ESPNcricinfo named their Team of IPL 2026, picking RR's 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and former RCB captain Virat Kohli as openers. RCB captain Rajat Patidar was named captain of the XI, with SRH's Ishan Kishan picked as wicketkeeper. The four overseas players in the team are Heinrich Klaasen, Sunil Narine, Kagiso Rabada and Jofra Archer.