Indian Premier League 2023 season predictions and cricket betting tips: Royals can claim IPL crown

When does the 2023 IPL season start?

Friday, March 31

Where to watch the 2023 IPL season

All 74 IPL matches are live on Sky Sports

Gujarat Titans v Chennai Super Kings
Sky Sports Cricket, 3pm Friday

Best bets for the 2023 IPL season

Rajasthan Royals
2pts 7-1 bet365, BoyleSports, Hills

Sunrisers Hyderabad
1pt each-way 12-1 Hills

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IPL 2023 season predictions

Gujarat Titans begin the defence of their Indian Premier League title against Chennai Super Kings on Friday but Rajasthan Royals, beaten by the Titans in last year's final, could go one better in 2023.

Gujarat were one of two new franchises, along with Lucknow Super Giants, who joined the IPL in 2022 and they enjoyed a magnificent debut season, topping the regular-season table with ten wins out of 14 before a seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan in the final.

Captain Hardik Pandya leads a well-balanced side including India batsman Shubman Gill, ace Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan and hard-hitting South Africa finisher David Miller but Gujarat look short enough given the volatility of the Twenty20 format.

The two most successful teams in the IPL's history - Mumbai Indians and Chennai - finished bottom of the pile last term, both losing ten of their 14 league fixtures, but Rajasthan's blend of talent and experience should help them shake off their 2022 disappointment.

Captain Sanju Samson is an explosive batsman who has a wealth of tactical nous to draw on with coach Kumar Sangakkara and current or former international captains Jos Buttler, Joe Root and Jason Holder in the Rajasthan set-up.

Buttler, led England to T20 World Cup glory last year, was the leading runscorer in the 2022 IPL, racking up four centuries, and there should be more to come from Indian batsmen Devdutt Padikkal, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, all aged 22 or younger.

An injury to fast bowler Prasidh Krishna is a blow but Holder, Trent Boult, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa provide world-class bowling options for Samson and the Royals are a tempting bet at 7-1.

Mumbai have fast bowler Jofra Archer back fit but Jasprit Bumrah is out for the season and their star-studded top order may be undermined by a lack of depth in the bowling department.

Chennai, led by 41-year-old MS Dhoni, are banking on Ben Stokes recapturing the form that saw him named player of the tournament at the 2017 IPL although a knee problem is likely to restrict his bowling. Sam Curran, another star of England's T20 World Cup victory, has been snapped up by Punjab Kings, who have not qualified for the playoffs since finishing as runners-up in 2014.

Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders are missing injured captains Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer – Pant was involved in a serious car crash in December – while Lucknow and Royal Challengers Bangalore will be hoping to kick on after defeats in last season's playoffs.

Bangalore's squad, as ever, is loaded with big-name players as they aim to break their IPL duck at the 16th attempt but Sunrisers Hyderabad, outsiders of the ten franchises, could exceed expectations.

The Sunrisers start a new era under coach Brian Lara and captain Aiden Markram and their strong Indian core is a major positive as only four overseas players are permitted in the playing 11. 

Fast bowler Umran Malik caused havoc in last season's IPL and Hyderabad's signings include two of the most exciting youngsters in world cricket - England's Harry Brook and South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen.

Substitutions are being introduced in this season's IPL so teams are permitted to bring in an Impact Player, one of the four substitutes named at the toss, during matches. The sub must be an Indian if four overseas players are already in the team. Most bookmakers will settle top runscorer and wicket-taker bets based on the starting 11s, voiding any bets on Impact Players, but bets will stand with Coral and Ladbrokes on Impact Players who bat or bowl.

Indian Premier League team guide

Captains/Key players are from India unless stated

Chennai Super Kings

Coach Stephen Fleming
Captain MS Dhoni
Key players Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali (both England), Ravindra Jadeja, Devon Conway (NZ), Deepak Chahar

Delhi Capitals

Coach Ricky Ponting
Captain David Warner (Australia)
Key players Rovman Powell (WI), Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Anrich Nortje (SA), Axar Patel

Gujarat Titans

Coach Ashish Nehra
Captain Hardik Pandya
Key players Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Mohammed Shami, Shubman Gill, David Miller (SA), Kane Williamson (NZ)

Kolkata Knight Riders

Coach Chandrakant Pandit
Captain Nitish Rana
Key players Sunil Narine, Andre Russell (both WI), Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson (NZ)

Lucknow Super Giants

Coach Andy Flower
Captain KL Rahul
Key players Quinton de Kock (SA), Nicholas Pooran (WI), Marcus Stoinis (Australia), Mark Wood (England), Avesh Khan

Mumbai Indians

Coach Mark Boucher
Captain Rohit Sharma
Key players Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Cameron Green, Tim David (both Australia), Jofra Archer

Punjab Kings

Coach Trevor Bayliss
Captain Shikhar Dhawan
Key players Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone (both England), Kagiso Rabada (SA), Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar

Rajasthan Royals

Coach Kumar Sangakkara
Captain Sanju Samson
Key players Jos Buttler (England), Jason Holder (WI), Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult (NZ)

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Coach Sanjay Bangar
Captain Faf du Plessis (SA)
Key players Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell (Australia), Mohammed Siraj, Wanindu Hasaranga (SL), Harshal Patel

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Coach Brian Lara
Captain Aiden Markram (SA)
Key players Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Umran Malik, Adil Rashid, Harry Brook (both England)

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