IPL 2023: Star Sports Experts Predict Top Two Teams After First Round of League Stage

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Indian Premier League (IPL) season 16 has started off with a bang and all ten teams have played at least one game or have at least played their first round of fixtures in the league stage.

Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings won their respective first round matches, while Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hdyerabad and Delhi Capitals lost their openers.

With every team playing at least one game in the TATA IPL 2023 they have given a peek at their strengths and weaknesses in the early stage of the tournament as well as displayed their game plans and strategies.

Having watched the first match of all the franchises and gauged the early trends, the elite commentary panellists of Star Sports, the official TV broadcaster of TATA IPL, have picked the teams who are going to finish at the top.

RR and RCB - who won their opening games quite convincingly and ticked off all the boxes with their all-round show - look like a team to beat and in their early predictions the experts have backed these two sides to make it to the playoffs stage.

Speaking to Star Sports, the official TV broadcaster of TATA IPL, former Australia all-rounder David Hussey said, "RR and LSG to are looking to finish as the top two teams at the end of the league stage."

Legendary South Africa cricketer Jacques Kallis - who apart from playing in the IPL has been a coach of KKR in the past - said, "I think RR and DC have it in them to finish as the top two teams in TATA IPL 2023."

Former West Indies cricketer Daren Ganga has gone with RCB and GT as the top two teams. The former West Indies captain said, "RCB and GT according to me will end up finishing as the top-two teams in this season."

Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody has backed RR and LSG to finish as the top two sides at the end of the league stage. Moody said, "Early stages but LSG and RR look like the teams to beat. They can be the top two teams in the group stage."

Australia's T20 World Cup-winning captain Aaron Finch backed the finallists of the last TATA IPL season to once again dominate the league stage. Finch said, "I think Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals will end up finishing as the top two teams. They again seem very strong teams."

Former India pacer S Sreesanth, who is a two-time World Cup winner, backed LSG and RCB as the teams to finish as the top two sides in the team standings. "LSG and RCB are the two teams I am going to back them to end the league stage as top two."

Speaking to Star Sports, the official TV broadcaster of TATA IPL, former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta said, "RCB and GT, these two teams can finish as the top two teams in TATA IPL."

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes RR and RCB will be the top-two teams at the end of the league stage. Manjrekar said, "Sanju Samson's Royals and Faf du Plessis' Royal Challengers look like a great side. They can finish as the top two teams."

Former India cricketer and former chairman of selectors, Sandeep Patil has predicted that GT and RCB will finish at the top. Patil - a member of the 1983 WC-winning Indian side - said, "RCB and GT will be the top two teams in TATA IPL."

Former India cricketer Mithali Raj believes LSG and RR have it in them to be the top two teams. The legendary batter said, "Lucknow and Rajasthan - these two teams are looking very strong. They can finish in the top position."

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan also agreed with fellow commentator Manjrekar's observation and backed RR and RCB as favourites. Pathan claimed, "Bangalore and Rajasthan have started strongly and looked a very balanced side. They should finish in the top two in the league stage."

Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has predicted that RCB and LSG will finish in the top two. The former Uttar Pradesh captain said, "Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore will finish as the top two sides."