Summary of this article
The IPL 2026 will stick to a 74‑match format this season, with expansion to 84 games delayed
Mumbai Indians face a captaincy dilemma, with Hardik Pandya under pressure; Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav other options
RCB playing in Raipur, PBKS splitting between Chandigarh and Dharamsala, and RR moving part of their campaign to Guwahati
The new Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season is set to start on Saturday, March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Cricket fever is high in India, following the country’s win in the T20 World Cup less than three weeks ago. This season will see several regulatory changes, as well as a proposed expansion of the league, not to mention RCB’s much-discussed return to the Chinnaswamy and the state elections impacting the schedule.
Ahead of the season opener, let’s take a look at the five biggest talking points dominating discourse before the IPL 2026.
What Happened to IPL Expansion?
There were widespread rumours of the Indian Premier League being expanded to 84 matches from the current 74-match schedule. In fact, the BCCI’s current media rights cycle laid the groundwork for an 84-match season this year, with IPL chairman Arun Dhumal also confirming that an expansion was on the cards.
However, nothing of the sort materialised, with the second-phase schedule confirming that IPL 2026 is sticking with the 74-game format. It is likely that the BCCI did not get permission from the ICC to go beyond the 65-day format currently followed by the IPL.
As a result of the crowded international calendar, as well as the upcoming state elections in India, there has been a pause in the expansion plans, meaning that the 10 teams will not play each other twice this year.
MI’s Captaincy Dilemma
Another interesting feature of IPL 2026 is that, for the first time in the league’s 19-year history, all 10 teams will have an Indian captain at the helm. One of those is Hardik Pandya, who will continue to lead the Mumbai Indians.
However, Pandya is also the skipper going into the new season under the harshest, most unforgiving spotlight. When MI sealed his return from the Gujarat Titans (GT), it was to ensure the franchise’s long-term success. Instead, Pandya has overseen two trophyless years, reaching only as far as the second qualifier.
This is a team that already features Rohit Sharma – the joint most successful captain in the IPL’s history – and India’s T20 World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav. There have already been talks about MI changing their captain, but that hasn’t happened yet. Another year without at least a place in the final might just be one chance too many for Pandya.
Second Homes Now the Norm
In the early days of the IPL, secondary venues or ‘second homes’ were largely backup options that were forced upon the franchises due to administrative obligations or other reasons. However, they have slowly been turned into a strategic tool for teams, and that has never been more evident than this year.
This year, three teams are utilising second home grounds. This includes RCB, who have chosen Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium as their alternative venue, swapping their Chinnaswamy comfort for an unfamiliar, high-scoring venue.
Similarly, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have continued to divide their time between New Chandigarh and Dharamsala, playing four and three games there, respectively. Rajasthan Royals (RR) will play four matches at their usual home ground, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. They will play the rest in Guwahati, the home city of captain Riyan Parag.
10th-Over Ball Change To Neutralise Dew Effect?
One of the most important rule changes in the IPL, formulated last year, was the introduction of a 10th-over ball change. Under this regulation, only the bowling side can request a ball change after the 10th over of the second innings. If the umpire approves the request, then a ball showing similar wear and tear will be brought on.
This will be a massive boost to the side batting first, especially in the night games. With the ‘dew factor’ leading to chasing sides winning the lion’s share of IPL matches hosted in the evening, games have often turned into a glorified coin toss.
With the bowling side now able to ask for a change in the ball, the defending side’s captain can now restructure his bowling attack around the crucial 10-over mark. After that, the wrist spinners and death-bowling specialists can be brought on to greater effectiveness.
The Great Jadeja-Samson Trade Gamble
The IPL 2025 mega auction already saw several financial records being broken, while the auctions held in 2026 also saw some big purchases, like the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) buying Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for INR 25.20 crore.
However, the one deal that sent some tremors among cricket fans came during the pre-season trade window. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) struck a deal with RR, which saw Sanju Samson come to the Yellow Army, with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja going the other way.
The transfer of two franchise veterans shattered any kind of legacy sentimentality. It is also a massive gamble on CSK’s part, who have swapped a dependable option in Jadeja for an unpredictable Samson. The batter had a poor campaign last season, scoring only 285 runs in nine games.
Jadeja, meanwhile, scored 301 runs in 14 innings while also taking 10 wickets. While he is 37 years old now, Jadeja will be critical for RR’s campaign, and his move may be one that CSK come to regret later.
