Why Royal Challengers Bengaluru will win IPL this year

Predictions in the Indian Premier League are risky — I’ve been burned before. But that hasn’t stopped me from picking the winners.

So, who will win this year? Any of the four playoff teams can lift the trophy. Sounds like a cop-out, doesn’t it? Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Titans all have the firepower to go all the way. But I would pick Bengaluru.

Shreyas Iyer has led Punjab to one of their best seasons, keeping them in pole position for a maiden title. But their inexperience in the middle order is a concern. Too much rests on Iyer’s shoulders — and it’s not a good thing in crunch games.

Bengaluru too are desperate to break their 17-year title drought. Despite some tough losses on their home turf at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, they found their rhythm with a string of impressive away wins that reignited their campaign.

They’ve had setbacks — losing Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, and Lungi Ngidi ahead of the playoffs. But the arrival of Mayank Agarwal has steadied their middle order, as evident in the win over Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday. More good news: Australians Josh Hazlewood and Tim David return from injury just in time for Thursday’s first Qualifier against Punjab.

While Virat Kohli once again led their scoring charts, what stood out was Bengaluru’s resilience. A Kohli dismissal is no longer a death knell — the lower middle order has stepped up. Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85 off 38 balls on Tuesday was proof of that.

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill will be eyeing an IPL triumph before heading to England. That’s possible — the Gujarat Titans are strong enough to bag a second title. But it won’t be easy. Jos Buttler’s absence weakens their batting lineup beyond Gill and Sai Sudarshan. Ace leggie Rashid Khan’s nightmarish season makes them more vulnerable.

Mumbai Indians are the dark horses. After a sluggish start, they powered into the playoffs. Much of the credit goes to Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton for their explosive starts, Suryakumar Yadav’s brilliance, and Hardik Pandya’s big-hitting finishes. Jasprit Bumrah is back to his best, and Trent Boult has delivered with the new ball. With five titles under their belt, Mumbai knows how to win.

Still, my gut says this is RCB’s year.

No one wants the trophy more than Kohli. After 17 years of heartbreak, this could finally be RCB's moment. If Kohli doesn’t steer them home, others can as Rajat Patidar, Krunal Pandya and Jitesh Sharma have shown. That’s the real difference this time.

Go Bold, RCB.