"They need to realize how difficult it is to win five titles" - Ambati Rayudu makes early prediction on finalists for IPL 2026

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu predicted the teams he feels could win the IPL 2026, just a few months after the 2025 season ended. Notably, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the title in 2025.

Rayudu picked Mumbai Indians (MI) or Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the two teams that could win in 2026. However, he also predicted that MI and RCB could play the final and chose MI as the winners. As RCB won their maiden IPL title, he reflected that they must realise how difficult it is to win the trophy five times. Only MI and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have won the title five times in the history of the league.

He further predicted MI, RCB, CSK, and KKR as the teams that could finish in the top four in the 2026 edition.

"If we look at the teams now, I think MI or KKR could win. Top four I think MI, RCB, CSK, KKR. I think it could be an MI RCB final and MI will win. I am not leaving RCB because they need to realize how difficult it is to win five titles," he said on Shubhankar Mishra's podcast. (1:33:37)

However, he expressed that he was happy when RCB won the title this year. He reckoned that the team is on the right path. Rajat Patidar, in his very first year as captain, ended the 18-year wait for an IPL trophy. RCB beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the final at Ahmedabad.

"It is just good banter. I was happy when they won. I wish them all the best. I think they are on the right path and playing unlike RCB," he added.

They were consistent throughout the season and had a dream run. RCB finished second in the league stage and made it to the finals with a win in the first qualifier.

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Ambati Rayudu has won multiple IPL titles in his career

Ambati Rayudu played for two of the most successful franchises in his IPL career. He was a part of both MI and CSK. His journey in the league started in 2010 with MI. Having played for them till 2017, he scored 2635 runs from 136 matches with 14 half-centuries.

In 2018, he moved to CSK and spent six seasons with them till 2023. He made 1932 runs for them from 90 matches, including an unbeaten century. Rayudu retired from IPL after the 2023 edition, which CSK won.

He won the league six times in his career overall, three times each with MI and CSK. Rayudu was a part of MI when they won the title in 2013, 2015, and 2017. With CSK, he won the trophy in 2018, 2021, and 2023.

The right-hander played 204 games and scored 4348 runs at an average of 28.23 and a strike-rate of 127.54.