IPL 2026: From Virat Kohli to Abhishek Sharma– 10 batters to watch this season

The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is expected to once again revolve around aggressive batting and high-scoring matches.

Teams have built lineups around powerful openers and versatile middle-order players who can score quickly in different phases of the game. Several established international stars and emerging Indian players are likely to shape the tournament with their batting performances.

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From experienced run-scorers to young players who have shown promise in recent seasons, the following batters could have a major impact in IPL 2026.

Virat Kohli – Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Virat Kohli remains one of the most consistent batters in IPL history. Playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he continues to anchor the top order and build long innings. His ability to control the tempo of the game and score heavily during chases makes him a key player to watch this season.

Shubman Gill – Gujarat Titans

As captain of the Gujarat Titans, Gill carries significant responsibility with the bat. He has developed into one of the most reliable openers in T20 cricket, capable of combining technical consistency with attacking stroke play.

Suryakumar Yadav – Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians rely heavily on Suryakumar Yadav’s ability to accelerate the scoring rate. Representing Mumbai Indians, he is known for playing shots across the ground and scoring quickly during the middle overs.

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Jos Buttler – Gujarat Titans

Jos Buttler is among the most explosive openers in the league. His aggressive approach allows him to dominate the powerplay and put bowlers under pressure early in the innings. His ability to score big centuries has made him one of the most feared T20 batters.

Sanju Samson - Chennai Super Kings

Coming into IPL 2026, Sanju Samson carries strong momentum after delivering impactful performances for India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup earlier this year. His aggressive stroke play and ability to accelerate against both pace and spin helped India in key matches. That form makes the wicketkeeper-batter one of the players to watch as the new IPL season begins.

Abhishek Sharma – Sunrisers Hyderabad

Abhishek Sharma has emerged as one of the most aggressive openers in recent IPL seasons. Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, he has built a reputation for scoring quickly in the powerplay. His fearless batting approach makes him a crucial part of SRH’s attacking strategy.

Travis Head – Sunrisers Hyderabad

Travis Head brings power and experience to the SRH top order. His ability to clear the boundary regularly allows Sunrisers Hyderabad to build momentum early in the innings. Head’s performances could be decisive in several matches.

Ruturaj Gaikwad – Chennai Super Kings

Ruturaj Gaikwad combines elegance with consistency. As a top-order batter for Chennai Super Kings, he often anchors the innings while maintaining a strong strike rate.

His calm approach and ability to convert starts into big scores make him a key player.

Sai Sudharsan – Gujarat Titans

Sai Sudharsan has emerged as one of the most promising young batters in the IPL. His ability to anchor the innings and maintain a steady scoring rate has helped the Gujarat Titans maintain stability in the top order.

Rinku Singh – Kolkata Knight Riders

Rinku Singh has built a reputation as a dependable finisher for the Kolkata Knight Riders. His ability to score quickly in the final overs has helped his team win several close matches in recent IPL seasons.