Former India player-turned commentator Aakash Chopra has picked the four teams likely to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs. He added that the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Delhi Capitals (DC) should finish as the top two teams after the league phase if they don’t have any poor form or fitness-related issues as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “This is a tough one. No one knows because there are multiple variables like form, fitness, how the pitches would be, how much luck favors you, and all of that. However, the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals are the two teams that look very good to me on paper.”
“If all their players remain fit and available, and the form remains decent, they actually should finish as No. 1 and No. 2 ideally, but one doesn’t know where they would go. However, I feel they should definitely qualify,” he further added.
While picking the Punjab Kings as the third team likely to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs, Aakash Chopra said that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been facing a tough time due to the unavailability of some of their crucial players.
“I feel the Punjab Kings are the third team that should qualify. I am thinking about the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as the fourth, although good news is not coming from the RCB camp. The Nuwan Thushara news came now. So things are not really setting up quite nicely for RCB,” he again said.
“However, when I see the other teams and this team’s depth and strength, I feel RCB should be the fourth team. However, one of these four might miss out, and a fifth team might come in. That could be any team,” Chopra concluded.
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