IPL 2026 All Team Players List: Complete Squad Details of All 10 Teams
The IPL 2026 auction has reshuffled the cricketing landscape, with all ten franchises undergoing significant squad changes. From big-money signings to shrewd retention decisions, each team has crafted a squad designed to compete for the coveted IPL trophy. In this comprehensive guide, CrickViews brings you the complete IPL 2026 players list team by team, with detailed analysis of each squad’s strengths, weaknesses, and key players to watch.
IPL 2026: The Ten Franchises
The IPL 2026 season features the same ten franchises that have been part of the tournament since 2022: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans, and Lucknow Super Giants.
1. Mumbai Indians (MI) — IPL 2026 Squad
Mumbai Indians remain one of the most successful franchises in IPL history with five titles to their name. The MI think-tank has always prided itself on building a well-balanced squad with a strong core of Indian talent supplemented by world-class overseas players.
MI’s squad for IPL 2026 is built around their batting lineup that has historically been one of the deepest in the tournament. Rohit Sharma, if fit and available, continues to be the cornerstone of MI’s batting. The team’s bowling attack features a combination of express pace and crafty spin, making them a formidable unit on all kinds of pitches.
Key Players: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma
Captain: Hardik Pandya
Home Ground: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Strengths: Explosive batting lineup, world-class pace attack, experienced coaching staff
Squad Size: 25 players (maximum allowed)
2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) — IPL 2026 Squad
Chennai Super Kings are the most consistent franchise in IPL history, having reached the playoffs in nearly every season they have participated in. Under the legendary leadership of MS Dhoni — who continues to feature for CSK in a mentoring and playing capacity — the team has a culture of calm, calculated cricket that has won them five IPL titles.
CSK’s approach to squad building has always been about experience over flash. They tend to retain their core players and supplement with targeted auction picks rather than overhauling the squad each year. Their home ground at Chepauk, with its spin-friendly pitches, plays perfectly into their game plan.
Key Players: MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Chahar, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja
Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Home Ground: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Strengths: Strong team culture, death bowling specialists, powerful finishers
3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) — IPL 2026 Squad
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have one of the most passionate fanbases in the IPL, and after finally winning their first IPL title in 2024, the team is hungry to defend and build on that success. Virat Kohli’s continued presence is the beating heart of RCB’s batting lineup.
RCB’s batting has traditionally been their strongest suit, with Chinnaswamy’s short boundaries making it a batter’s paradise. Their squad building in recent years has focused on addressing their bowling weaknesses, and they have made significant progress in this area.
Key Players: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Siraj, Phil Salt, Yuzvendra Chahal
Captain: Rajat Patidar
Home Ground: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Strengths: World-class batting depth, passionate home support, improved bowling attack
4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — IPL 2026 Squad
KKR are the defending IPL champions having won the title in 2024, and they come into IPL 2026 as one of the most balanced squads in the competition. Their combination of aggressive batting, quality spin bowling, and express pace made them virtually unstoppable in the previous season.
KKR’s auction strategy has been meticulous — retaining their match-winners while using the auction to fill specific gaps in their squad. The team plays some of the most entertaining T20 cricket in the IPL.
Key Players: Shreyas Iyer, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakaravarthy, Phil Salt
Captain: Shreyas Iyer
Home Ground: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Strengths: All-round depth, match-winning spinners, power-hitting at every position
5. Delhi Capitals (DC) — IPL 2026 Squad
Delhi Capitals have been consistent performers in the IPL but are still searching for their maiden title. With a core of exciting young Indian talent and experienced international stars, DC are always competitive and capable of upsetting the best teams on any given day.
Key Players: Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, David Warner (if retained), Mitchell Marsh
Captain: Rishabh Pant
Home Ground: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Strengths: Explosive top-order, quality spin options, aggressive captaincy
6. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) — IPL 2026 Squad
SRH have been one of the most entertaining teams in recent IPL seasons, with their ultra-aggressive batting approach setting records and breaking boundaries literally and figuratively. Their powerplay batting has been particularly devastating, with openers consistently posting massive totals in the first six overs.
Key Players: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, T Natarajan
Captain: Pat Cummins
Home Ground: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
Strengths: Explosive batting lineup, quality pace bowling, record-breaking powerplay
7. Rajasthan Royals (RR) — IPL 2026 Squad
The inaugural IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals, have always been known for identifying talent early and building competitive squads on relatively modest budgets. Their scouting network is one of the best in the IPL, and they regularly produce players who go on to represent India at the international level.
Key Players: Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal (if available), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Trent Boult
Captain: Sanju Samson
Home Ground: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Strengths: Consistent top-order, quality overseas selections, strong bowling unit
8. Punjab Kings (PBKS) — IPL 2026 Squad
Punjab Kings have been the most inconsistent team in IPL history, often starting seasons well before fading away in the business end of the tournament. However, with new management and a fresh squad, PBKS are determined to turn their fortunes around in IPL 2026.
Key Players: Shikhar Dhawan, Sam Curran, Arshdeep Singh, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada
Captain: Shikhar Dhawan
Home Ground: PCA Stadium, Mohali
Strengths: High-octane batting, quality pace options, experienced overseas players
9. Gujarat Titans (GT) — IPL 2026 Squad
Gujarat Titans burst onto the IPL scene in 2022 and immediately won the title in their debut season, following it up with a runners-up finish in 2023. While they have gone through some squad transitions, GT remain a well-organized franchise with a clear cricketing philosophy.
Key Players: Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami (if fit), Rashid Khan, Wriddhiman Saha, David Miller
Captain: Shubman Gill
Home Ground: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Strengths: World-class spinner in Rashid Khan, solid batting core, quality pace attack
10. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) — IPL 2026 Squad
Lucknow Super Giants are another franchise that has made a strong impact since joining the IPL in 2022. With consistent playoff appearances in their early seasons, LSG have built a squad that balances youth and experience effectively.
Key Players: KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Krunal Pandya, Quinton de Kock
Captain: KL Rahul
Home Ground: BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Strengths: Technically sound batting, quality left-arm spin, consistent performers
IPL 2026 Squad Analysis: Who Has the Strongest Team?
Analyzing all ten squads, a few teams stand out as early favorites for the IPL 2026 title. KKR, as defending champions, possess the most balanced and experienced squad. MI, with their vast resources and iconic players, are always in contention. SRH’s batting prowess makes them a team no one wants to bowl to. RCB, with Kohli and Patidar in form, can chase down any total.
However, as every IPL season proves, the team that handles pressure best and keeps their key players fit throughout the tournament tends to lift the trophy. Injuries, form fluctuations, and the ability to peak at the right time are all factors that separate champions from contenders.
Overseas Player Regulations in IPL 2026
Each IPL team is allowed a maximum of eight overseas players in their squad of 25, but only four overseas players can play in any given match. This restriction means franchises must carefully manage their overseas quota, often having to make difficult decisions about which combination of four overseas stars to field.
Teams with quality overseas depth — such as KKR, SRH, and RR — often have an advantage because they can rotate their overseas players based on conditions, opposition, and fitness without significantly weakening their lineup.
Conclusion
The IPL 2026 team players list reflects the dynamism and global appeal of the Indian Premier League. Every franchise has assembled a squad capable of competing for the title on any given day. The competition promises to be intense, with world-class players from over fifteen countries coming together to create the most spectacular T20 cricket league on the planet. Stay tuned to CrickViews for detailed squad analysis, player profiles, and all the latest IPL 2026 news and updates.
