One of the most exciting competitions in cricket gets back underway this week, as the Indian Premier League kicks off its 2021 season. It promises to be yet another thrilling season of action, but which team could end the campaign as the outright winners?
Mumbai Indians The Team To Catch
There seems little doubt about the team that all sides will be looking to catch this season, as the Mumbai Indians will be looking for a third straight IPL title. Mumbai were crowned back-to-back champions at the end of last season after beating the Delhi Capitals by five wickets. The Indians have managed to keep the vast majority of their title-winning side together during the off-season, but have been able to add some talented players to their roster too.
Piyush Chawla and James Neesham are among the players that they have added. However, their star man will remain Rohit Sharma. Ishan Kishan led the teams for runs last season, as he scored 516 in total. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah took 27 wickets throughout the competition. The experience of coach Mahela Jayawardene could also prove decisive, as he will be looking for a third title in four seasons with the team.
Leading Contenders In The IPL
In truth, the Mumbai Indians seem excellent value to be the favourites in the betting with BetXChange. The next best bet in the market is for the Delhi Capitals, who are valued at 5.00. The Capitals fell just short in the 2020 grand final, as they were beaten by the Indians. However, they will be looking to build on the progression that they made last term. Last season was the first time that they had reached the finals, and was the first time in seven years that they had made the playoffs.
Delhi have added some experienced players to their roster ahead of the new season, with Steve Smith being the most exciting addition. The Australian had spent the last couple of seasons with the Rajasthan Royals, and he scored a total of 311 runs in 14 games last season, which meant he averaged 25.91 per game. The Capitals have also added Tom Curran and Sam Billings to their team for the 2021 season.
Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad are also leading contenders in the betting. The Royal Challengers have often been labelled as the great underachievers in the IPL, but there is no denying that there is quality in their roster this season, with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers among the stars that they will be able to call upon. Meanwhile, the Sunrisers narrowly missed out on a place in the final last season, as they ended up finishing third after losing in Qualifier 2 to the Delhi Capitals.
Indian Premier League Prediction
It looks set to be another exciting couple of months of cricket, with all the biggest stars heading to India. However, it would seem challenging to look past the heavy favourites in the betting to regain their title. The Indians have strengthened once again, and look good value to win a third straight IPL title.
