Little did anyone know that a cricket tournament that was termed “circus league” would continue for 17 years despite hiccups and challenges and would continue to attract all the attention in the world. On Saturday, IPL 2025 begins which will be the 18th season of a pet project by BCCI that has turned out to be a monster of cricket.
But it’s not just the glamour or the economics, it’s cricket too. With T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, IPL will play a big role in shaping the squad. All that aside, 10 teams will compete in 13 venues over 64 days in 74 matches for 1 coveted trophy. From potential farewells to pioneering run chases, here’s a breakdown of the ten most intriguing storylines to keep an eye on through IPL 2025.
1. Countdown to the T20 World Cup
The next T20 World Cup is just 11 months away. India Cricket Team will launch a title defence at home without Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. With the trusted soldiers retired from the format, India will need to assemble a squad that is a world-beater. The current bunch has looked great. But the selectors need to plug the gaps. IPL 2025 will provide that answer.
2. One last time for MS Dhoni?
Every time there is an IPL, there is always a buzz about MS Dhoni. Will it be his last? The legend has already given a hint with a Morse code t-shirt with the message “One last time”. Despite battling fitness issues following knee surgery in 2023, Dhoni has returned to IPL again. While there is no official confirmation, fans will watch each game closely if it’s the last hurrah.
3. Road to Redemption
IPL 2025 will be a path to redemption for many cricketers. From Hardik Pandya winning over Mumbai Indians fanbase to Mohammed Siraj and Ishan Kishan launching a comeback bid in different teams, there will be a lot of stories to tell. Siraj and Ishan will also fight for T20 World Cup spots. But the path won’t be easy.
4. Rohit Sharma’s test for Test
Rohit Sharma has won two consecutive ICC titles as the captain to make India cricket great again. However, there is a question mark on his Test career after infamously dropping himself from the Sydney Test against Australia. With India travelling to England after the IPL, all eyes will be on him whether he retains a spot in the Test team or retires the whites. His form in IPL will answer that question.
Garden main koyi nahi ghumega.
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 21, 2025
But it’s Eden Gardens.#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/McFAkYvXrx
5. Ee Sala Cup Namde
The phrase “Ee Sala Cup Namde” reverberates within Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s fanbase. With the women’s team lifting the WPL title in 2024, Virat Kohli & Co are now under more pressure. After 17 seasons of near misses, the pressure on RCB mounts as they still search for first-ever silverware.
6. Abki Bar 300 Par
The Impact Player rule gave rise to scores touching 300. While teams have scored 300 in T20s before but not in IPL. If practice matches are anything to go by, all teams are gunning for big scores. If the pitches permit, 300 is not a dream anymore. Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 287 last season. Who will be the first to get to 300?
7. IPL 2025 Rule Changes
The lifting of the saliva ban and new ball usage regulations will challenge batters further. While the impact player rule stays for the time being, BCCI has introduced several new rules. These changes could spark a surge in scoring and force teams to rethink their bowling strategies.
New rules
- Saliva Ban Lifted at IPL 2025: The COVID-19 pandemic forced the ICC to ban saliva-to-shine balls. But bowlers can now use saliva to shine the ball. It will allow the ball to reverse swing.
- Two-ball rule to counter dew: For evening matches, umpires can allow a change in a ball after the 11th over of the second innings to mitigate dew effects.
- No match bans for over-rate offences: Hardik Pandya might feel unlucky but he could be the last captain to serve a suspension for a slow over-rate offence. Captains will no longer face match bans for slow over-rate offences. However, there will be demerit points and a 25-75% match fee deduction.
- New technology for wides and no-balls: BCCI will test Hawk-Eye and ball-tracking technologies to assist umpires in making decisions on wide and no-balls.
- Extra ₹7.5 lakh per game: New match fees: Players will earn Rs 7.5 lakh as a match fee outside of their contract.
- New Practice rules: BCCI has introduced various new restrictions for practice at the match venue including a ban on open net sessions.
- WAGs not allowed: BCCI has banned friends and families of the players from entering dressing rooms before, during or after a match. They are also not allowed to enter the field of play.
8. Passing the Baton
With Rohit, Virat and Jadeja calling it a time in T20Is, IPL is in transition. The IPL 18 will see the passing of the baton. Rohit, Virat and Dhoni are stars of yesterday with the new stars ready to take over.
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Patidar, and Venkatesh Iyer among others will be keen to make their own mark. The veterans are in their twilight years and the youngsters will take over from there.
9. New Captains, Fresh Perspectives
IPL 2025 will see three new captains: Rajat Patidar, Axar Patel and Riyan Parag (for three matches at RR). While MS Dhoni is mentoring Ruturaj Gaikwad at CSK, Virat Kohli is backing Rajat Patidar at RCB. Rohit Sharma is still mentoring Hardik Pandya at MI and Axar Patel will have ample guidance from Faf du Plessis at DC.
| Team | Captain |
|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| Delhi Capitals | Axar Patel |
| Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Ajinkya Rahane |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Rishabh Pant |
| Mumbai Indians | Hardik Pandya/ Suryakumar Yadav (1st match) |
| Punjab Kings | Shreyas Iyer |
| Rajasthan Royals | Sanju Samson/ Riyan Parag |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Rajat Patidar |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Pat Cummins |
10. A Grueling Travel Itinerary
The 2025 season will feature exhausting travel as teams crisscross 13 venues, covering over 124,000 kilometres. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be the most-travelled team as they will cover nearly 19000 kilometres. Sunrisers Hyderabad will be the least travelled team.
| Team | Total distance travelled |
|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 17,084 kms |
| Chennai Super Kings | 16,184 kms |
| Punjab Kings | 14,341 kms |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 13,537 kms |
| Rajasthan Royals | 12,730 kms |
| Delhi Capitals | 9,270 kms |
| Mumbai Indians | 12,702 kms |
| Gujarat Titans | 10,405 kms |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 9,747 kms |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 8,536 kms |
