The 14th edition of the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL </a>has lived up to the hype thus far and we have already seen it all from low-scoring thrillers to some excellent high-scoring games. There have also been some outstanding individual performances with two centuries and two five-wicket hauls already.

While in terms of run-scoring, obvious names like Faf du Plessis, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul are leading the charts, the same can’t be said about bowling as players like Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, and Rahul Chahar have surprised everyone by being among the leading wicket-takers.

Even the points table has thrown a few surprises thus far with CSK and DC as the top 2. However, the table will see a lot of changes as there are still a lot of games left. Hence, let&#8217;s predict

Team positions at the end of league stage in IPL 2021

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505251" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505251" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

KKR is historically amongst the most successful IPL franchises as they have won the title on two occasions and qualified for the playoffs on four other occasions. However, they haven’t looked as good in the last couple of seasons having failed to finish in the top 4, and with the way their current season is going, it would be a surprise if they sneak into the playoff spots.

Most of their batsmen have been woefully out of form throughout the season with only Rahul Tripathi showing a little bit of consistency. Rising star, Shubman Gill has failed to get going and even Nitish Rana has lost form after a bright start to the campaign. Eoin Morgan has also struggled while Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik have done decently in the chances they have got.

Only <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-twitter-reacts-after-varun-chakravarthy-and-sandeep-warriers-covid-positive-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Varun Chakravarthy </a>has shown some sort of consistency with the ball while the others including star bowler, Pat Cummins have failed to deliver. Their Indian pacers have shown a promise, but they are far from finished products and their inconsistency is proof of this. With a largely misfiring batting unit and an inconsistent bowling attack, there is a good chance that they could finish bottom of the table.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505552" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Sunrisers Hyderabad have finished in the top four for five consecutive seasons, but if they don’t sort out their team this campaign, that streak is under major threat. Like every season, Indian batting has been the biggest issue and frequent middle order collapses have cost them games they should have won comfortably.

Bairstow and Williamson have been in excellent form while even David Warner has contributed in a few of the games, but the other batsmen have struggled to support them. They have tried 7 different Indian batsmen in addition to Nabi and Holder in the middle order, but no one has successfully been able to solve their issues.

Their bowling attack has been good apart from the first game against KKR and they have managed to restrict the opposition to chasable scores in all the other games. They made a comeback last season as well after a poor start, but for that to happen this season, their middle-order will have to find form and stop collapsing on a regular basis as that’s the only thing stopping them at this moment.

In the latest turn of events, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/why-it-was-an-extremely-poor-decision-by-srh-to-remove-david-warner-as-the-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner </a>was sacked by the SRH management as a skipper and Kane Williamson was given the new responsibility. However, things didn&#8217;t change for them even then as they succumbed to a poor loss against the Royals in their latest fixture.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511737" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Punjab-Kings-Team.jpg" alt="Punjab Kings Team" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511737" class="wp-caption-text">Punjab Kings Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Punjab Kings would have been one of the more satisfied teams after the auction given the talent they filled their squad with, but that talent is yet to produce results on the field. They have once again been over-dependent on KL Rahul with the others failing to deliver on a regular basis.

This can be evident by the fact that in the three games where he scored less than 20, PBKS couldn’t even cross 130 while in the other three games in which he scored half-centuries, they batted well and won two of them. This will have to change if they are to keep their hopes of a playoff spot alive and players like Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, and Nicholas Pooran have to shoulder more responsibility.

While Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi have been impressive thus far the others including their big buys in the form of Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith have failed. Now, the biggest problem that has come in for PBKS is the sudden health issue of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kl-rahul-admitted-to-hospital-after-complaining-of-a-severe-abdomen-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul. </a>He has been hospitalized and will have to undergo surgery to get rid of appendicitis. It will be a thing to see when Rahul would be able to make his comeback and how Punjab men will manage the team in his absence.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512404" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512404" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

After the end of the auction, Rajasthan Royals looked like one of the teams to beat given the strength of their squad, but injuries and other issues have been a massive issue for them. Ben Stokes injured himself in the first game of the season while even Jofra Archer was ruled out due to injury. Liam Livingstone and Andrew Tye have also left the squad citing personal reasons. With just four overseas players in the squad, it is obviously going to be difficult for them and one can’t help but feel a bit sorry for them.

They are reportedly looking to loan a few players from other teams, but whether those deals go through in time to save their season remains to be seen. Coming to their performances on the field, their batting has failed to fire as a unit. The likes of Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and David Miller have been inconsistent while their most important player, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-jos-buttlers-whirlwind-124-crush-sunrisers-hyderabad-to-sixth-defeat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jos Buttler </a>has fired once while smashing a century.

Their bowlers have been decent thus far and if not for poor execution at specific stages of the game, they have performed decently. The likes of Chris Morris, Chetan Sakariya, and Jaydev Unadkat have done well as a group. They will have to sort some of their issues for now but their latest performance against SRH spoke a lot about them. Jos Buttler appeared in the form of his life, even Samson supported him and they posted the season&#8217;s highest total on the board. If they maintain this rhythm for coming up events, they will be in a better position soo.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512184" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-Team-.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians Team" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512184" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Mumbai Indians were absolutely unstoppable last season as they won their 5th title and it looked as if they had no weakness that could be exploited. With a very similar squad to last year, many expected them to dominate the league this season as well, but that hasn’t been the case and other teams have shown that even they can be defeated.

Their middle-order was suffering from a rough patch until their last match against CSK where they flaunted great form. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-stephen-fleming-reveals-why-ms-dhoni-had-a-spread-out-field-against-kieron-pollard-on-the-final-ball/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kieron Pollard</a> appeared in the form of his life as he played a fiery knock to chase down 218 runs and he was supported well by Krunal Pandya. Even Hardik Pandya added in his small contribution to get the team going.

Their bowling attack has been quite good and pretty much everyone has contributed in a positive manner. Rahul Chahar has been the best one while the others have also chipped in with wickets. Overall, their team isn’t much better than those below them at present but their winning mentality and sheer quality compared to the others might push them to the 4th slot now and better rankings in the future.

3. Royal Challengers Bangalore

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-510486" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-9.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Not many expected <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kkr-vs-rcb-encounter-postponed-with-covid-19-concerns-in-kolkata-camp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RCB </a>to be among the best teams in the league after the completion of more than 20 games, but they have proven everyone wrong with a terrific start to the campaign. Their team is looking quite good at the moment and everything is working brilliantly for them.

Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers have been sensational with the bat and even Devdutt Padikkal has found form in recent games. Once Virat Kohli finds his best form, it could be an absolute nightmare for opposition bowlers with these four in the same lineup.

Their bowling attack has always been their major weakness with Yuzvendra Chahal being the only good performer, but it’s been the complete opposite this time around as the others have played well while he’s been out of form. Harshal Patel has been outstanding with the ball and has been picking up wickets for fun while also solving their death bowling issues. Kyle Jamieson and Mohammed Siraj have also been picking up important wickets and all in all, their team looks well balanced and this is their best chance of winning their first trophy.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512535" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512535" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Delhi Capitals have continued their form from last season and look set for another top 4 finish unless something drastic takes place. Despite losing Shreyas Iyer due to injury, the team has remained largely unaffected as they have continued to produce results and currently placed at the top of the points table.

Shikhar Dhawan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-prithvi-shaw-scares-rishabh-pant-with-a-wayward-throw-in-the-match-between-dc-and-pbks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prithvi Shaw,</a> and Rishabh Pant have been in good form with the bat with Dhawan being the highest runscorer as well. Even Shimron Hetmyer has found form and they have even excellent backups in the form of Sam Billings and Ajinkya Rahane, which will keep the others on their toes at all times.

Kagiso Rabada was a bit out of form but he got crucial wickets in the last outing against PBKS and the likes of Avesh Khan, Amit Mishra, and Axar Patel have been in good form. They even have Chris Woakes and Anrich Nortje on the bench in case they need some different setup, and with such talent in their squad, it isn’t a surprise that they are among the favorites to win the title.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-506515" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-506515" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Like RCB, no one expected CSK to be playing so well after they finished 7th last season. They went into the new season with a squad very similar to the one in 2020 and thus, it’s surprising that they are able to dominate the league the way they are at present.

Their top 3 of Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Moeen Ali have been in good form while even Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja have chipped in with some excellent knocks. Lack of intent was a major issue for them last season, but they seem to have rectified it this season and have delivered some excellent performances with the bat.

With the ball, there hasn’t been any particular standout but everyone has done their bit to ensure <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-3-non-playing-members-of-csk-contingent-including-bowling-coach-lakshmipathy-balaji-test-positive-for-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CSK</a> are in the second position of the table. Deepak Chahar is their top wicket-taker with 8 wickets. CSK are just a couple of wins away from the playoffs already and with the team doing so well a fourth title seems very realistic.

The 14th edition of the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL </a>has lived up to the hype thus far and we have already seen it all from low-scoring thrillers to some excellent high-scoring games. There have also been some outstanding individual performances with two centuries and two five-wicket hauls already.
While in terms of run-scoring, obvious names like Faf du Plessis, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul are leading the charts, the same can’t be said about bowling as players like Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, and Rahul Chahar have surprised everyone by being among the leading wicket-takers.
Even the points table has thrown a few surprises thus far with CSK and DC as the top 2. However, the table will see a lot of changes as there are still a lot of games left. Hence, let’s predict
<h2>Team positions at the end of league stage in IPL 2021</h2>
<h3>8. Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
<figure id="attachment_505251" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-505251" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-505251" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505251" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
KKR is historically amongst the most successful IPL franchises as they have won the title on two occasions and qualified for the playoffs on four other occasions. However, they haven’t looked as good in the last couple of seasons having failed to finish in the top 4, and with the way their current season is going, it would be a surprise if they sneak into the playoff spots.
Most of their batsmen have been woefully out of form throughout the season with only Rahul Tripathi showing a little bit of consistency. Rising star, Shubman Gill has failed to get going and even Nitish Rana has lost form after a bright start to the campaign. Eoin Morgan has also struggled while Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik have done decently in the chances they have got.
Only <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-twitter-reacts-after-varun-chakravarthy-and-sandeep-warriers-covid-positive-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Varun Chakravarthy </a>has shown some sort of consistency with the ball while the others including star bowler, Pat Cummins have failed to deliver. Their Indian pacers have shown a promise, but they are far from finished products and their inconsistency is proof of this. With a largely misfiring batting unit and an inconsistent bowling attack, there is a good chance that they could finish bottom of the table.

<h3>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
<figure id="attachment_505552" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-505552" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-505552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505552" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Sunrisers Hyderabad have finished in the top four for five consecutive seasons, but if they don’t sort out their team this campaign, that streak is under major threat. Like every season, Indian batting has been the biggest issue and frequent middle order collapses have cost them games they should have won comfortably.
Bairstow and Williamson have been in excellent form while even David Warner has contributed in a few of the games, but the other batsmen have struggled to support them. They have tried 7 different Indian batsmen in addition to Nabi and Holder in the middle order, but no one has successfully been able to solve their issues.
Their bowling attack has been good apart from the first game against KKR and they have managed to restrict the opposition to chasable scores in all the other games. They made a comeback last season as well after a poor start, but for that to happen this season, their middle-order will have to find form and stop collapsing on a regular basis as that’s the only thing stopping them at this moment.
In the latest turn of events, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/why-it-was-an-extremely-poor-decision-by-srh-to-remove-david-warner-as-the-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner </a>was sacked by the SRH management as a skipper and Kane Williamson was given the new responsibility. However, things didn’t change for them even then as they succumbed to a poor loss against the Royals in their latest fixture.

<h3>6. Punjab Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511737" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511737" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-511737" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Punjab-Kings-Team.jpg" alt="Punjab Kings Team" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511737" class="wp-caption-text">Punjab Kings Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab Kings would have been one of the more satisfied teams after the auction given the talent they filled their squad with, but that talent is yet to produce results on the field. They have once again been over-dependent on KL Rahul with the others failing to deliver on a regular basis.
This can be evident by the fact that in the three games where he scored less than 20, PBKS couldn’t even cross 130 while in the other three games in which he scored half-centuries, they batted well and won two of them. This will have to change if they are to keep their hopes of a playoff spot alive and players like Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, and Nicholas Pooran have to shoulder more responsibility.
While Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi have been impressive thus far the others including their big buys in the form of Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith have failed. Now, the biggest problem that has come in for PBKS is the sudden health issue of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kl-rahul-admitted-to-hospital-after-complaining-of-a-severe-abdomen-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul. </a>He has been hospitalized and will have to undergo surgery to get rid of appendicitis. It will be a thing to see when Rahul would be able to make his comeback and how Punjab men will manage the team in his absence.

<h3>5. Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512404" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512404" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-512404" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512404" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
After the end of the auction, Rajasthan Royals looked like one of the teams to beat given the strength of their squad, but injuries and other issues have been a massive issue for them. Ben Stokes injured himself in the first game of the season while even Jofra Archer was ruled out due to injury. Liam Livingstone and Andrew Tye have also left the squad citing personal reasons. With just four overseas players in the squad, it is obviously going to be difficult for them and one can’t help but feel a bit sorry for them.
They are reportedly looking to loan a few players from other teams, but whether those deals go through in time to save their season remains to be seen. Coming to their performances on the field, their batting has failed to fire as a unit. The likes of Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and David Miller have been inconsistent while their most important player, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-jos-buttlers-whirlwind-124-crush-sunrisers-hyderabad-to-sixth-defeat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jos Buttler </a>has fired once while smashing a century.
Their bowlers have been decent thus far and if not for poor execution at specific stages of the game, they have performed decently. The likes of Chris Morris, Chetan Sakariya, and Jaydev Unadkat have done well as a group. They will have to sort some of their issues for now but their latest performance against SRH spoke a lot about them. Jos Buttler appeared in the form of his life, even Samson supported him and they posted the season’s highest total on the board. If they maintain this rhythm for coming up events, they will be in a better position soo.

<h3>4. Mumbai Indians</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512184" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512184" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-512184" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-Team-.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians Team" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512184" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Mumbai Indians were absolutely unstoppable last season as they won their 5th title and it looked as if they had no weakness that could be exploited. With a very similar squad to last year, many expected them to dominate the league this season as well, but that hasn’t been the case and other teams have shown that even they can be defeated.
Their middle-order was suffering from a rough patch until their last match against CSK where they flaunted great form. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-stephen-fleming-reveals-why-ms-dhoni-had-a-spread-out-field-against-kieron-pollard-on-the-final-ball/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kieron Pollard</a> appeared in the form of his life as he played a fiery knock to chase down 218 runs and he was supported well by Krunal Pandya. Even Hardik Pandya added in his small contribution to get the team going.
Their bowling attack has been quite good and pretty much everyone has contributed in a positive manner. Rahul Chahar has been the best one while the others have also chipped in with wickets. Overall, their team isn’t much better than those below them at present but their winning mentality and sheer quality compared to the others might push them to the 4th slot now and better rankings in the future.

<h3>3. Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_510486" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-510486" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-9.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Not many expected <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kkr-vs-rcb-encounter-postponed-with-covid-19-concerns-in-kolkata-camp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RCB </a>to be among the best teams in the league after the completion of more than 20 games, but they have proven everyone wrong with a terrific start to the campaign. Their team is looking quite good at the moment and everything is working brilliantly for them.
Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers have been sensational with the bat and even Devdutt Padikkal has found form in recent games. Once Virat Kohli finds his best form, it could be an absolute nightmare for opposition bowlers with these four in the same lineup.
Their bowling attack has always been their major weakness with Yuzvendra Chahal being the only good performer, but it’s been the complete opposite this time around as the others have played well while he’s been out of form. Harshal Patel has been outstanding with the ball and has been picking up wickets for fun while also solving their death bowling issues. Kyle Jamieson and Mohammed Siraj have also been picking up important wickets and all in all, their team looks well balanced and this is their best chance of winning their first trophy.

<h3>2. Delhi Capitals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512535" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512535" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-512535" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512535" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals have continued their form from last season and look set for another top 4 finish unless something drastic takes place. Despite losing Shreyas Iyer due to injury, the team has remained largely unaffected as they have continued to produce results and currently placed at the top of the points table.
Shikhar Dhawan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-prithvi-shaw-scares-rishabh-pant-with-a-wayward-throw-in-the-match-between-dc-and-pbks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prithvi Shaw,</a> and Rishabh Pant have been in good form with the bat with Dhawan being the highest runscorer as well. Even Shimron Hetmyer has found form and they have even excellent backups in the form of Sam Billings and Ajinkya Rahane, which will keep the others on their toes at all times.
Kagiso Rabada was a bit out of form but he got crucial wickets in the last outing against PBKS and the likes of Avesh Khan, Amit Mishra, and Axar Patel have been in good form. They even have Chris Woakes and Anrich Nortje on the bench in case they need some different setup, and with such talent in their squad, it isn’t a surprise that they are among the favorites to win the title.

<h3>1. Chennai Super Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_506515" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-506515" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-506515" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-506515" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Like RCB, no one expected CSK to be playing so well after they finished 7th last season. They went into the new season with a squad very similar to the one in 2020 and thus, it’s surprising that they are able to dominate the league the way they are at present.
Their top 3 of Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Moeen Ali have been in good form while even Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja have chipped in with some excellent knocks. Lack of intent was a major issue for them last season, but they seem to have rectified it this season and have delivered some excellent performances with the bat.
With the ball, there hasn’t been any particular standout but everyone has done their bit to ensure <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-3-non-playing-members-of-csk-contingent-including-bowling-coach-lakshmipathy-balaji-test-positive-for-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CSK</a> are in the second position of the table. Deepak Chahar is their top wicket-taker with 8 wickets. CSK are just a couple of wins away from the playoffs already and with the team doing so well a fourth title seems very realistic.

The 14th edition of the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL </a>has lived up to the hype thus far and we have already seen it all from low-scoring thrillers to some excellent high-scoring games. There have also been some outstanding individual performances with two centuries and two five-wicket hauls already.
While in terms of run-scoring, obvious names like Faf du Plessis, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul are leading the charts, the same can’t be said about bowling as players like Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, and Rahul Chahar have surprised everyone by being among the leading wicket-takers.
Even the points table has thrown a few surprises thus far with CSK and DC as the top 2. However, the table will see a lot of changes as there are still a lot of games left. Hence, let&#8217;s predict
<h2>Team positions at the end of league stage in IPL 2021</h2>
<h3>8. Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
<figure id="attachment_505251" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-505251" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505251" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505251" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
KKR is historically amongst the most successful IPL franchises as they have won the title on two occasions and qualified for the playoffs on four other occasions. However, they haven’t looked as good in the last couple of seasons having failed to finish in the top 4, and with the way their current season is going, it would be a surprise if they sneak into the playoff spots.
Most of their batsmen have been woefully out of form throughout the season with only Rahul Tripathi showing a little bit of consistency. Rising star, Shubman Gill has failed to get going and even Nitish Rana has lost form after a bright start to the campaign. Eoin Morgan has also struggled while Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik have done decently in the chances they have got.
Only <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-twitter-reacts-after-varun-chakravarthy-and-sandeep-warriers-covid-positive-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Varun Chakravarthy </a>has shown some sort of consistency with the ball while the others including star bowler, Pat Cummins have failed to deliver. Their Indian pacers have shown a promise, but they are far from finished products and their inconsistency is proof of this. With a largely misfiring batting unit and an inconsistent bowling attack, there is a good chance that they could finish bottom of the table.

<h3>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
<figure id="attachment_505552" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-505552" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad.jpg" alt="Sunrisers Hyderabad" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505552" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Sunrisers Hyderabad have finished in the top four for five consecutive seasons, but if they don’t sort out their team this campaign, that streak is under major threat. Like every season, Indian batting has been the biggest issue and frequent middle order collapses have cost them games they should have won comfortably.
Bairstow and Williamson have been in excellent form while even David Warner has contributed in a few of the games, but the other batsmen have struggled to support them. They have tried 7 different Indian batsmen in addition to Nabi and Holder in the middle order, but no one has successfully been able to solve their issues.
Their bowling attack has been good apart from the first game against KKR and they have managed to restrict the opposition to chasable scores in all the other games. They made a comeback last season as well after a poor start, but for that to happen this season, their middle-order will have to find form and stop collapsing on a regular basis as that’s the only thing stopping them at this moment.
In the latest turn of events, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/why-it-was-an-extremely-poor-decision-by-srh-to-remove-david-warner-as-the-captain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner </a>was sacked by the SRH management as a skipper and Kane Williamson was given the new responsibility. However, things didn&#8217;t change for them even then as they succumbed to a poor loss against the Royals in their latest fixture.

<h3>6. Punjab Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_511737" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-511737" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511737" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Punjab-Kings-Team.jpg" alt="Punjab Kings Team" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511737" class="wp-caption-text">Punjab Kings Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Punjab Kings would have been one of the more satisfied teams after the auction given the talent they filled their squad with, but that talent is yet to produce results on the field. They have once again been over-dependent on KL Rahul with the others failing to deliver on a regular basis.
This can be evident by the fact that in the three games where he scored less than 20, PBKS couldn’t even cross 130 while in the other three games in which he scored half-centuries, they batted well and won two of them. This will have to change if they are to keep their hopes of a playoff spot alive and players like Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, and Nicholas Pooran have to shoulder more responsibility.
While Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi have been impressive thus far the others including their big buys in the form of Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith have failed. Now, the biggest problem that has come in for PBKS is the sudden health issue of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kl-rahul-admitted-to-hospital-after-complaining-of-a-severe-abdomen-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul. </a>He has been hospitalized and will have to undergo surgery to get rid of appendicitis. It will be a thing to see when Rahul would be able to make his comeback and how Punjab men will manage the team in his absence.

<h3>5. Rajasthan Royals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512404" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512404" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512404" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rajasthan-Royals.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512404" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
After the end of the auction, Rajasthan Royals looked like one of the teams to beat given the strength of their squad, but injuries and other issues have been a massive issue for them. Ben Stokes injured himself in the first game of the season while even Jofra Archer was ruled out due to injury. Liam Livingstone and Andrew Tye have also left the squad citing personal reasons. With just four overseas players in the squad, it is obviously going to be difficult for them and one can’t help but feel a bit sorry for them.
They are reportedly looking to loan a few players from other teams, but whether those deals go through in time to save their season remains to be seen. Coming to their performances on the field, their batting has failed to fire as a unit. The likes of Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and David Miller have been inconsistent while their most important player, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-jos-buttlers-whirlwind-124-crush-sunrisers-hyderabad-to-sixth-defeat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jos Buttler </a>has fired once while smashing a century.
Their bowlers have been decent thus far and if not for poor execution at specific stages of the game, they have performed decently. The likes of Chris Morris, Chetan Sakariya, and Jaydev Unadkat have done well as a group. They will have to sort some of their issues for now but their latest performance against SRH spoke a lot about them. Jos Buttler appeared in the form of his life, even Samson supported him and they posted the season&#8217;s highest total on the board. If they maintain this rhythm for coming up events, they will be in a better position soo.

<h3>4. Mumbai Indians</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512184" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512184" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512184" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-Team-.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians Team" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512184" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians Team. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Mumbai Indians were absolutely unstoppable last season as they won their 5th title and it looked as if they had no weakness that could be exploited. With a very similar squad to last year, many expected them to dominate the league this season as well, but that hasn’t been the case and other teams have shown that even they can be defeated.
Their middle-order was suffering from a rough patch until their last match against CSK where they flaunted great form. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-stephen-fleming-reveals-why-ms-dhoni-had-a-spread-out-field-against-kieron-pollard-on-the-final-ball/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kieron Pollard</a> appeared in the form of his life as he played a fiery knock to chase down 218 runs and he was supported well by Krunal Pandya. Even Hardik Pandya added in his small contribution to get the team going.
Their bowling attack has been quite good and pretty much everyone has contributed in a positive manner. Rahul Chahar has been the best one while the others have also chipped in with wickets. Overall, their team isn’t much better than those below them at present but their winning mentality and sheer quality compared to the others might push them to the 4th slot now and better rankings in the future.

<h3>3. Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_510486" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-510486" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-510486" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-9.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-510486" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Not many expected <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-kkr-vs-rcb-encounter-postponed-with-covid-19-concerns-in-kolkata-camp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RCB </a>to be among the best teams in the league after the completion of more than 20 games, but they have proven everyone wrong with a terrific start to the campaign. Their team is looking quite good at the moment and everything is working brilliantly for them.
Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers have been sensational with the bat and even Devdutt Padikkal has found form in recent games. Once Virat Kohli finds his best form, it could be an absolute nightmare for opposition bowlers with these four in the same lineup.
Their bowling attack has always been their major weakness with Yuzvendra Chahal being the only good performer, but it’s been the complete opposite this time around as the others have played well while he’s been out of form. Harshal Patel has been outstanding with the ball and has been picking up wickets for fun while also solving their death bowling issues. Kyle Jamieson and Mohammed Siraj have also been picking up important wickets and all in all, their team looks well balanced and this is their best chance of winning their first trophy.

<h3>2. Delhi Capitals</h3>
<figure id="attachment_512535" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-512535" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-512535" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Capitals.jpg" alt="Delhi Capitals" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-512535" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Capitals. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Delhi Capitals have continued their form from last season and look set for another top 4 finish unless something drastic takes place. Despite losing Shreyas Iyer due to injury, the team has remained largely unaffected as they have continued to produce results and currently placed at the top of the points table.
Shikhar Dhawan, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-prithvi-shaw-scares-rishabh-pant-with-a-wayward-throw-in-the-match-between-dc-and-pbks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prithvi Shaw,</a> and Rishabh Pant have been in good form with the bat with Dhawan being the highest runscorer as well. Even Shimron Hetmyer has found form and they have even excellent backups in the form of Sam Billings and Ajinkya Rahane, which will keep the others on their toes at all times.
Kagiso Rabada was a bit out of form but he got crucial wickets in the last outing against PBKS and the likes of Avesh Khan, Amit Mishra, and Axar Patel have been in good form. They even have Chris Woakes and Anrich Nortje on the bench in case they need some different setup, and with such talent in their squad, it isn’t a surprise that they are among the favorites to win the title.

<h3>1. Chennai Super Kings</h3>
<figure id="attachment_506515" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-506515" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-506515" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chennai-Super-Kings-1.jpg" alt="Chennai Super Kings" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-506515" class="wp-caption-text">Chennai Super Kings. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Like RCB, no one expected CSK to be playing so well after they finished 7th last season. They went into the new season with a squad very similar to the one in 2020 and thus, it’s surprising that they are able to dominate the league the way they are at present.
Their top 3 of Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Moeen Ali have been in good form while even Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja have chipped in with some excellent knocks. Lack of intent was a major issue for them last season, but they seem to have rectified it this season and have delivered some excellent performances with the bat.
With the ball, there hasn’t been any particular standout but everyone has done their bit to ensure <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2021-3-non-playing-members-of-csk-contingent-including-bowling-coach-lakshmipathy-balaji-test-positive-for-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CSK</a> are in the second position of the table. Deepak Chahar is their top wicket-taker with 8 wickets. CSK are just a couple of wins away from the playoffs already and with the team doing so well a fourth title seems very realistic.

IPL 2021 has already completed half journey of the league stage.

IPL 2021: Predicting team positions at the end of the league stage

With half of the league stage already completed in IPL 2021, some analysis can be done about team's position before the playoffs.