'Currently seem to be on the weaker side' - Wasim Jaffer predicts three teams to struggle in IPL 2026

Published - 03 Apr 2026, 19:10 IST | Updated - 03 Apr 2026, 19:11 IST

Former India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Wasim Jaffer named three teams which could have dismal campaigns in IPL 2026. Each team has played at least one game in the ongoing season, with Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, and Mumbai Indians occupying the top-four positions on the points table.

Jaffer started with the Chennai Super Kings, who started their IPL 2026 campaign with a lopsided defeat against the Rajasthan Royals. The cricketer-turned-expert stated that if Dewald Brevis doesn't regain fitness quickly and the opening pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson can't find form, the Men in Yellow could have another tough campaign this year.

“I feel that CSK’s team could struggle if two or three of their key players don’t perform. It also depends on how quickly Brevis regains fitness. Ruturaj and Sanju Samson are very crucial players, and if they don’t score runs, their bowling also looks slightly on the weaker side. So CSK, in my view, could find themselves in the lower half of the table," Jaffer said during a discussion on his YouTube channel.

The next team that hasn't hit the ground running is three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders. They suffered back-to-back defeats, and Jaffer opined that the lack of X-factor players could hurt them in IPL 2026.

“The same applies to KKR as well. They don’t have enough X-factor players, which can be a concern. They have already lost their home game and also lost to Mumbai, so two defeats create a different kind of pressure in this league. When that happens, you start falling behind in the race, and KKR could feel that pressure.”

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In the end, Jaffer mentioned the name of the Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow Super Giants. They have played only one game, but it was on their home ground against the Delhi Capitals. The hosts lost by six wickets in a low-scoring affair. Jaffer said that the batting order needs to be changed, and the spin attack doesn't look threatening. He also feels that Lucknow missed a trick by bringing all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed as the Impact Player instead of one of the finds of last season, Digvesh Rathi.

“As for LSG, they have their own issues. It’s unclear what exactly is going on with them. Despite having a strong support staff and big players, things don’t seem to be working. From what we saw in the first match, their decisions, especially the batting order, didn’t look right. Their spin department also appears quite weak. They couldn’t include Digvesh Rathi and instead went with Shahbaz Ahmed. However, it’s still early in the tournament. If a team gains momentum, it can carry them forward. They will be hoping for that. But yes, these three teams currently seem to be on the weaker side.”