IPL 2019: Predicting the starting XI of each team

5. Royal Challengers Bangalore

Virat Kohli

Predicted starting XI: Virat Kohli (captain), Parthiv Patel (wk), AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Shivam Dube, Colin de Grandhomme, Washington Sundar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal

RCB managed to get Shimron Hetmyer and Shivam Dube at a combined cost of INR 9.2 Crore. This pair, they hope, will be the answer to their middle order woes this season as they look quite settled at the top.

With Coulter-Nile coming back, their bowling attack looks better than last season as the bowlers look to bear the burden of the Chinnaswamy once more. Overall, RCB look a good unit and this year just might be their year.

Rating: 8.5/10

6. Sunrisers Hyderabad

Predicted starting XI: David Warner, W Saha (wk), Kane Williamson (captain), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed

Their top order looks the same as last season, barring the return of David Warner at the top of the order who along with Jonny Bairstow will leave halfway for World Cup preparations.

Their bowling unit also looks settled and the same as last season barring Khaleel Ahmed, who has had quite year in the blue jersey. Overall, a settled unit with a brilliant balance to their side.

Rating: 9/10

7. Kings XI Punjab

Predicted starting XI: KL Rahul (wk), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Sam Curran, R Ashwin (captain), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Andrew Tye, Ankit Rajpoot

KXIP look good at the top but they really needed to address their middle order where they were short last term. With buys of Mandeep, Sarfaraz, Moises Henriques, they did strengthen their middle order somewhat.

Their bowling department was good last year and will look to repeat that this year. KXIP seem to have a better balance about them this time.

Rating: 7.5/10

8. Mumbai Indians

Predicted Starting XI: Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Ben Cutting, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Jason Behrendroff, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande

Mumbai Indians have many options in the opening department with the likes of Rohit, Lewis, De Kock and Kishan. They bat quite deep and have firepower with Cutting and the Pandya brothers. They also have good backups in Anmolpreet Singh and Sran.

Yuvraj Singh and Malinga might find it difficult to make it into the starting XI. Their bowling department looks solid with Bumrah leading the way and last year's surprise Markande adding his spin wizardry.

All in all, MI look a balanced unit and will be gunning for their 4th IPL Title.

Rating: 8.5/10