The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League begins March 28 in Bengaluru, with 84 matches running through May 31. Here are the five storylines that matter.
1. The Mega Auction Reshaped Every Squad
The December 2025 mega auction in Abu Dhabi reshuffled every roster. Rs 125 crore purse per franchise. Cameron Green became the priciest overseas buy at Rs 25.20 crore (KKR). CSK made the window’s biggest trade — Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals for Sanju Samson. Uncapped players Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma went to CSK for Rs 14.20 crore each — a record for uncapped talent. The upshot: no squad looks like last year’s.
2. RCB Defend Their First-Ever Title
Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter as defending champions after ending an 18-year drought in June 2025, beating Punjab Kings by six runs in the final. Captain Rajat Patidar — only the fourth skipper to win the IPL in his debut captaincy season — leads the title defense from the tournament’s opening venue: home ground Bengaluru.
3. The Fantasy Gaming Ban Changes the Money
The PROG Act (August 2025) wiped fantasy gaming platforms off Indian sports overnight. That’s nearly 40% of IPL broadcast ad revenue — gone. Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma lost lucrative gaming endorsements. Franchises are scrambling to fill the gap — and ad rates during IPL 2026 will be the first real test of whether they can.
4. 84 Matches — The Format Expands
IPL 2026 moves to 84 league-stage matches, up from 74. That’s a partial return to the double round-robin format last used in 2021. The BCCI wants 94 matches from 2028. More matches mean heavier player workload, more squad rotation — and a longer window for dark horses to break through.
5. Impact Player Stays — Despite the Pushback
The Impact Player rule continues through the 2025-27 cycle despite vocal criticism from players like Rohit Sharma, who argues it stunts all-rounder development. Several of the highest IPL totals in history have come since the rule’s 2023 introduction. The BCCI sees entertainment value; purists see a weakened format.
IPL 2026 starts March 28. With reshuffled squads, a defending champion with something to prove, and a hole where fantasy gaming money used to be — this season’s subtext is as interesting as the cricket. Broadcast on JioHotstar (streaming) and Star Sports (TV).
Sources: ESPNcricinfo, IPLT20.com, Wikipedia