Year after year, the Indian Premier League (IPL) produces some excellent individual performances which accumulates the most points to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Taking over from the Player of the Series award in 2013, the MVP winners include some of the greatest T20 players across the world.
Some of the players to be crowned as the MVP winner include the likes of Virat Kohli, Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes to name a few.
Since its rebranding, Narine has won the honour the most times with three (2012, 2018 and 2024). His most recent accolade saw him secure 450 points, the most in the history of the tournament.
Here are the five contenders for the 2026 Most Valuable Player award
5. Ishan Kishan – Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ishan Kishan will enter the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on the back of very successful months, both on the international and domestic fronts. The 27-year-old formed part of the India squad which lifted the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he scored 317 runs at a strike-rate of 193.29. He also led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy title prior to the start of the World Cup.
Kishan left his long-standing relationship with Mumbai Indians and joined Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last year. In his debut season for SRH, the left-handed batter scored 354 runs, including his maiden IPL century. Based on his form with the bat and the momentum he is carrying heading into the IPL, Kishan is a prime candidate to win the MVP honour this time around.
