Last Updated on 4 months by Charbel Coorey
IPL 2022 Predictions: Top 4 and who will win the title? | IPL 2022 Predictions: 5 big predictions for the big tournament to be played in India
It’s that time of year again. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is upon us, and it is an even bigger festival of T20 cricket in 2022 with the addition of two new teams – Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants.
There will be two groups of five, with each team to play the other twice in their respective group and once from the other group.
Group A:
- Mumbai Indians
- Kolkata Knight Riders
- Rajasthan Royals
- Delhi Capitals
- Lucknow Super Giants
Group B:
- Chennai Super Kings
- Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Royal Challengers Bangalore
- Punjab Kings
- Gujarat Titans
Chennai Super Kings will be aiming for back-to-back titles. However, with a number of teams looking strong thanks to the mega auction, it will be a tough ask to defend their crown. IPL 2022, which is now the most financially viable in its history, will be played across four grounds in Mumbai and Pune to limit the risk of COVID-19.
Picking a top four is mighty difficult with a number of teams capable of producing the goods. Also, a number of teams are good enough to win the title. After some thought, here are five big predictions for IPL 2022.
IPL 2022 predictions: 5 big predictions for the tournament
Orange Cap winner: KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants)
KL Rahul has been incredibly prolific since the start of IPL 2019. In this period, the now-Lucknow skipper has scored 1,889 runs at an average of 57.24 and strike rate of 134.26. Given how reliable and consistent he is, he is my pick for the Orange Cap in IPL 2022.
However, it will be a tough ask with a number of other leading contenders including Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan and Faf du Plessis.
Purple Cap winner: Shardul Thakur (Delhi Capitals)
The Purple Cap race is arguably more unpredictable than the Orange Cap. The likes of Andrew Tye and Harshal Patel unexpectedly won the award in the past few years, and it will be interesting to see which bowler can make a name for himself in IPL 2022.
Shardul Thakur, who took an equal third-most wickets in 2021 (21) is a specialist in taking wickets out of nowhere. Also, he will play a key role for Delhi Capitals both in the powerplay and death overs. With DC possessing a well-rounded attack, it is not as simple to just see Shardul out and target the others.
Harshal Patel, who took a record 32 wickets last season, is a definite contender. However, how he bowls on what are likely to be truer pitches will be interesting to see. Jasprit Bumrah is another, but teams may be looking to see him off and target the others. Same with Kagiso Rabada.
Also read: World’s second-most valuable company sponsors Orange and Purple Caps for IPL 2022
Bottom-placed team: Gujarat Titans
Each team has undeniable quality. So, finishing bottom doesn’t necessarily make you a bad team.
This could easily be an incorrect prediction, but Gujarat Titans is an example. The core of Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan can win you matches on their day. However, in their case, the lack of specialists in their team is a worry. They are filled with all-rounders, and they need to hope they have a good run with injuries.
Also, the quality of Hardik Pandya’s captaincy and leadership remains to be seen. Gujarat are certainly capable of producing the goods season, but there is a bit of an unknown quantity about them. We shall see.
Top 4
In a ten-team league with a number of quality teams, it is incredibly difficult to pick a top four. However, after some thought, here is my top four with the key reasons behind the picks.
Note: The below top four is in no particular order
Rajasthan Royals: A superb auction. The Royals have their bases covered from 1-11. Their top order comprising of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal is dangerous. Their finishing, which includes the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Jimmy Neesham and Riyan Parag, looks good on paper.
And, of course, add the experience and quality of Trent Boult, R Aswhin and Yuzvendra Chahal in a strong-looking bowling lineup. If the Royals miss the playoffs, it will be a big disappointment given the team they have on paper.
Chennai Super Kings: It is a brave call for anyone to leave CSK out of this season’s top four. They have qualified for the playoffs in every season they have participated in India. While the loss of Faf du Plessis and Shardul Thakur is significant, the depth and strength of their lineup and excellent leadership should hold them in good stead.
Delhi Capitals: When David Warner and Mitchell Marsh arrive in town, the Capitals will have a top four of Prithvi Shaw, Warner, Marsh and Rishabh Pant. This is one of the best top orders in the league, with a mix of dynamic play and the left-right hand combinations.
With the ball, Shardul Thakur promises to be a valuable purchase, partnered by the economical Anrich Nortje and Axar Patel to form a solid bowling core. Also, Ricky Ponting’s smarts is a big advantage for the Capitals as they aim for their elusive title.
Punjab Kings: The Kings had one of the best auction performances earlier in 2022. They came into the mega auction with the biggest purse, and they have spent well with a formiddable top four of Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow alongside the prolific Mayank Agarwal. Also, the likes of Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith provide some excellent finishing potential down the order.
Importantly, the Kings look better with the ball. Kagiso Rabada is an outstanding purchase, and his partnership with Arshdeep Singh at the death will make for interesting viewing. Also, the likes of Rahul Chahar and Ishan Porel enter this tournament with plenty to prove.
Why will the others miss out?
Royal Challengers Bangalore have an excellent bowling attack, which definitely makes them contenders. However, their reliance on the top four with the bat might hurt them.
For Sunrisers Hyderabad, there is so much unpredictability ahead of the new season with the likes of Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram holding the key to their hopes. Also, they need Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan to stay fit and firing as their other Indian bowling options lack some experience.
Gujarat Titans, as mentioned, lack the kind of specialists the other teams have. However, they could surprise a few.
Lucknow Super Giants have a wonderful first XI on paper and no one can be surprised if they make the top four. However, they need to have a good run with injuries and COVID-19 as they lack some of the squad depth that others teams possess.
Kolkata Knight Riders, the finalists from 2021, might rely too much on their overseas options, particularly with limited Indian domestic bowling quality. Also, the inexperience in their domestic wicket-keeping option might affect their team balance somewhat. But, if Shreyas Iyer produces the form he has shown in recent times, they are certainly a chance.
Mumbai Indians is the bravest pick to miss the top four. They have one of the best batting lineups, but the lack of support for Jasprit Bumrah looks to be a worry for MI. They might score big but also concede big too.
5. Winner: Rajasthan Royals
Can the Royals win their first title since 2008? They are a great chance of breaking the drought.
The Royals have a wonderful mix of youth and experience right throughout their squad. Plus, they possess a number of players who can take the game away from their opposition.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal is arguably the best domestic spin attack in the league. Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna, who was magnificent in the ODIs vs West Indies earlier this year, adds further variety to the attack.
And, we’ve already mentioned how dangerous and deep the batting lineup is.
Also, there is the added motivation of performing well in memory of the late, great Shane Warne, who led the Royals to their triumph back in 2008. The Royals did their bit in the planning phase, and it’s now time to deliver.
I believe they can.
There are my five predictions for IPL 2022. It looks a very competitive tournament on paper, so predicting what will happen is a tough ask indeed.
What are your thoughts? Do share them below!
