Ranking the favorites for the IPL 2023 title

The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is almost upon us, with the opening encounter of the tournament all set to take place on Friday, March 31 in Ahmedabad.

All 10 teams are fairly evenly matched following the IPL 2023 auction, which was conducted on December 23 in Kochi. Unfortunately, certain franchises have had to grapple with player unavailability and injuries over the last few months and find themselves in a pickle ahead of the new season. Others, meanwhile, are excellently balanced.

Here, we attempt to rank the favorites for the IPL 2023 title, starting with the teams which appear to be out of the reckoning even before the competition has begun.

#10 Kolkata Knight Riders

There's no doubt that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) need a lot of things to go their way if they are to make the IPL 2023 playoffs. That was the case even before regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the initial part of the tournament - and potentially all of it - with a back injury.

KKR's batting lineup has clear issues against express pace and they don't have many consistent run-scorers either. The bowling attack has holes as well, with the franchise's pre-auction trades boring a hole in their pocket without really adding much to their playing XI.

Nitish Rana and Chandrakant Pandit could form a nice pairing, but it would be a surprise if KKR are anywhere near the top four by the time the business end of IPL 2023 rolls around.

#9 Punjab Kings

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) aren't in a much better position either. Shikhar Dhawan has taken over the reins, but he might not be able to steer a depleted side into the playoffs.

PBKS have a decent bowling attack, with many bases covered, but their batting unit looks threadbare in the absence of the injured Jonny Bairstow. Liam Livingstone and the domestic batters are excellent players on their day, but the kind of team performances that are needed to notch up wins in the league might elude them.

If PBKS' bowlers step up, they can notch up a few wins and finish higher up the table, but it's safe to say that they might not sniff the title this time around as well.

#8 Delhi Capitals

Another team plagued by an injury to their skipper, the Delhi Capitals (DC), will be without Rishabh Pant this year. David Warner will lead the side, which doesn't look like it has what it takes to seriously challenge the better teams in the league.

DC's top three of Warner, Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh are power-packed, but that's where it all ends. They have issues with their overseas combination and have to fill a Pant-sized hole in their middle order; two problems that won't resolve themselves.

Moreover, DC's bowling attack hasn't looked overly threatening, and there are question marks over Khaleel Ahmed's fitness as well. While they have the individual star power needed to rack up a few wins, the Capitals might find it difficult to make a real playoff push.

#7 Mumbai Indians

Bowling is the Mumbai Indians' (MI) biggest concern. Without Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out, they have barely any out-and-out wicket-takers in their lineup. Even with Bumrah, Rohit Sharma and Co. would've probably struggled to add to their trophy cabinet this year.

MI are not short of batting firepower, with the likes of Tim David, Cameron Green and Suryakumar Yadav following a solid opening combination. But most of Mumbai's key men have underperformed in the IPL over the last couple of seasons, and things simply aren't clicking.

While MI could easily win a few games on the back of their batting might, their bowling weaknesses are bound to catch up with them at some point during the upcoming season. They do stand an outside chance of making the playoffs, but we might see them remain on five titles by the time IPL 2023 draws to a close.

#6 Lucknow Super Giants

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) reached the Eliminator in their maiden IPL campaign, and at one point, it seemed like they'd go even further.

This time around, LSG come into the competition having addressed a big hole in their middle order with the acquisition of Nicolas Pooran. While the signs point towards a productive campaign for the dynamic West Indian, the Super Giants' biggest problem could be their lack of batting depth.

Frontline bowlers will man the LSG lower order from the No. 8 spot, and that might push skipper KL Rahul back into his shell. Lucknow will also be without star man Mohsin Khan for most - and perhaps all - of IPL 2023, and their pace attack doesn't look as potent as it did last year.

LSG are certainly playoff contenders, but on paper, they aren't as strong as the next five teams.

#5 Royal Challengers Bangalore

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have made the playoffs quite regularly in recent years, and there's no reason why the same shouldn't be repeated this time around as well.

Faf du Plessis has been in good form, while Virat Kohli has shown signs of getting back to his best in the shortest format. Wanindu Hasaranga and Dinesh Karthik were imperative to RCB's charge in IPL 2022 and could once again play key roles for the franchise once again.

However, Bangalore have concerns in the overseas department, with Glenn Maxwell returning from a long-term injury and Josh Hazlewood dealing with a troublesome heel. Their middle order has a few inexperienced names in it, and it's too early to tell whether they are ready to step up and shine.

RCB are definitely playoff contenders and could even go all the way to the final if a few factors align. As things stand, though, they only have an outside chance.

#4 Rajasthan Royals

Northamptonshire v India - T20 Tour Match

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) were one of the standout teams in IPL 2022 as they reached the final on the back of stellar individual campaigns from Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal.

This time around, Sanju Samson and Co. enter the tournament with other players in excellent form, having also fixed their all-rounder problem with the signing of Jason Holder. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag have had a brilliant domestic season and could take some of the load off the likes of Buttler and Samson.

RR's bowling unit looks a touch jaded without Prasidh Krishna, but the impact player rule could play into their hands and help them overcome their weaknesses. If Trent Boult can overcome his form concerns and pick up a few early wickets, the Royals could be on course to reach the playoffs once again.

#3 Gujarat Titans

The Gujarat Titans (GT) pulled off an unprecedented run to the title last year, with opposition teams having no answers to their lethal finishing and bowling abilities.

Shivam Mavi and Kane Williamson have been signed to add some weight to the playing XI, and Hardik Pandya and Co. seem poised to make another run for the trophy.

GT have their issues, of course. The batting unit still looks uninspiring and the team as a whole is heavily reliant on a few big names to do the heavy lifting. But those players are in good form, and the Titans will be confident of their chances.

There is definitely a chance that GT's campaign in IPL 2023 will go horribly wrong, and they could struggle to string even a few wins together. However, going off last year's performances, they might be able to come up with the answers they need.

#2 Chennai Super Kings

It's probably hugely unpopular to put the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) so high. MS Dhoni and Co. have been predicted to be one of the worst teams in IPL 2023 in pre-tournament projections, and looking at their bowling lineup, it's easy to see why.

But two factors will make CSK a force to contend with this year. The first is the impact player rule, which will help them paper over the mistakes they made at the auction. The second is the return of the home-away format, which will see the Men in Yellow play seven matches at their Chepauk fortress.

CSK are guaranteed to win almost all their home games, and if they come up with even a few comprehensive performances on the road, they could be in an excellent position to punch above their weight.

This is a bold prediction that could be way off the mark, but the Super Kings might just have some life in them.

#1 Sunrisers Hyderabad

South Africa v Netherlands - ICC Men's T20 World Cup

The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have assembled a formidable unit ahead of IPL 2023. SA20-winning skipper Aiden Markram will lead the side, which has an explosive batting lineup and several quality bowling options.

Hyderabad have replaced Kane Williamson's intentless batting in the top order with Mayank Agarwal's maverick approach and have three quality overseas batters in the middle order. Not much needs to be said about the domestic fast-bowling lineup.

Meanwhile, the impact player rule will allow them to add a wrist-spinner if needed, something they struggled with in IPL 2022. It's clear that SRH have one of the best squads on paper, and they also have an astute captain in Markram.

Can the Orange Army get back to winning ways this year?

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Poll : Are SRH the favorites for the IPL 2023 title?

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