themselves to another sub-standard campaign.

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#9 Punjab Kings

Last season, Punjab Kings showed a refreshing amount of commitment to their high-risk ultra-aggressive brand of batting. With Trevor Bayliss coming on board as their new head coach, much of the same is expected in IPL 2023, although they might not have the personnel to replicate that philosophy of batting this time out.

Mayank Agarwal was released prior to the auction and has since joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of IPL 2023 altogether, meaning that Shikhar Dhawan (their new captain) could have plenty on his plate. Liam Livingstone is also coming off the back of a long injury lay-off, while Bhanuka Rajapaksa, despite his talent, remains highly inconsistent.

Jitesh Sharma has grown in stature since the last IPL and will have Sam Curran (the most expensive IPL auction buy ever) for company in the middle order. But there is a feeling that Punjab Kings might not be consistent enough to stitch together a dash to the playoffs.

Their bowling does look more-rounded than last year, with Curran and Nathan Ellis joining the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada and Rahul Chahar. The lack of an out-and-out spin-bowling all-rounder, however, could hamper them. They will be tricky to handle on their home patch, where pitches in Dharamsala and Mohali will assist their fast bowlers.

But overall, it seems that they might be heading towards another indifferent campaign – one that ends without a playoff appearance.

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#8 Mumbai Indians

Okay, so this might sound controversial. Mumbai Indians have not reached the playoffs for two successive seasons, and despite returning to the Wankhede Stadium for a considerable patch this campaign, it seems that might continue.

That is largely because their bowling seems paper-thin in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. Jofra Archer is fit and bowled brilliantly for England in Bangladesh lately but it remains unclear how many games he will play, with him possibly wanting to ease himself back into the scheme of things. There is no outright match-winner in the spin department either, and on the true batting tracks at the Wankhede, they could be found wanting.

That said, they do have a power-packed batting unit that will cause a few teams problems. Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma at the top. Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order, alongside Cameron Green, N Tilak Varma and Tim David is an enviable batting line-up.

Their batting prowess, when other things (namely their bowling) click, will give them an edge over teams that might seem better balanced on paper. Doing it frequently enough to win seven or eight games that ensures a playoff berth is another matter altogether, though. And that is where they might struggle, and that is what might end up costing them a place in the top four.

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#7 Rajasthan Royals

Last season’s finalists, the Rajasthan Royals did well to retain the core of players that served them well in 2022. Unfortunately, they have since been plagued by injuries, mostly to their bowling unit, meaning that they now seem to have a mountain to climb in IPL 2023.

Prasidh Krishna, who was one of their bowling mainstays last campaign, has been ruled out for the entirety of IPL 2023. There is uncertainty over how much of a part Obed McCoy will play as well. R Ashwin, Trent Boult and Yuzvendra Chahal are still around. The support cast, however, leaves a bit to be desired; Navdeep Saini and Kuldeep Sen can bowl quick but have a tendency to leak runs.

On the batting front, not much has changed, with Jos Buttler expected to do the heavy lifting. Yashasvi Jaiswal also enjoyed an excellent domestic season, whereas Sanju Samson would want to use IPL 2023 as a platform to tell the selectors what they have been missing in the Indian side. Shimron Hetmyer, as always, will add oomph to the middle order and with Jason Holder also part of the squad, they might have a more balanced batting unit this time.

But again, it comes down to their bowling. Their batting will blow teams out of the water on occasions but tournaments are won by bowling attacks. And as things stand, RR seem to be lacking that just a little. They might not languish in the bottom trenches but qualifying might not be as comfortable as last season either.

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#6 Royal Challengers Bangalore

Akin to the Rajasthan Royals, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have been hit hard by injuries coming into IPL 2023. Rajat Patidar, who was a revelation towards the end of last year’s campaign, is expected to miss the first half of the tournament. Will Jacks, meanwhile, has been ruled out of IPL 2023 altogether.

Josh Hazlewood, too, is slated to be absent for some part of IPL 2023. Harshal Patel has, in the past few months, lost his place in the Indian side, and there is a question mark over whether Wanindu Hasaranga can replicate what Chahal did for years at the batting-friendly M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Oh, and Glenn Maxwell has only played one international game since recovering from a fractured leg.

All, however, is not doom and gloom for RCB. Virat Kohli comes into IPL 2023 in a rich vein of form, having ended his century drought across all formats. Faf du Plessis was brilliant in the recently-concluded SA20, where he led Joburg Super Kings to the semi-final.

Michael Bracewell, signed on as Jacks’ replacement, also has happy recent memories of batting in India. Mohammed Siraj, too, has developed into a world-class all-format bowler capable of holding his own in any and every condition.

So, if RCB can sort out their middle order sans Patidar, and integrate Reece Topley into their eleven (as Hazlewood’s replacement), they might have something to cling on to. But they will play six of their seven home games in April, meaning that these players will have to hit the ground running.

It could yet happen but considering how strong some of the other teams are, RCB might have to contend with missing out on the playoffs in IPL 2023.

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#5 Lucknow Super Giants

Like the Gujarat Titans, the Lucknow Super Giants made the playoffs at the first time of asking in 2022. They have not changed a whole lot in IPL 2023, and LSG still bank on their all-rounders’ strength and versatility. While that served them well last season, that might just pull them down in IPL 2023.

As counter-intuitive as that might sound, the more number of all-rounders means that there are more moving parts. At times last season, LSG seemed unsure of what their best batting order looked like, and what bowling options they needed to use at specific junctures. Unless they figure out a way early, they could have to play catch-up in IPL 2023.

They have their strengths, though. Nicholas Pooran’s addition gives them extra explosiveness in the middle order, and that, coupled with Quinton de Kock’s pyrotechnics at the top and Deepak Hooda’s prowess against spin, will keep LSG in the thick of things. But as always, there will be intrigue around how KL Rahul bats.

Last season, he scored two hundreds but his approach was scrutinised as LSG fell short in the Eliminator. Rahul has since reiterated that strike-rates remain overrated in the shortest format and whenever he has turned out for India in this period, he has continued to start cautiously before gradually accelerating.

Apart from that, Mohsin Khan, one of the breakout stars from last season, is expected to miss a significant chunk of the season. Jaydev Unadkat is an able replacement but his T20 credentials are not as great as his red-ball exploits. Avesh Khan has also fallen off the national radar in recent times. Mark Wood will bring that X-Factor to their attack but it remains to be seen how his workload is managed.

Their spin-bowling contingent has variety. Krunal Pandya can optimise match-ups, as can K Gowtham. Ravi Bishnoi has not represented India since the Asia Cup but remains a tough leg-spinner to get away, especially in the middle overs.

So, there are obvious strengths that LSG can bank on in IPL 2023, but a few weaknesses as well. Tellingly, these weaknesses did not seem to stick out as much in 2022, and for that reason alone, they might just miss the playoff bus this time round.

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#4 Chennai Super Kings

Last season, the Chennai Super Kings, rather uncharacteristically, looked a confused bunch. It began with MS Dhoni handing over the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja two days before their first game, only for the latter to then be relieved of his duties mid-way through the season.

Reports circulated that all was not well with respect to Jadeja, and it was not until very late that it was confirmed the all-rounder would stay on with the franchise. But now, the band is back together, and itching to come back stronger. Dhoni at the helm (possibly for the last time?), Jadeja happy at CSK, and a return to Chepauk - this is, as Jadeja famously posted on social media after his retention, time for #Restart.

At the auction, CSK also broke the bank to acquire talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes. Devon Conway and Moeen Ali are still around, meaning that CSK have their overseas batting options stocked. Ruturaj Gaikwad, their Indian batting mainstay, had a stellar domestic season and that, coupled with Jadeja’s return, should give CSK plenty of firepower. Oh, and Ambati Rayudu never seems far away from a spectacular knock.

Deepak Chahar returns to add bowling depth and a penetrative powerplay bowling option. Mukesh Choudhary’s injury might complicate matters, although the signing of Sisanda Magala and the retention of Dwaine Pretorius gives them more elbow room at the death than it did last season. Watch out for Rajvardhan Hangargekar too, if CSK give him game-time.

CSK will also play seven games at Chepauk in IPL 2023, which will allow their assortment of spinners – namely Jadeja, Moeen, Mitchell Santner, Maheesh Theekshana and possibly Prashant Solanki, the environment to thrive.

Several of CSK’s high-profile cricketers, though, have not been playing cricket regularly, and that will be CSK’s toughest challenge. Once they find their groove, however, they could be a tough nut to crack, especially at Chepauk.

They might not enjoy their most dominant campaign ever in IPL 2023. But they might just have enough in the tank to make it to the playoffs, at the very least.

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#3 Delhi Capitals

Rishabh Pant, understandably, is going to be a massive miss for the Delhi Capitals. But in David Warner, they have a readymade captaincy replacement, who also has the experience of winning an IPL title.

It could be argued that this DC batting unit is better than the one Warner shepherded for all those years at Sunrisers Hyderabad. That he has a few doubters to silence, like at the 2021 T20 World Cup, could only spur him to scale peaks that only he is capable of.

Prithvi Shaw is also raring to go and according to head coach Ricky Ponting, is set to unlock his true potential this season. He has a point to prove too, after being continually overlooked for the India gig.

Mitchell Marsh and Rovman Powell have been in stunning form lately, and could help ease the batting burden on Warner. Sarfaraz Khan would also be chomping at the bit to show that he is an all-format player. DC could use Axar Patel in a more floating role too and capitalise on his new-found confidence in the international arena.

Bowling wise, Anrich Nortje is fit and firing on all cylinders. Khaleel Ahmed was a revelation last season, as was Kuldeep Yadav. With Axar capable of holding his own in a variety of conditions, DC seem to have their bowling bases covered.

If there were to be injuries to their overseas players, DC have replacements lined up too. Phil Salt and Rilee Rossouw can slot into the top or middle order. Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman can deputize for Nortje. Their Indian contingent is also quite strong, with domestic performers of the ilk of Chetan Sakariya, Mukesh Kumar and Yash Dhull in their ranks.

There is still a question mark over how they will handle pressure, having not done very well on that count lately. With Warner leading the side, though, that should not be a problem, and a playoff spot, which slipped from their fingers last season, might be within reach in IPL 2023.

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#2 Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad attempted a massive overhaul at the auction, and largely succeeded. Out went Kane Williamson and Nicholas Pooran. In came Harry Brook, Heinrich Klaasen and Mayank Agarwal. Aiden Markram has since been installed as skipper and in these four, SRH’s batting does not lack firepower whatsoever. Add Glenn Phillips and Abhishek Sharma, who was one of the few bright sparks last season, to that mix and SRH suddenly become a side no one really wants to face.

SRH’s most vital player this season, though, could be Rahul Tripathi. He made his T20I debut during India’s series against Sri Lanka and impressed with his effervescent attitude. Armed with international experience, and the urge to strengthen his credentials for a more permanent spot in the Indian T20I team, he could turbocharge SRH’s campaign.

Their bowling attack is not shabby either. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, despite his struggles at the death, can be very incisive in the powerplay. Fazalhaq Farooqi can bowl in different phases, including at the death. T Natarajan would want to show the selectors that he still has plenty to offer and Umran Malik, well, he can bring the house down with his searing pace. Oh, and Washington Sundar also has an opportunity to portray just how important a player he can be in the shortest format.

The only real issue SRH might face is if their backs are stacked against the wall at the start, considering the slight lack of experience. But with so much quality at their disposal, that seems unlikely, meaning that a top two finish might not be as far-fetched as it might have first seemed.

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#1 Gujarat Titans

Okay, this might seem a bit of a safe bet but there is nothing to suggest that the Gujarat Titans are worse off than last season. If anything, they have gotten stronger with the inclusion of Kane Williamson and the retention of their core.

Add to that Shubman Gill’s stunning recent form, Hardik Pandya gaining more experience as captain and David Miller razing down totals for fun - you seem to have a winning formula again. Williamson, who has not set the T20 stage alight in recent times, also comes into IPL 2023 in a rich vein of form.

Their bowling attack has plenty of variety. Shivam Mavi was bought at the auction and bolsters their Indian fast-bowling stocks. Mohit Sharma and Pradeep Sangwan add experience, and alongside Darshan Nalkande, R Sai Kishore and Yash Dayal, give the Titans the luxury to shift and shuffle based on specific conditions and match-ups.

The bowling unit also comprises a certain Rashid Khan, who was in scintillating form in the Pakistan Super League, and has grown in stature, having also been appointed as Afghanistan’s full-time T20I skipper. Mohammed Shami, too, has been in excellent rhythm recently and is as potent a powerplay weapon as any in IPL 2023.

So, you kind of get why the Titans seem in pole position to replicate last season’s performance, right? Of course, this is not saying that they will win IPL 2023 but they do not seem very far off it either.