COVID-19 is still here, but so is the Cricket fever. The latest edition of the Indian Premier League, (IPL 2021) starts April 9th, with the finale scheduled for May 30th. Mumbai Indians are defending champions and already have 5 chips. They enter this season as favorites yet again, but should face a stiff challenge from Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Let’s examine this year’s cricket betting field and the IPL 2021 betting odds. Furthermore, we will give our analysis of the IPL 2021 season preview and coverage of each of the 8 teams.
So, who are you going to bet on this time around? Let’s find out!
Top IPL 2021 Betting Sites
IPL 2021 Favourites – Mumbai Indians (MI)
Let’s start with the defending champions, led by batting ace Rohit Sharma. Mumbai Indians’ owners have the deepest pockets and you can see that instantly by inspecting their starting-11. You have Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Quinton de Kock. Moreover, Mumbai recently added spinner Piyush Chawla this year, to upgrade their bowling attack.
Online betting sites have MI as the clear favourites. So, who can stop the Mumbai Indians this year? Probably injuries. But it looks like MI can repeat last season’s success thanks to amazing depth in their squad. No drastic team changes have been made and they have a core of veteran players who have played together for years. IPL teams will have to score more than 160 runs in a game to stand a chance against Mumbai.
Prediction: Mumbai are clear favourites to lift the trophy again and so their betting odds are really low. We recommend betting on some of their players to be the top scorers of the team.
Betting Tip: Top Batsman for MI, Rohit Sharma (3.25) or Quintin de Kock (4.00)
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
The once-formidable team, captained by the aging legend M.S.Dhoni, pulled off a “yellow submarine act” last year. With Suresh Raina leaving Dubai under mysterious circumstances before the kickoff and other key players not connecting, this veteran team simply couldn’t make a decent impact in IPL 2020. But will this year be different? Possibly, but many things have to click.
Raina will be returning after last season’s strange disappearing act, but Steve Smith has retired. CSK has signed Cheteshwar Pujara to compensate for that big loss. Moreover, Robin Uthappa and Ravindra Jadeja will be expected to carry the load for the batting department. Spinners Moeen Ali and Krishnappa Gowtham have been added to the roster to help.
Prediction: Will this be a redemption year for this veteran team? Keep an eye on Dhoni and Raina. Their form is still key to this team’s success. If you want to place a bet on a surprise winner, then bet on CSK.
Betting Tip: IPL 2021 Winner, CSK to win it all (9.00) or CSK to reach the finals (4.00)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Virat Kohli is widely regarded as the best batsman in the game today. Kohli is also favorite to break Sachin Tendulkar’s “ton of tons” record. But strangely, he hasn’t really made his mark in IPL competition. Yes, he has the individual achievements and stats, but RCB has never won the tournament. Will this be the year that they finally capture the title?
RCB released no less than 10 players ahead of this season which included Aaron Finch and Dale Steyn. Kohli and AB de Villiers are still expected to spearhead the batting attack. But newcomers Dan Christian, Glenn Maxwell, and Kyle Jamieson come with high expectations. Yuzvendra Chahal will be the team’s leading spinner yet again.
Prediction: The eternal question – Can this raw talent gel? Kohli should be able to bang in the runs, but we doubt this revamped team can click consistently. Glenn Maxwell has the potential to smack some quick fire half centuries. If he’s in form, then he could be considered for some outsider top batsman bets which could yield some big winning odds.
Betting Tip: Virat Kohli as top tournament batsman (11.00)
IPL 2021 Hopefuls – Delhi Capitals (DC)
Steve Smith…no this isn’t an editing error. The eternal Rajasthan Royals captain is now a Delhi player. Smith, a dynamic Australian batsman, failed to inspire while wearing pink in recent years. But a change in scenery is probably what the doctor ordered. With less pressure upon his shoulders, Smith should be able to take the Delhi Capitals to the next level, which is winning the IPL 2021.
Last year’s finalists have retained the talented core that made them so successful in 2020. Shreyas Iyer, returning captain, will anchor the batting as always, but a recent injury has put his start to the season in doubt. Dynamic wicket keeper and batsman Rishab Pant is expected to continue doing his thing. Prithvi Shaw and Shikar Dhawan are expected to strike fear into opposing bowlers’ hearts yet again. Kagiso Rabada is still around too.
Prediction: If Iyer is fit for the beginning of the IPL 2021 season, then Delhi should have a good chance at reaching the finals.
Betting Tip: Shikar Dawan top IPL 2021 Batsman (13.00), DC to reach the finals (2.75)
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
The aforementioned Steve Smith helped RR finish strong in the second half of the IPL 2020 edition. But with the Aussie now in Delhi, the Royals look to be going into a rebuilding phase. Yes, they still have Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, and Sanju Samson, but how dangerous can they be on a consistent basis? Morris, who cost ₹16.25 crore, is expected to be the star of the team this year.
Besides Morris and Jofra Archer, the Rajasthan Royals don’t really have any dangerous bowlers that should be feared. Teams like Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and Royal Challengers Bangalore should be able to cross the 180-run mark with ease against this mediocre team from the North. Don’t expect the Rajasthan Royals to win more than 5 games this season.
Prediction: Looking for high scoring games. Tune in to the Rajasthan Royals. Teams should be able to feast upon this team’s poor bowling.
Betting Tip: Look to place over/under bets on Rajasthan Royals matches.
Punjab Kings (PK)
Kings XI Punjab – Out. Punjab Kings – In. But will this name change make any difference? We doubt it. The team has splashed the cash on bowlers this season and is taking a defensive route, which usually doesn’t work in the T20 format. Australians, Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, have been signed and will be expected to demolish on-demand. Will they succeed? Highly unlikely.
K.L.Rahul will be returning as team captain this year and is expected to perform well. But he won’t have much help. Shahrukh Khan and Mandeep Singh should get a chance to showcase their talents, but they don’t have the required experience to succeed instantly. It will be a long process. Chris Gayle is way past his prime and we don’t expect him to stay healthy all season.
Prediction: The Punjab Kings are a sure bet to finish in the bottom half of the table. The bowling may click here and there, but the batting simply isn’t there.
Betting Tip: KL Rahul as top IPL 2021 batsman (8.00)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
The Knight Riders have traditionally been a team that finishes the regular season in the top half of the table (wins in 2012 and 2014). But this season can prove to be a long one for the team from West Bengal. Eoin Morgan, England T20 captain, is expected to be the star of the season. Yet it doesn’t look like he really has enough help around him.
Andre Russell is dynamite and this isn’t going to change in IPL 2021. But what about the middle-order batting? Shubman Gill is going to be a top level batsman in the future, but can he perform under pressure at the tender age of 21? Former international, Dinesh Karthik used to be a bankable batsman in his prime, but is now 35 years old and not consistent like he was a decade ago.
Prediction: We don’t expect KKR to make the final-four this year. The team simply doesn’t have enough talent across the board.
Betting Tip: If you fancy a flutter on KKR finishing in the Top 4, then you can get them at odds of 2.20
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to Sunrisers Hyderabad. This team has no less than five playoff appearances in the last seven seasons. David Warner is a force to be reckoned with. He has amazing leadership skills and also knows how to knock in runs when the team needs them the most. Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey are also consistent performers.
It’s not only about the batting. Rashin Khan is probably the deadliest spinner seen in IPL competition history. His ability to take wickets is second to none. Mujeed Zadran, another Afghan spinner, is now on the roster. Bhubaneshwar Kumar is also a capable and experienced bowler who knows how to be economical and take wickets in pressure situations. A well balanced team that has the potential to go all the way.
Prediction: The team from the South can make the finals if it stays healthy and performs as expected. A classic dark-horse candidate.
Betting Tip: SRH to win IPL 2021 (8.00), SRH to reach the finals (4.00)
IPL 2021 Season Preview Summary
T20 cricket is hard to predict. But we can already assure you that the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals will be the top scoring teams in IPL 2021. A finals rematch between these two teams is also highly probable. Additionally, keep an eye on CSK, RCB, and SRH as potential dark-horses of this upcoming season. Bet responsibly and follow us on Twitter for more information.
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Previous IPL posts: IPL 2020 season preview