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IPL 2027 prediction · Season 20 · Updated 27 October
Who will win IPL 2027? Can RCB make it three in a row?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru waited 18 years for their first Indian Premier League title, then won two in a row. Here is our early prediction for the 20th season, with a team-by-team analysis, the overseas stars from England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies, and how to watch the IPL wherever you are.
IPL 2027 winner prediction: can RCB make it three in a row?
After beating Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final, RCB joined Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the only teams to defend the IPL title. No side has ever won three in a row, so the big question for the 20th season is simple: who will win IPL 2027?
Squads are not final yet. Retention lists are reportedly due on 15 November 2026, the trade window is open, and the mini-auction will be held in Goa in mid-December. So this is an early prediction, based on how teams finished in 2026, the moves made so far and what each squad still needs. We will update it after the auction. For the expected start date and key dates, see our IPL 2027 schedule, and for the latest news, our IPL 2027 hub.
Quick answer: Our early pick to win IPL 2027 is Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with Gujarat Titans the biggest threat and Rajasthan Royals the most dangerous outsider. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings complete our likely top five.
2027 का IPL कौन जीतेगा?
हमारी शुरुआती भविष्यवाणी के अनुसार रॉयल चैलेंजर्स बेंगलुरु (RCB) IPL 2027 जीत सकती है और लगातार तीसरा खिताब जीतकर इतिहास रच सकती है। गुजरात टाइटंस सबसे बड़ा खतरा है और राजस्थान रॉयल्स सबसे खतरनाक डार्क हॉर्स।
2027 ka IPL kaun jitega? Our pick is RCB, with Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals the main challengers. The prediction will be updated after the December auction.
Which team is most likely to win IPL 2027?
These are our estimated title chances for each of the ten teams, based on how they finished in 2026, the strength of their core players and the moves made so far. They are Skyblogs’ own estimates, not betting odds, and will change after retentions and the auction.
Estimated chance of winning IPL 2027, as of 27 October 2026. Total adds up to 100%.
How IPL 2026 ended: the final top four
The best guide to next season is how this one finished. Three teams ended the league stage level on 18 points, separated only by net run rate.
| Pos | Team | Pts | NRR | Playoff result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 18 | +0.783 | Champions won Q1 and the final |
| 2 | Gujarat Titans | 18 | +0.695 | Runners-up won Q2 |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 18 | – | Out lost Eliminator to RR |
| 4 | Rajasthan Royals | 16 | – | Out lost Qualifier 2 to GT |
Punjab Kings missed out on the final day with 15 points, Kolkata Knight Riders stayed in the race until the last weekend, Delhi Capitals finished sixth, Mumbai Indians ninth, and Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants were knocked out earlier. Full results are on our IPL 2026 schedule and results page, and every past champion is in our IPL winners list.
IPL 2027 key dates
Dates marked as reported or expected have not been officially confirmed by the BCCI. We will update this page when the schedule is released.
What has changed since IPL 2026
IPL fees are in Indian rupees. 1 crore is 10 million rupees, and 1 lakh is 100,000 rupees. US dollar figures are approximate.
- New (October 2026): Kieron Pollard has been promoted from batting coach to Mumbai Indians head coach for IPL 2027, and will skip the next SA20 season.
- New (26 October): Gareth Batty, who led Surrey to three straight County Championships, joins Chennai Super Kings as assistant coach under Zaheer Khan.
- Zaheer Khan replaced Stephen Fleming as CSK head coach after Fleming left in July 2026 to become England’s Test coach, ending his 18-year run at Chennai.
- Rishabh Pant is back at Delhi Capitals (₹15 crore, roughly US$1.7m) in a swap that sent Kuldeep Yadav to Lucknow Super Giants (₹13.50 crore, roughly US$1.5m).
- T Natarajan has returned to Sunrisers Hyderabad (₹5 crore), with leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari moving to Delhi (₹40 lakh).
- Sourav Ganguly is Delhi Capitals’ new head coach, with Yuvraj Singh as assistant and batting coach.
- Hardik Pandya: still no trade. A reported Pandya–Yashasvi Jaiswal swap with Rajasthan stalled in mid-October, but reports on 21 October said three franchises were in talks with Mumbai, with an announcement possible in early November. On 27 October CSK posted a video of Zaheer Khan teasing the number 33, Pandya’s shirt number. Nothing has been confirmed.
Team-by-team analysis for IPL 2027
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
2025 & 2026 championsRCB topped the league, crushed GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 after posting 254/5, and then chased 156 in the final with 12 balls to spare. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 75 off 42 balls sealed it. Captain Rajat Patidar said straight after the final that the focus is now on winning three in a row.
- A settled, title-winning core with Kohli, Phil Salt, Patidar, Jitesh Sharma and Tim David
- Calm captaincy and a bowling unit that won big games
- Mini-auction year, so they can keep almost the whole squad together
- No team has ever won three IPL titles in a row
- Kohli turns 38 in November, and the fitness of senior quicks Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a question
- Every team will plan specifically to beat the champions
RCB IPL 2027 prediction: Favourites to reach the playoffs again and our early pick to complete a historic hat-trick.
Overseas stars: Phil Salt (England), Tim David and Josh Hazlewood (Australia), Romario Shepherd (West Indies).
Gujarat Titans (GT)
2026 runners-upGT finished second on net run rate and reached the final after Shubman Gill’s century knocked out Rajasthan in Qualifier 2. Kagiso Rabada won the Purple Cap with 29 wickets, and Sai Sudharsan hit the most fours of the season.
- Gill and Sai Sudharsan form one of the most reliable opening pairs in the league
- Rabada leads a proven, wicket-taking pace attack, with Rashid Khan in the middle overs
- Consistent: playoffs and a final in a tight season
- Batting can collapse when the top order fails; they were bowled out for 100 against MI
- Lost both knockout games against RCB, managing only 155/8 in the final
GT IPL 2027 prediction: Strong top-two contenders and our pick for runners-up, unless the auction adds middle-order power.
Overseas stars: Jos Buttler (England), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Jason Holder (West Indies).
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
2026 Qualifier 2Rajasthan sneaked into fourth on the final day, then thrashed SRH by 47 runs in the Eliminator behind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 97 off 29 balls. The teenager won the Orange Cap with 776 runs, became the first player to score 500-plus powerplay runs in a season, and hit a record 72 sixes, the most in a single IPL season.
- Sooryavanshi can win a match on his own in the first six overs
- Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja add depth, and Jofra Archer took 25 wickets
- Heavy dependence on one young opener
- Captain Riyan Parag had an inconsistent season with the bat, and their home record in Jaipur was poor
- Jaiswal has been named in trade rumours
RR IPL 2027 prediction: Dangerous playoff side who could beat anyone on the day, but need more balance to go all the way.
Overseas stars: Jofra Archer and Sam Curran (England).
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
2026 EliminatorSRH matched RCB and GT on 18 points but finished third on net run rate and went out in the Eliminator. Bringing back T Natarajan, their leading wicket-taker in 2024, adds a proven death bowler at a lower fee.
- Explosive batting led by Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen
- Natarajan strengthens the death overs alongside captain Pat Cummins
- Fell short in the knockouts again after a strong league stage
SRH IPL 2027 prediction: Likely playoff team, but must prove they can win when it matters.
Overseas stars: Pat Cummins and Travis Head (Australia), Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa), Liam Livingstone (England).
Dark horses: PBKS, DC, KKR and CSK
Rebuilding: Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants
Mumbai Indians won just four of 14 games and finished ninth. Hardik Pandya managed 206 runs and four wickets, and Suryakumar Yadav made 270 runs at an average of about 20, so big decisions are coming, starting with new head coach Kieron Pollard. Lucknow Super Giants lost their captain when Pant moved back to Delhi, but adding Kuldeep Yadav gives them a top-class spinner to go with Mitch Marsh and Nicholas Pooran. Both need a strong auction to contend.
Overseas stars to watch in IPL 2027
Following the IPL from England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand or the Caribbean? These are the key overseas players from the IPL 2026 squads. Teams can keep them through retention or trade, so most should be back unless they are released before 15 November.
| Country | Players (IPL 2026 team) |
|---|---|
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Pat Cummins, Travis Head (SRH); Josh Hazlewood, Tim David (RCB); Mitchell Starc (DC); Cameron Green (KKR); Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly, Mitch Owen (PBKS); Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis (LSG); Nathan Ellis (CSK) |
| 🏴 England | Phil Salt (RCB); Jos Buttler (GT); Jofra Archer, Sam Curran (RR); Liam Livingstone (SRH); Will Jacks (MI) |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | Kagiso Rabada (GT); Heinrich Klaasen (SRH); Marco Jansen (PBKS); Quinton de Kock (MI); Dewald Brevis (CSK) |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner (MI); Finn Allen (KKR) |
| 🌴 West Indies | Sunil Narine (KKR); Romario Shepherd (RCB); Jason Holder (GT); Nicholas Pooran (LSG); Akeal Hosein (CSK) |
| 🌍 Others | Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad (Afghanistan); Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka) |
More on the players: richest Australian cricketers, richest English cricketers, richest New Zealand cricketers and richest West Indies cricketers, including their IPL earnings.
IPL 2027 title contenders at a glance
| Tier | Teams | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Favourites | RCB, GT | 2026 finalists with settled cores |
| Strong contenders | RR, SRH, PBKS | Playoff-level squads with match-winners |
| Dark horses | DC, KKR, CSK | New coaches or big trades could transform them |
| Rebuilding | MI, LSG | Need major changes at retention and auction |
IPL 2027 playoffs simulation and prediction
Predicted winner of IPL 2027: Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Why RCB?
- Continuity: a mini-auction lets them keep the squad that won two titles
- Big-game record: won Qualifier 1 by 92 runs and the final with two overs to spare
- Motivation: a chance to become the first team to win three IPL titles in a row
What could change this prediction
- 15 November (reported): retention lists show who each team keeps and how much purse they have left
- Hardik Pandya trade: a move to CSK, KKR or another franchise would reshape the contenders
- December auction in Goa: GT and RR in particular could close the gap with the right buys
- Impact Player rule: the BCCI is reviewing it, and any change would affect deep batting line-ups most
- Overseas availability: if the season starts in early March, it could overlap with international series and affect when overseas players arrive
Final word
Gujarat Titans are the side best equipped to stop them, and Rajasthan have the player most capable of turning a knockout game on its head. But if RCB keep their core together and stay fit, they head into IPL 2027 as the team to beat, with history on the line.
🏆 Free contestWho do you think will win IPL 2027?Post your pick in our cricket forum for a chance to win a ₹1,000 Amazon Pay gift voucher. Entries close the day before the final.
Make your prediction →Where to watch the IPL outside India
IPL 2027 broadcast deals have not been announced country by country yet. These were the official broadcasters for IPL 2026, and they are the best guide to where the 2027 season will be shown. Check your local listings closer to the start.
| Country | TV | Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 UK and 🇮🇪 Ireland | Sky Sports Cricket | Sky Go, NOW |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Fox Cricket (Foxtel) | Kayo Sports |
| 🇺🇸 USA | Willow TV | Willow, Sling TV |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | Sky Sport | Sky Sport Now |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | SuperSport | DStv Stream |
| 🇮🇳 India | Star Sports | JioHotstar |
IPL match times in your time zone
IPL games usually start at 7:30pm India time (evening games) and 3:30pm India time (afternoon games on double-header days). Here is what that means during April and May:
| Location | Evening game | Afternoon game |
|---|---|---|
| UK and Ireland (BST) | 3:00pm | 11:00am |
| South Africa (SAST) | 4:00pm | 12:00pm |
| Sydney and Melbourne (AEST) | 12:00am (midnight) | 8:00pm |
| Perth (AWST) | 10:00pm | 6:00pm |
| New Zealand (NZST) | 2:00am | 10:00pm |
| New York (EDT) | 10:00am | 6:00am |
| Toronto (EDT) | 10:00am | 6:00am |
In March, before daylight saving changes, UK games start an hour earlier, and games in eastern Australia and New Zealand start an hour later. North American games start an hour earlier until mid-March.
IPL 2027 prediction FAQ
Who will win IPL 2027?
Our early prediction is Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who won IPL 2025 and IPL 2026. Gujarat Titans are the main challengers, and Rajasthan Royals are the most dangerous outsiders. We will update the prediction after the December auction.
Which team is most likely to win IPL 2027?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the most likely winners in our estimate, with about a 22% chance, ahead of Gujarat Titans (18%) and Rajasthan Royals (12%). RCB won IPL 2025 and 2026 and can keep most of their squad in a mini-auction year.
2027 का IPL कौन जीतेगा? (2027 ka IPL kaun jitega?)
हमारी भविष्यवाणी के अनुसार RCB IPL 2027 जीतने की सबसे बड़ी दावेदार है। गुजरात टाइटंस और राजस्थान रॉयल्स उसके सबसे बड़े प्रतिद्वंद्वी हैं।
Has any team won three IPL titles in a row?
No. Only Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and RCB have defended the IPL title, and no team has won three in a row. RCB will try to be the first in 2027.
When is the IPL 2027 auction?
The mini-auction will be held in Goa in mid-December 2026, most likely between 14 and 16 December. Retention lists are reportedly due by 15 November 2026.
Who is Mumbai Indians’ head coach for IPL 2027?
Kieron Pollard. Mumbai Indians promoted him from batting coach to head coach in October 2026.
When does IPL 2027 start?
The official schedule has not been released. The BCCI is reportedly considering an earlier start in March 2027, with the final in May. See our IPL 2027 schedule for updates.
Who won IPL 2026?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final on 31 May 2026 in Ahmedabad. See the full IPL winners list.
How can I watch IPL 2027 in the UK, Australia or the USA?
In 2026 the IPL was shown on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports in Australia, Willow TV in the USA, Sky Sport in New Zealand and SuperSport in South Africa. 2027 deals are expected to be similar but have not been confirmed.
Which Australian and English players are in the IPL?
IPL 2026 squads included Australians Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green, and England players Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Jofra Archer, Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone. Final IPL 2027 squads will be set after retentions and the December auction.
Keep reading
Related: how much is each contender worth off the field? See our IPL team valuations 2026, where Mumbai Indians lead at about $2.1 billion and RCB follow at about $1.85 billion.
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