IPL 2026: Indian Batters Who Are Expected to Light Up the Tournament

We believe these Indian batters will make a dent or two in the bowlers’ chins

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is approaching, and as usual, batters are preparing to ignite the tournament with an abundance of runs. Given that the tournament involves so many players, it is incredibly hard to determine which batter will be in form and which will miss. However, we still have expectations of a few Indian players, so ahead of the tournament, check out the list below.

Sanju Samson

A hero of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, Sanju Samson is high on confidence and is expected to churn out the same kind of performance for his new team, the Chennai Super Kings. Down south, he will feel more at home, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, despite not being the captain, will advise Ruturaj Gaikwad on ways to put Samson to use effectively in the team's strategy and lineup.

Shivam Dube

This is one player we believe is never praised enough but who silently does the job and goes back home. Down the batting order, Shivam Dube will play a crucial role for the Chennai Super Kings and will put up decent numbers on the board as a finisher.

Hardik Pandya

Despite facing challenges during the T20 World Cup campaign, Hardik Pandya undoubtedly possesses the ability to score significant runs in the middle order, particularly during the death overs, and ultimately secure victory for his team. We anticipate that he will regain his form, as he must perform with both bat and ball if he intends to remain with the Mumbai Indians for an extended period. Good captaincy alone may not increase his stay at the blue camp.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Still a kid, but how can we not have expectations from Vaibhav Suryavanshi, given that he is hitting bowlers left, right and centre in every tournament? Suryavanshi had proved his mettle last season and showed his batting prowess in several international tournaments. This season, we expect him to become a regular in the starting XI of the Rajasthan Royals.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is one man we can never write off, and therefore, great things are expected of him despite his absence from the T20I format. Last season, he was the third-highest run-scorer of the tournament, and this year, he will be expected to put more runs on the board in a bid to defend Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title in the campaign.

Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek Sharma has had a tough time during India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign, but he is also one of the country's T20 stars. Known for his explosive innings in the IPL, Sharma will be expected to find his form back, as if not, his chances of staying in the Indian T20I camp could diminish. Therefore, not only for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but Sharma must do well to stay in the Indian side.

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