The IPL 2026 has finally concluded with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) winning the tournament for the second time in a row, as they became the first team apart from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) to win back-to-back titles. The season was defined by record-shattering powerplays, resurgent veterans, and the arrival of a generational teenage talent.
Here is our picks for the Team of the Tournament:
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals)
The 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi did not just break records, he shattered the fundamental model of how the powerplay is approached, comfortably claiming the Orange Cap with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30. He surpassed Chris Gayle’s long-standing record of hitting the most sixes in a single IPL season, by smashing 72 sixes. He also recorded the fastest century of the season in just 36 balls.
Sai Sudharsan (Gujarat Titans)
While Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided the fireworks, Sai Sudharsan offered stability. The Gujarat Titans’ opener finished right behind Sooryavanshi in the run charts, slamming 722 runs. He powered GT all the way to final. His consistency, marked by a tournament-high 8 half-centuries and an anchoring hundred, made him the ideal, contrasting partner for a hyper-aggressive opener.
Ishan Kishan (wk) (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Ishan Kishan was sensational for Sunrisers Hyderabad as they finished fourth in the IPL. Striking at 182.42, he scored 602 runs in IPL 2026. He consistently took the game away from opposition attacks in the middle overs. Beyond the raw numbers, he stepped up to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first half of the season during Pat Cummins’ absence.
Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Heinrich Klaasen slammed 624 runs for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as he emerged as their highest run-scorer. This was a record season, as this is the most number of runs that a batter has hit in a single IPL season coming at no.4 or below. Besides Kishan, he made the SRH middle-order an absolute nightmare to bowl to.
Rajat Patidar (c) (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
Rajat Patidar takes the captaincy armband in this XI, having become the fourth captain after MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir to lift multiple IPL trophies. With the bat too, he was crucial in the middle order for RCB, slamming 486 runs with five fifties. His batting was highlighted by his jaw-dropping 93 not out off just 33 balls (including 9 sixes) against GT in Qualifier 1.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
In a season where Hardik Pandya failed, Nitish Kumar Reddy emerged as the pace bowling all-rounder India so desperately needed. He slammed 302 runs with the bat, fundamentally changed the complexion of matches in the back 10 overs, boasting an elite strike rate of 171.59. What truly elevated his season was his reliability with the ball—claiming 11 crucial wickets in the transitional phases.
Krunal Pandya (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
Krunal Pandya’s impact as an all-rounder is beyond his stats. His suffocating left-arm spin dried up boundaries in the middle overs, capturing 9 wickets with a stellar economy rate of 7.45. More importantly, his bat did the talking too in crucial encounters, as he scored 212 runs. His crucial 43-run blitz in Qualifier 1 alongside Patidar showcased his enduring value as a lower-order enforcer who thrives in high-stakes games.
Jason Holder (Gujarat Titans)
On making it to the Gujarat Titans playing XI from the middle of the season, Jason Holder fundamentally transformed their campaign. Taking 17 wickets with an incredibly stingy economy rate of 7.54, his steep bounce and subtle variations at the death solved a critical headache for GT on their road to the final.
Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Sunil Narine remains a statistical anomaly, even after playing 15 seasons of the IPL. He took 15 wickets at an economy of 6.65, and was the hero in Kolkata Knight Riders’ second-half tournament resurgence, where they remained in contention for a playoff spot till the last day of the league stage, despite remaining winless in their first six games.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar spearheaded the RCB bowling attack as they won the tournament for the second straight time. Finishing second in the Purple Cap race with 28 wickets, his ability to hoop the new ball and execute inch-perfect yorkers at the death provided rare, essential control in high-scoring venues.
Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans)
Leading the GT attack to the finals, Kagiso Rabad was the ultimate strike weapon as the Titans formed the best bowling attack of the IPL 2026. He took a massive 29 wickets in this season, as he won the Purple Cap award for picking the most number of wickets in the tournament.
