IPL 2020: Predicting 4 teams that might reach playoffs

The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction was a glittering affair and the franchises, yet again, managed to surprise many with their left-field picks. The Australian pacer Pat Cummins was the most expensive pick at the event with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spending a whopping amount of Rs 15.5 crore. Other players who earned big in the auction were Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell and Chris Morris to name a few.

All the teams’ owners and the management looked happy and satisfied with their picks after the auction. To be fair, the eight teams in the competition are looking equally balanced for the first time in so many years and we might be in for a thriller in the IPL 2020. It could well turn out to be the most exciting season ever since the emergence of the cash-rich T20 league.

While it is tough to pick an outright winner or favourite to win the trophy next season, but here we are trying to pick the top four teams who can make it to the playoffs.

Predicting the four teams which can qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2020:

Chennai Super Kings

Many might argue about CSK making it to the top four next year. But make no mistake, they have a plethora of experienced players in the line-up. The franchise has the best captain in the world up their sleeves who is ageing like a fine wine. MS Dhoni knows how to get the best out of his players and he has mastered that art to perfection. With IPL 2020 most likely to be his last, the veteran will be keen to bid adieu on a high without costing his record of taking the CSK to the playoffs every season.

As far as the auction is concerned, CSK picked Sam Curran, Piyush Chawla, Josh Hazlewood and R Sai Kishore. While many eyebrows have been raised over Hazlewood’s inclusion who last played a T20 back in 2016, the other three players will definitely play a part next season. Chawla and Sai Kishore will most likely play at the Chepauk where the ball turns from the word go.

Their line-up rather looked settled even before the auction. With Shane Watson, Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Deepak Chahar, Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo picking themselves in the XI, it will all be about shuffling the other players for CSK according to the conditions. Though age is not on many players’ side, it never mattered for the three-time champions. It should not be a surprise if the Men in Yellow top the league phase next season as well.