IPL franchise <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians" rel="dofollow">Mumbai Indians</a> have roped in South Africa all-rounder Corbin Bosch as a replacement for injured seamer Lizaad Williams ahead of the 18th edition of the IPL starting later this month. Bosch, who was a diamond pick at the January draft (for Peshawar Zalmi) ahead of PSL 2025, will have to forgo that deal to feature in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>.
Bosch, 30, was part of the Rajasthan Royals bench before but is yet to make his IPL debut. The bowling all-rounder, however, has been part of the MI family elsewhere, having won the third edition of the SA20 with the MI Cape Town in February early this year. He picked up 11 wickets in seven outings, guiding his team to their maiden league title.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistani-speedster-mohammad-amir-likely-to-land-ipl-deal-in-2026-for-this-reason-8833519" rel="dofollow">Pakistani speedster Mohammad Amir likely to land IPL deal in 2026 for THIS reason</a>
Slotted in as the third bowling all-rounder in the team after captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hardik-pandya" rel="dofollow">Hardik Pandya</a> and rookie Raj Bawa, Bosch will also have his Cape Town teammate Ryan Rickelton at the Mumbai Indians. At the franchise-based level, Bosch has played in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and now-defunct Mzansi Super League (MSL).
His overall T20 stats read 86 matches, 59 wickets at an economy of 8.38 to go with 663 runs, striking at 113.33.
<h2>Rise to the top!</h2>
Bosch made his Test debut during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in Centurion, where he created history by becoming the first player from the country to pick a four-for and put up a fifty-plus score on debut. His efforts in his maiden Test helped South Africa beat Pakistan in a close encounter and qualify for the WTC Final 2025 at the Lord&rsquo;s (June 11-15) against the defending champions Australia.
Bosch then made it to South Africa&rsquo;s Champions Trophy squad as an injury replacement but played just one warm-up game in Karachi.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, South Africa got knocked out of the tournament after losing to Champions Trophy finalist New Zealand in the semis.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: South Africa's Lizaad is the second MI player to be sidelined ahead of IPL 2025 after Afghanistan's mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar was ruled out with a back injury.

IPL franchise Mumbai Indians have roped in South Africa all-rounder Corbin Bosch as a replacement for injured seamer Lizaad Williams ahead of the 18th edition of the IPL starting later this month. Bosch, who was a diamond pick at the January draft (for Peshawar Zalmi) ahead of PSL 2025, will have to forgo that deal to feature in IPL 2025. Bosch, 30, was part of the Rajasthan Royals bench before but is yet to make his IPL debut. The bowling all-rounder, however, has been part of the MI family elsewhere, having won the third edition of the SA20 with the MI Cape Town in February early this year. He picked up 11 wickets in seven outings, guiding his team to their maiden league title. Also read | Pakistani speedster Mohammad Amir likely to land IPL deal in 2026 for THIS reason Slotted in as the third bowling all-rounder in the team after captain Hardik Pandya and rookie Raj Bawa, Bosch will also have his Cape Town teammate Ryan Rickelton at the Mumbai Indians. At the franchise-based level, Bosch has played in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and now-defunct Mzansi Super League (MSL). His overall T20 stats read 86 matches, 59 wickets at an economy of 8.38 to go with 663 runs, striking at 113.33. Rise to the top! Bosch made his Test debut during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in Centurion, where he created history by becoming the first player from the country to pick a four-for and put up a fifty-plus score on debut. His efforts in his maiden Test helped South Africa beat Pakistan in a close encounter and qualify for the WTC Final 2025 at the Lord’s (June 11-15) against the defending champions Australia. Bosch then made it to South Africa’s Champions Trophy squad as an injury replacement but played just one warm-up game in Karachi. Meanwhile, South Africa got knocked out of the tournament after losing to Champions Trophy finalist New Zealand in the semis. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians lose foreign seamer to injury, rope in Corbin Bosch as replacement

Pakistani speedster Mohammad Amir could land an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract in 2026 as he could join a rare club. As revealed in a talkshow, Amir opened up on his desire to play in the mega-rich league where Pakistan players are banned to play due to poor diplomatic relations. However, Amir could exploit a loop hole in the system and could play in the IPL 2026.<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Mohammad Amir to play in IPL 2026?<o:p></o:p></h2>
&ldquo;Next year tak meri opportunity ban rahi agar hua to kyu nahi (By next year, I will have the opportunity to play in the IPL and if given the chance then why not). I will play in the IPL,&rdquo; Amir said on the show &ldquo;Haarna Mana Hai", as reported by&nbsp;The Indian Express.
According to current IPL law, no player holding Pakistan passport is eligible to play in the IPL. However, a Pakistan-born player holding another country&rsquo;s passport can be registered in the IPL auctions before a formal bid is raised by a franchise to purchase him. <o:p></o:p>
Players like Sikandar Raza and Azhar Mahmood are good examples of Pakistan-born players who have played in the IPL after the ban came into effect in 2009. Both players now hold Zimbabwe and UK passports, meaning they were eligible to play in IPL.<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-nz-champions-trophy-final-all-you-need-to-know-check-live-streaming-head-to-head-stats-pitch-report-squad-8830440" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final: All you need to know, check live streaming, head-to-head, stats, pitch report, squad</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">How can Amir play in IPL?<o:p></o:p></h2>
Amir&rsquo;s wife Narjis is a UK citizen and the former speedster is hoping to get the same passport. In case this happens before the IPL 2026 mini-auctions which are set to take place at the year-end, then Amir can register as non-Pakistani player. If a franchise successfully bids for Amir, his road will be clear to play in the tournament.<o:p></o:p>
Pakistani players have only played in one IPL season in 2008 before the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai led to friction between India and Pakistan. It was also the same year when India last toured the nation and have since avoided visiting the country.

Sports, Cricket: As revealed in a talkshow, Amir opened up on his desire to play in the IPL where Pakistan players are banned to play due to poor diplomatic relations.

Pakistani speedster Mohammad Amir could land an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract in 2026 as he could join a rare club. As revealed in a talkshow, Amir opened up on his desire to play in the mega-rich league where Pakistan players are banned to play due to poor diplomatic relations. However, Amir could exploit a loop hole in the system and could play in the IPL 2026. Mohammad Amir to play in IPL 2026? “Next year tak meri opportunity ban rahi agar hua to kyu nahi (By next year, I will have the opportunity to play in the IPL and if given the chance then why not). I will play in the IPL,” Amir said on the show “Haarna Mana Hai", as reported by The Indian Express. According to current IPL law, no player holding Pakistan passport is eligible to play in the IPL. However, a Pakistan-born player holding another country’s passport can be registered in the IPL auctions before a formal bid is raised by a franchise to purchase him. Players like Sikandar Raza and Azhar Mahmood are good examples of Pakistan-born players who have played in the IPL after the ban came into effect in 2009. Both players now hold Zimbabwe and UK passports, meaning they were eligible to play in IPL. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ Champions Trophy Final: All you need to know, check live streaming, head-to-head, stats, pitch report, squad How can Amir play in IPL? Amir’s wife Narjis is a UK citizen and the former speedster is hoping to get the same passport. In case this happens before the IPL 2026 mini-auctions which are set to take place at the year-end, then Amir can register as non-Pakistani player. If a franchise successfully bids for Amir, his road will be clear to play in the tournament. Pakistani players have only played in one IPL season in 2008 before the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai led to friction between India and Pakistan. It was also the same year when India last toured the nation and have since avoided visiting the country.

Pakistani speedster Mohammad Amir likely to land IPL deal in 2026 for THIS reason

Cricket, IPL, Sports: The Indian Premier League 2025 is all set to start on Saturday (Mar 22) as defending champions KKR take on RCB in the opening contest.

IPL 2025, key dates schedule timetable and fixture: The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) is all set to start on Saturday (Mar 22) as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening contest. Now in its 18th season, 10 teams will eye for the prestigious title including record champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Ahead of the IPL 2025 on Mar 22, here are all the details of the tournament including teams, key dates, matches and other details. Where to watch the Indian Premier League 2025 on TV? The Indian Premier League 2025 will be broadcast on the Star Sports and Sports 18 network on TV. Where to watch the Indian Premier League 2025 on OTT? The Indian Premier League 2025 will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website for OTT. When will the Indian Premier League 2025 start? The Indian Premier League 2025, which is the 18th season will kick-off on Saturday (Mar 22) with great enthusiasm. Who will compete in the Indian Premier League 2025 opening match? Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening clash of the Indian Premier League 2025. ALSO READ | India’s best batter Virat Kohli is third-highest ODI run scorer for 'England'. Know how Which stadium will host the opening match of the Indian Premier League 2025? The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru opening match of the IPL 2025 will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Which teams will participate in the Indian Premier League 2025? 10 teams will play in the Indian Premier League 2025 including Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, SunRisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants. Indian Premier League 2025 Schedule All in Indian Standard Time (IST) Table with 5 columns and 74 rows. Match Date Fixture Time Venue 1 March 22, Saturday Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 7:30 PM Kolkata 2 March 23, Sunday Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals 3:30 PM Hyderabad 3 March 23, Sunday Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians 7:30 PM Chennai 4 March 24, Monday Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants 7:30 PM Visakhapatnam 5 March 25, Tuesday Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings 7:30 PM Ahmedabad 6 March 26, Wednesday Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders 7:30 PM Guwahati 7 March 27, Thursday Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants 7:30 PM Hyderabad 8 March 28, Friday Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 7:30 PM Chennai 9 March 29, Saturday Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians 7:30 PM Ahmedabad 10 March 30, Sunday Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 3:30 PM Visakhapatnam 11 March 30, Sunday Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings 7:30 PM Guwahati 12 March 31, Monday Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders 7:30 PM Mumbai 13 April 1, Tuesday Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings 7:30 PM Lucknow 14 April 2, Wednesday Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans 7:30 PM Bengaluru 15 April 3, Thursday Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 7:30 PM Kolkata 16 April 4, Friday Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians 7:30 PM Lucknow 17 April 5, Saturday Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals 3:30 PM Chennai 18 April 5, Saturday Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals 7:30 PM New Chandigarh 19 April 6, Sunday Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants 3:30 PM Kolkata 20 April 6, Sunday Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans 7:30 PM Hyderabad 21 April 7, Monday Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 7:30 PM Mumbai 22 April 8, Tuesday Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings 7:30 PM New Chandigarh 23 April 9, Wednesday Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals 7:30 PM Ahmedabad 24 April 10, Thursday Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals 7:30 PM Bengaluru 25 April 11, Friday Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders 7:30 PM Chennai 26 April 12, Saturday Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans 3:30 PM Lucknow 27 April 12, Saturday Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings 7:30 PM Hyderabad 28 April 13, Sunday Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 3:30 PM Jaipur 29 April 13, Sunday Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians 7:30 PM Delhi 30 April 14, Monday Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings 7:30 PM Lucknow 31 April 15, Tuesday Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders 7:30 PM New Chandigarh 32 April 16, Wednesday Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals 7:30 PM Delhi 33 April 17, Thursday Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 7:30 PM Mumbai 34 April 18, Friday Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings 7:30 PM Bengaluru 35 April 19, Saturday Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals 3:30 PM Ahmedabad 36 April 19, Saturday Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants 7:30 PM Jaipur 37 April 20, Sunday Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 3:30 PM New Chandigarh 38 April 20, Sunday Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings 7:30 PM Mumbai 39 April 21, Monday Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans 7:30 PM Kolkata 40 April 22, Tuesday Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals 7:30 PM Lucknow 41 April 23, Wednesday Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians 7:30 PM Hyderabad 42 April 24, Thursday Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals 7:30 PM Bengaluru 43 April 25, Friday Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 7:30 PM Chennai 44 April 26, Saturday Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings 7:30 PM Kolkata 45 April 27, Sunday Mumbai Indians vs Lucknow Super Giants 3:30 PM Mumbai 46 April 27, Sunday Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 7:30 PM Delhi 47 April 28, Monday Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans 7:30 PM Jaipur 48 April 29, Tuesday Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders 7:30 PM Delhi 49 April 30, Wednesday Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings 7:30 PM Chennai 50 May 1, Thursday Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians 7:30 PM Jaipur 51 May 2, Friday Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 7:30 PM Ahmedabad 52 May 3, Saturday Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings 7:30 PM Bengaluru 53 May 4, Sunday Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals 3:30 PM Kolkata 54 May 4, Sunday Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants 7:30 PM Dharamsala 55 May 5, Monday Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals 7:30 PM Hyderabad 56 May 6, Tuesday Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans 7:30 PM Mumbai 57 May 7, Wednesday Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings 7:30 PM Kolkata 58 May 8, Thursday Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals 7:30 PM Dharamsala 59 May 9, Friday Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 7:30 PM Lucknow 60 May 10, Saturday Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders 7:30 PM Hyderabad 61 May 11, Sunday Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians 3:30 PM Dharamsala 62 May 11, Sunday Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans 7:30 PM Delhi 63 May 12, Monday Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals 7:30 PM Chennai 64 May 13, Tuesday Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 7:30 PM Bengaluru 65 May 14, Wednesday Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants 7:30 PM Ahmedabad 66 May 15, Thursday Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals 7:30 PM Mumbai 67 May 16, Friday Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings 7:30 PM Jaipur 68 May 17, Saturday Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders 7:30 PM Bengaluru 69 May 18, Sunday Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings 3:30 PM Ahmedabad 70 May 18, Sunday Lucknow Super Giants vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 7:30 PM Lucknow 71 May 20, Tuesday Qualifier 1 7:30 PM Hyderabad 72 May 21, Wednesday Eliminator 7:30 PM Hyderabad 73 May 23, Friday Qualifier 2 7:30 PM Kolkata 74 May 25, Sunday Final 7:30 PM Kolkata

IPL 2025: All you need to know including key dates schedule timetable and fixture

South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder is all set to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after he was roped in by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday (Mar 6). Mulder will replace injured Brydon Carse who opted out of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 due to an injury. Mulder will join the likes of Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Travis Head and others in the rank of SRH, who finished runners-up in IPL 2024.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 News 🚨 Sunrisers Hyderabad pick Wiaan Mulder as replacement for injured Brydon Carse.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/SunRisers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SunRisers</a> | Details 🔽
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1897587885328810247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Mulder joins SRH</h2>
Having gone unsold in the IPL 2025 auctions in November, Mulder will get his opportunity after Carse suffered an injury during the Champions Trophy clash against Australia on Feb 22. Mulder&rsquo;s base price of INR 7.5 million did not see him get any buyers while SRH&rsquo;s bid of INR 10 million on Carse did not rip rewards after the speedster's injury.
SRH will be one of the favourites to win the IPL 2025 as they look to win their second title in the competition history. Mulder&rsquo;s addition will be great for the franchise as they look to end the eight-year trophy drought.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/indias-best-batter-virat-kohli-is-englands-third-highest-odi-run-scorer-heres-how-8827734" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">India&rsquo;s best batter Virat Kohli is third-highest ODI run scorer for 'England'. Know how</a>
Mulder was part of the South Africa side that reached the semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 before losing to New Zealand. The all-rounder has played in 11 T20Is, 18 Tests, and 25 ODIs. In his international career, he has taken 60 wickets and accumulated 970 runs.
SRH IPL 2025 Squad
Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Mohammad Shami (Rs. 10 crore), Harshal Patel (Rs. 8 crore), Ishan Kishan (Rs. 11.25 crore), Rahul Chahar (Rs. 3.2 crore), Adam Zampa (Rs. 2.40 crore), Atharva Taide (Rs. 30 lakh), Abhinav Manohar (Rs. 3.20 crore), Simarjeet Singh (Rs. 1.50 crore), Zeeshan Ansari (Rs. 40 lakh), Jaydev Unadkat (Rs. 1 crore), Brydon Carse (Rs. 1 crore), Kamindu Mendis (Rs. 75 lakh), Aniket Verma (Rs. 30 lakh), Eshan Malinga (Rs. 1.20 crore), Sachin Baby (Rs. 30 lakh).

Cricket, Sports: South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder is all set to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after he was roped in by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).

South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder is all set to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after he was roped in by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday (Mar 6). Mulder will replace injured Brydon Carse who opted out of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 due to an injury. Mulder will join the likes of Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Travis Head and others in the rank of SRH, who finished runners-up in IPL 2024. 🚨 News 🚨 Sunrisers Hyderabad pick Wiaan Mulder as replacement for injured Brydon Carse.#TATAIPL | @SunRisers | Details 🔽 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 6, 2025 Mulder joins SRH Having gone unsold in the IPL 2025 auctions in November, Mulder will get his opportunity after Carse suffered an injury during the Champions Trophy clash against Australia on Feb 22. Mulder’s base price of INR 7.5 million did not see him get any buyers while SRH’s bid of INR 10 million on Carse did not rip rewards after the speedster's injury. SRH will be one of the favourites to win the IPL 2025 as they look to win their second title in the competition history. Mulder’s addition will be great for the franchise as they look to end the eight-year trophy drought. ALSO READ | India’s best batter Virat Kohli is third-highest ODI run scorer for 'England'. Know how Mulder was part of the South Africa side that reached the semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 before losing to New Zealand. The all-rounder has played in 11 T20Is, 18 Tests, and 25 ODIs. In his international career, he has taken 60 wickets and accumulated 970 runs. SRH IPL 2025 Squad Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Mohammad Shami (Rs. 10 crore), Harshal Patel (Rs. 8 crore), Ishan Kishan (Rs. 11.25 crore), Rahul Chahar (Rs. 3.2 crore), Adam Zampa (Rs. 2.40 crore), Atharva Taide (Rs. 30 lakh), Abhinav Manohar (Rs. 3.20 crore), Simarjeet Singh (Rs. 1.50 crore), Zeeshan Ansari (Rs. 40 lakh), Jaydev Unadkat (Rs. 1 crore), Brydon Carse (Rs. 1 crore), Kamindu Mendis (Rs. 75 lakh), Aniket Verma (Rs. 30 lakh), Eshan Malinga (Rs. 1.20 crore), Sachin Baby (Rs. 30 lakh).

IPL 2025: Wiaan Mulder joins SunRisers Hyderabad as replacement for injured Brydon Carse

Defending Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have named Ajinkya Rahane as their captain ahead of the upcoming season. Venkatesh Iyer has been named Rahane's deputy as they begin their title defence on March 22 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
&ldquo;We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane, who brings his experience and maturity as a leader. Also, Venkatesh Iyer has been a franchise player for KKR and brings a lot of leadership qualities. We are confident that they will combine well as we start the defence of our title,&rdquo; said Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR, via a press release.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-india-spinner-varun-reveals-he-wanted-to-be-an-architect-or-make-movies-before-taking-cricket-at-26-8773470">India spinner Varun started playing cricket at 26, before that he wanted to be 'an architect or make movies'</a>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an honour to be asked to lead KKR, which has been one of the most successful franchises in the IPL. I think we have an excellent and balanced squad. I look forward to working with everyone and taking up the challenge of defending our title,&rdquo; Rahane said upon receiving the captaincy.
The veteran Indian batter was done and dusted when a stint with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) led to his second innings, where the technical batter plays with disdain and flamboyance. KKR had bought Rahane at the auction for his base price of INR 1.50 crore ($1,72,000 approximately).
KKR, in the IPL mega auction in November 2024, decided to let go skipper Shreyas Iyer as they kept the rest of the core the same. They retained the maximum allowed six players ahead of the auction with Varun Chakaravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Harshit Rana.
They bought back Iyer for a whopping INR 23.75 crore ($2.6 million) on the first day of the auction, along with other players including Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich Nortje, and Quinton de Kock.
The IPL season starts on March 22, with the final set to be played nearly two months later on May 25&mdash;both in Kolkata.

The veteran Indian batter was done and dusted when a stint with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) led to his second innings, where the technical batter plays with disdain and flamboyance. Cricket Sports

Defending Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have named Ajinkya Rahane as their captain ahead of the upcoming season. Venkatesh Iyer has been named Rahane's deputy as they begin their title defence on March 22 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. “We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane, who brings his experience and maturity as a leader. Also, Venkatesh Iyer has been a franchise player for KKR and brings a lot of leadership qualities. We are confident that they will combine well as we start the defence of our title,” said Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR, via a press release. Also Read: India spinner Varun started playing cricket at 26, before that he wanted to be 'an architect or make movies' “It’s an honour to be asked to lead KKR, which has been one of the most successful franchises in the IPL. I think we have an excellent and balanced squad. I look forward to working with everyone and taking up the challenge of defending our title,” Rahane said upon receiving the captaincy. The veteran Indian batter was done and dusted when a stint with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) led to his second innings, where the technical batter plays with disdain and flamboyance. KKR had bought Rahane at the auction for his base price of INR 1.50 crore ($1,72,000 approximately). KKR, in the IPL mega auction in November 2024, decided to let go skipper Shreyas Iyer as they kept the rest of the core the same. They retained the maximum allowed six players ahead of the auction with Varun Chakaravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Harshit Rana. They bought back Iyer for a whopping INR 23.75 crore ($2.6 million) on the first day of the auction, along with other players including Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich Nortje, and Quinton de Kock. The IPL season starts on March 22, with the final set to be played nearly two months later on May 25—both in Kolkata.

IPL 2025: Bought at base price of INR 15000000, veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane set to lead KKR

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravi-ashwin" rel="dofollow">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> has returned to his debut franchise in the cash-rich Indian Premier League. After plying his trade for several teams since leaving <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/csk" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> in 2015, Ashwin said he &lsquo;felt odd&rsquo; on his homecoming after a decade. Ashwin made his IPL debut one year after its inception in 2008, playing for the Chennai-based franchise for the coming seven editions and winning several trophies.
The ace India spinner, who announced his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-hugs-emotional-sendoffs-and-whatnot-ravi-ashwins-final-moments-as-indian-cricketer-785124" rel="dofollow">international retirement midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy</a> late last year, will play for CSK in IPL 2025 after the Kings shelled out $1.1m (INR 9.75 crore) at last year&rsquo;s mega auction. CSK won the bidding war against the Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/shubman-gill-to-make-odi-captaincy-debut-against-new-zealand-in-champions-trophy-report-8765445" rel="dofollow">Shubman Gill to make ODI captaincy debut against New Zealand in Champions Trophy &ndash; Report</a>
Speaking on a video posted by CSK&rsquo;s social media handles, Ashwin said it felt odd returning after so many years. He acknowledged the environment, saying everything and everyone is the same and that he felt like some senior upon rejoining the CSK squad ahead of the next season.
&ldquo;It feels odd, actually. It has been so many years since I left, right? I am coming back into this same team. All the people are the same. Every day, I used to practice vigorously for the season. After I came here today, I feel, I am a very senior person. But OK. Nevertheless, it&rsquo;s a good feeling. I am looking forward to going to Chepauk as well,&rdquo; Ashwin said in the video on CSK&rsquo;s social media handle.
<h2>Watch Video -</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m7opvgac-3lzfh445-iol774p6">
Yellove remains constant for you, Ash! 💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🦁💛<a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashwinravi99</a> <a href="https://t.co/INWZgL4Mci">pic.twitter.com/INWZgL4Mci</a>
&mdash; Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1895393828833800436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
Playing for CSK in the seven editions previously, Ashwin had picked 90 wickets in 97 IPL matches at a reasonable economy of 6.46. On the other hand, he even represented CSK in the now-defunct Champions League T20, where he picked 30 wickets at an economy of 7.44.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, CSK will play their tournament opener against their long-time rivals, Mumbai Indians (MI), in a home game on Sunday evening (Mar 23). The return fixture is scheduled for April 20 at the Wankhede in Mumbai.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: CSK won the bidding war against the Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals for Ravi Ashwin at last year's auction.

Ravichandran Ashwin has returned to his debut franchise in the cash-rich Indian Premier League. After plying his trade for several teams since leaving Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2015, Ashwin said he ‘felt odd’ on his homecoming after a decade. Ashwin made his IPL debut one year after its inception in 2008, playing for the Chennai-based franchise for the coming seven editions and winning several trophies. The ace India spinner, who announced his international retirement midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy late last year, will play for CSK in IPL 2025 after the Kings shelled out $1.1m (INR 9.75 crore) at last year’s mega auction. CSK won the bidding war against the Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals. Also read | Shubman Gill to make ODI captaincy debut against New Zealand in Champions Trophy – Report Speaking on a video posted by CSK’s social media handles, Ashwin said it felt odd returning after so many years. He acknowledged the environment, saying everything and everyone is the same and that he felt like some senior upon rejoining the CSK squad ahead of the next season. “It feels odd, actually. It has been so many years since I left, right? I am coming back into this same team. All the people are the same. Every day, I used to practice vigorously for the season. After I came here today, I feel, I am a very senior person. But OK. Nevertheless, it’s a good feeling. I am looking forward to going to Chepauk as well,” Ashwin said in the video on CSK’s social media handle. Watch Video - Yellove remains constant for you, Ash! 💛#WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛@ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/INWZgL4Mci — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) February 28, 2025 Playing for CSK in the seven editions previously, Ashwin had picked 90 wickets in 97 IPL matches at a reasonable economy of 6.46. On the other hand, he even represented CSK in the now-defunct Champions League T20, where he picked 30 wickets at an economy of 7.44. Meanwhile, CSK will play their tournament opener against their long-time rivals, Mumbai Indians (MI), in a home game on Sunday evening (Mar 23). The return fixture is scheduled for April 20 at the Wankhede in Mumbai. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: ‘I feel I am a very senior person,’ Ashwin’s first impression of CSK homecoming

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has been named as the mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Delhi Capitals as announced on Thursday (Feb 27). Pietersen who represented Delhi in his playing days will serve as the side's mentor as the franchise prepares to conquer its maiden IPL title. Delhi have undergone significant changes during the off-season with key players like David Warner and Rishabh Pant leaving the side and KL Rahul joining the team.
<h2 class="MsoNormal">KP returns as a mentor at Delhi Capitals<o:p></o:p></h2>
"I've got incredible memories of representing the Delhi franchise in the IPL, and I&rsquo;ve been able to maintain that passion for the team even as a broadcaster over the years. I shared the field with Venu (Venugopal Rao) during the 2012 season, and it&rsquo;s great to be reconnecting with him as we begin a new chapter at this amazing franchise,&rdquo; Pietersen said.
The former England captain played for Delhi between 2012 and 2014 and helped the franchise finish top in the standings. Pietersen will be seen in the dugout of the franchise this season having previously served on commentary duty of the Board of Control for Cricket in India&rsquo;s (BCCI) world feed.<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-ravi-shastris-advice-for-drowning-england-after-afghanistan-bashing-8761218" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Champions Trophy: Ravi Shastri&rsquo;s advice for drowning England after Afghanistan bashing</a> 
"We are delighted to welcome KP as our team mentor. He has been a Delhi boy, having played for us in the IPL earlier, and it's great to have him back in a different role. We are confident that his vast experience, his tactical understanding of the game, and his passion for the franchise will be invaluable to our team and our players,&rdquo; Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman &amp; Co-owner, of Delhi Capitals said.<o:p></o:p>
The Capitals have been on a disappointing run since 2020 when they last played in the final of the IPL. They will look to win the IPL 2025 with the presence of key players like KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. DC start their season on March 24 in a clash with Lucknow Super Giants.

Sports, Cricket: Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has been named as the mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Delhi Capitals as announced on Thursday (Feb 27).

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen has been named as the mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Delhi Capitals as announced on Thursday (Feb 27). Pietersen who represented Delhi in his playing days will serve as the side's mentor as the franchise prepares to conquer its maiden IPL title. Delhi have undergone significant changes during the off-season with key players like David Warner and Rishabh Pant leaving the side and KL Rahul joining the team. KP returns as a mentor at Delhi Capitals "I've got incredible memories of representing the Delhi franchise in the IPL, and I’ve been able to maintain that passion for the team even as a broadcaster over the years. I shared the field with Venu (Venugopal Rao) during the 2012 season, and it’s great to be reconnecting with him as we begin a new chapter at this amazing franchise,” Pietersen said. The former England captain played for Delhi between 2012 and 2014 and helped the franchise finish top in the standings. Pietersen will be seen in the dugout of the franchise this season having previously served on commentary duty of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) world feed. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy: Ravi Shastri’s advice for drowning England after Afghanistan bashing "We are delighted to welcome KP as our team mentor. He has been a Delhi boy, having played for us in the IPL earlier, and it's great to have him back in a different role. We are confident that his vast experience, his tactical understanding of the game, and his passion for the franchise will be invaluable to our team and our players,” Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman & Co-owner, of Delhi Capitals said. The Capitals have been on a disappointing run since 2020 when they last played in the final of the IPL. They will look to win the IPL 2025 with the presence of key players like KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. DC start their season on March 24 in a clash with Lucknow Super Giants.

IPL 2025: England legend Kevin Pietersen named Delhi Capitals mentor ahead of upcoming season

Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians on Friday (Feb 21) launched their new kit ahead of the upcoming season. The five-time champions have won all possible honours with their parent and sister franchises. The latest launch saw star names Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Suraykumar Yadav feature on the poster image while Hardik Pandya delivered a a heartfelt message for the Mumbai fans.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
👕 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗔 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 📝 आपल्या मुंबईची jersey for the 𝐈𝐏𝐋 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 💙 👉 <a href="https://t.co/FgRK3BUE6a">https://t.co/FgRK3BUE6a</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://t.co/cYbhV5V5L6">pic.twitter.com/cYbhV5V5L6</a>
&mdash; Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1892830459924566231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">MI unveil new jersey</h2>
In a heartfelt message, captain Hardik said, "Dear Paltan, 2025 is our opportunity to bring the legacy where it belongs. With the blue &amp; gold on us, we will take the field to Play like Mumbai. This is not just our jersey. This is a promise to you. Chala bhetu, Wankhede la (Let&rsquo;s meet, at Wankhede)!"
The jersey retains the iconic blue and gold palette symbolic of Mumbai Indians&rsquo; essence. Blue represents trust, confidence, and the team&rsquo;s boundless potential, while gold signifies glory, achievement, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/yuzvendra-chahal-and-dhanashree-verma-reportedly-finalise-divorce-share-cryptic-posts-8743182" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma reportedly finalise divorce, share cryptic posts</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">MI search for sixth title</h2>
Level with Chennai Super Kings for most titles, Mumbai under Hardik Pandya&rsquo;s captaincy will search for their sixth title in IPL 2025. The franchise remains one of the most successful in franchise cricket with a huge fan base all over the world. Their quest for the IPL 2025 title starts on Sunday (Mar 23) as they take on Chennai Super Kings in a high-voltage clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The side plays its first home game at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday (Mar 31) as they face defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
The MI team roster has big-name players including Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik and Tilak Varma who were all retained in the retention window.

Sports, Cricket: Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians on Friday (Feb 21) launched their new kit as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians on Friday (Feb 21) launched their new kit ahead of the upcoming season. The five-time champions have won all possible honours with their parent and sister franchises. The latest launch saw star names Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Suraykumar Yadav feature on the poster image while Hardik Pandya delivered a a heartfelt message for the Mumbai fans. 👕 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗔 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 📝 आपल्या मुंबईची jersey for the 𝐈𝐏𝐋 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 💙 👉 https://t.co/FgRK3BUE6a#MumbaiIndians pic.twitter.com/cYbhV5V5L6 — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) February 21, 2025 MI unveil new jersey In a heartfelt message, captain Hardik said, "Dear Paltan, 2025 is our opportunity to bring the legacy where it belongs. With the blue & gold on us, we will take the field to Play like Mumbai. This is not just our jersey. This is a promise to you. Chala bhetu, Wankhede la (Let’s meet, at Wankhede)!" The jersey retains the iconic blue and gold palette symbolic of Mumbai Indians’ essence. Blue represents trust, confidence, and the team’s boundless potential, while gold signifies glory, achievement, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. ALSO READ | Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma reportedly finalise divorce, share cryptic posts MI search for sixth title Level with Chennai Super Kings for most titles, Mumbai under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy will search for their sixth title in IPL 2025. The franchise remains one of the most successful in franchise cricket with a huge fan base all over the world. Their quest for the IPL 2025 title starts on Sunday (Mar 23) as they take on Chennai Super Kings in a high-voltage clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The side plays its first home game at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday (Mar 31) as they face defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The MI team roster has big-name players including Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik and Tilak Varma who were all retained in the retention window.

IPL 2025: Five-time champions Mumbai Indians unveil new jersey ahead of new season

Former India skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/dhoni">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a> has spoken on his retirement plans from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhoni, who retired from international cricket across all formats in 2019, has continued to play IPL for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Since last two seasons, however, the speculations around his eminent retirement has grown multi-folds.
&ldquo;I've retired since 2019, so it will be quite some time. What I've been doing in the meantime is I just want to enjoy cricket for the last, whatever few years, you know, I will be able to play,&rdquo; Dhoni's said on Wednesday (Feb 19) during an event as reported by news agency PTI.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-we-have-picked-only-two-spinners-other-three-are-all-rounders-rohit-8737572">Champions Trophy 2025: We have picked only two spinners, other three are all-rounders: Rohit</a>
&ldquo;I want to enjoy it, how I did as a child when I was in school. When I lived in a colony, 4 o'clock (in the afternoon) was sports time, so we'll go and play cricket more often than not.
&ldquo;But if the weather doesn't permit, we used to play football. I want to play with the same kind of innocence&hellip; (but it is) easier said than done,&rdquo; Dhoni added.
<h2>Dhoni to play another IPL?</h2>
By Dhoni's comments, it is clear that the talismanic wicketkeeper-batter will be playing the IPL for at least a couple more years including the IPL 2025. He has, however, quit the captaincy for CSK which has been given to young batter Ruturaj Gaikwad since IPL 2024.
Ahead of the IPL mega auction in November 2024, Dhoni was also retained by CSK as an uncapped player - a policy that BCCI brought back for retired India players.
Under Dhoni, CSK became one of the most successful IPL franchises - winning five titles. Dhoni is also India's most successful skippers and the only captain to win all three ICC white-ball titles - T20 World Cup in 2007, ODI World Cup in 2011 and Champions Trophy in 2013.

IPL 2025: MS Dhoni, who retired from international cricket across all formats in 2019, has continued to play IPL for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). cricket Sports

Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has spoken on his retirement plans from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhoni, who retired from international cricket across all formats in 2019, has continued to play IPL for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Since last two seasons, however, the speculations around his eminent retirement has grown multi-folds. “I've retired since 2019, so it will be quite some time. What I've been doing in the meantime is I just want to enjoy cricket for the last, whatever few years, you know, I will be able to play,” Dhoni's said on Wednesday (Feb 19) during an event as reported by news agency PTI. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: We have picked only two spinners, other three are all-rounders: Rohit “I want to enjoy it, how I did as a child when I was in school. When I lived in a colony, 4 o'clock (in the afternoon) was sports time, so we'll go and play cricket more often than not. “But if the weather doesn't permit, we used to play football. I want to play with the same kind of innocence… (but it is) easier said than done,” Dhoni added. Dhoni to play another IPL? By Dhoni's comments, it is clear that the talismanic wicketkeeper-batter will be playing the IPL for at least a couple more years including the IPL 2025. He has, however, quit the captaincy for CSK which has been given to young batter Ruturaj Gaikwad since IPL 2024. Ahead of the IPL mega auction in November 2024, Dhoni was also retained by CSK as an uncapped player - a policy that BCCI brought back for retired India players. Under Dhoni, CSK became one of the most successful IPL franchises - winning five titles. Dhoni is also India's most successful skippers and the only captain to win all three ICC white-ball titles - T20 World Cup in 2007, ODI World Cup in 2011 and Champions Trophy in 2013.

IPL 2025: 'I want to play...,' CSK legend MS Dhoni shares plan on impending retirement

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bangalore">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a> (RCB) have been handed an intriguing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">IPL</a> 2025 schedule, featuring a mix of home-heavy fixtures towards the business end of the league phase. Defending champions <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) will face RCB in the opening match at their home ground, Eden Gardens, on March 22.
Acknowledging that RCB finished strong in IPL 2024 under a similar scenario, Chopra pointed out that their final league game against KKR could pose a tough challenge. In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra analysed the schedule for multiple franchises, offering insights into potential advantages and obstacles.
For RCB, he noted that their campaign opens against KKR in Kolkata on March 22 and concludes with a reverse fixture against the same opponents in Bengaluru on May 17. Given that KKR dominated RCB in both encounters last season, Chopra suggested that facing them again at such crucial junctures could be a double-edged sword.
"It's interesting for Bengaluru. They have three of their last four and four of their last six games at home. They have more matches at home towards the back end. It used to be a problem earlier, but the last season made you understand that they are quite okay," he said.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/champions-trophy-2025-pakistan-have-edge-over-india-due-to-says-former-pak-captain-8728817">Champions Trophy 2025: 'Pakistan have edge over India due to...', says former Pak captain</a> 
However, he remained cautious about the KKR factor, reminding fans that the Kolkata-based franchise has had the upper hand in recent meetings. While RCB lost convincingly at home to KKR last year, they also fell short by just one run.
"They won the last few matches at home and they happened to qualify. So if we see last year's template, it just looks alright. However, it's interesting that they are starting against Kolkata and are also ending against Kolkata. That could be a tough game because their matches are tight and Kolkata beat them here," Chopra added.
Visakhapatnam and Guwahati will host two home matches each for Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) respectively, while Punjab Kings (PBKS) will play three home games in Dharamsala. KKR and DC are yet to announce their new captains for the IPL 2025 season. Meanwhile, RCB recently appointed Rajat Patidar as their new captain, while Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant were previously announced as the new skippers of PBKS and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), respectively.
<h2>'No home games in final phase might test KKR's resilience'</h2>
Turning his attention to KKR, Chopra suggested that their only major hurdle could be playing their last two league-phase matches away from home. Despite a balanced schedule that sees them playing two home and two away games in cycles, the absence of home support in the final phase might test their resilience.
"It's interesting for Kolkata as well. They are playing two matches at home and then two matches away a few times, which I feel is a good thing. The only trouble for them is that their last two matches are not at home," he said.
While discussing other franchises, Chopra pointed out that Gujarat Titans (GT) seem to have an ideal run-in, with their first two and last two matches being played at home in Ahmedabad.
"The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gujarat-titans">Gujarat Titans</a> are playing the first two at home and their last two also at home. Shubman Gill will score three fifties and a hundred in those matches. The matches are in Ahmedabad. So they will be in a good position. In case things go wrong, you have two matches at home in the end and you can turn the tide at that point in time," Chopra explained.
The Titans will kick off their campaign against PBKS and Mumbai Indians (MI) before concluding with home fixtures against LSG and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Another significant concern highlighted by Chopra was the inconsistent home venues for Rajasthan Royals (RR), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Punjab Kings (PBKS). He questioned Rajasthan&rsquo;s decision to start their home campaign in Guwahati instead of Jaipur, considering their poor record at the venue.
"Three teams, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings, have alternate venues, and I start wondering why you do that. Rajasthan are starting their campaign with away matches. They don't win in Guwahati. I think they have won one out of four games," he said.
"So why are you going there at the start? By the time you come to Jaipur, it would be April 13. Twenty-odd days would have passed and you wouldn't have come to your home. People in Jaipur don't know when their team will play in Rajasthan. It doesn't make sense," Chopra added.
Similarly, Delhi Capitals are set to play initial home matches in Visakhapatnam, a strategy Chopra found questionable despite their decent record at the venue. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings will conclude their home campaign in Dharamsala rather than Mullanpur, which Chopra felt could nullify their home advantage.
"Delhi are also starting with Vizag. They have performed decently in Vizag, but the same question that is there for Rajasthan applies to Delhi as well. Punjab are in a different boat altogether. Three of their last four matches are home games, and all three are in Dharamsala," he concluded.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Eden Gardens will host the season opener and final, alongside Qualifier 2, on May 23. Meanwhile, Hyderabad will host the two playoffs—Qualifier 1 and Eliminator

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been handed an intriguing IPL 2025 schedule, featuring a mix of home-heavy fixtures towards the business end of the league phase. Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face RCB in the opening match at their home ground, Eden Gardens, on March 22. Acknowledging that RCB finished strong in IPL 2024 under a similar scenario, Chopra pointed out that their final league game against KKR could pose a tough challenge. In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra analysed the schedule for multiple franchises, offering insights into potential advantages and obstacles. For RCB, he noted that their campaign opens against KKR in Kolkata on March 22 and concludes with a reverse fixture against the same opponents in Bengaluru on May 17. Given that KKR dominated RCB in both encounters last season, Chopra suggested that facing them again at such crucial junctures could be a double-edged sword. "It's interesting for Bengaluru. They have three of their last four and four of their last six games at home. They have more matches at home towards the back end. It used to be a problem earlier, but the last season made you understand that they are quite okay," he said. Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: 'Pakistan have edge over India due to...', says former Pak captain However, he remained cautious about the KKR factor, reminding fans that the Kolkata-based franchise has had the upper hand in recent meetings. While RCB lost convincingly at home to KKR last year, they also fell short by just one run. "They won the last few matches at home and they happened to qualify. So if we see last year's template, it just looks alright. However, it's interesting that they are starting against Kolkata and are also ending against Kolkata. That could be a tough game because their matches are tight and Kolkata beat them here," Chopra added. Visakhapatnam and Guwahati will host two home matches each for Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) respectively, while Punjab Kings (PBKS) will play three home games in Dharamsala. KKR and DC are yet to announce their new captains for the IPL 2025 season. Meanwhile, RCB recently appointed Rajat Patidar as their new captain, while Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant were previously announced as the new skippers of PBKS and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), respectively. 'No home games in final phase might test KKR's resilience' Turning his attention to KKR, Chopra suggested that their only major hurdle could be playing their last two league-phase matches away from home. Despite a balanced schedule that sees them playing two home and two away games in cycles, the absence of home support in the final phase might test their resilience. "It's interesting for Kolkata as well. They are playing two matches at home and then two matches away a few times, which I feel is a good thing. The only trouble for them is that their last two matches are not at home," he said. While discussing other franchises, Chopra pointed out that Gujarat Titans (GT) seem to have an ideal run-in, with their first two and last two matches being played at home in Ahmedabad. "The Gujarat Titans are playing the first two at home and their last two also at home. Shubman Gill will score three fifties and a hundred in those matches. The matches are in Ahmedabad. So they will be in a good position. In case things go wrong, you have two matches at home in the end and you can turn the tide at that point in time," Chopra explained. The Titans will kick off their campaign against PBKS and Mumbai Indians (MI) before concluding with home fixtures against LSG and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Another significant concern highlighted by Chopra was the inconsistent home venues for Rajasthan Royals (RR), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Punjab Kings (PBKS). He questioned Rajasthan’s decision to start their home campaign in Guwahati instead of Jaipur, considering their poor record at the venue. "Three teams, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings, have alternate venues, and I start wondering why you do that. Rajasthan are starting their campaign with away matches. They don't win in Guwahati. I think they have won one out of four games," he said. "So why are you going there at the start? By the time you come to Jaipur, it would be April 13. Twenty-odd days would have passed and you wouldn't have come to your home. People in Jaipur don't know when their team will play in Rajasthan. It doesn't make sense," Chopra added. Similarly, Delhi Capitals are set to play initial home matches in Visakhapatnam, a strategy Chopra found questionable despite their decent record at the venue. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings will conclude their home campaign in Dharamsala rather than Mullanpur, which Chopra felt could nullify their home advantage. "Delhi are also starting with Vizag. They have performed decently in Vizag, but the same question that is there for Rajasthan applies to Delhi as well. Punjab are in a different boat altogether. Three of their last four matches are home games, and all three are in Dharamsala," he concluded. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Former India player questions puzzling schedule for multiple franchises

In an early blow to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-check-out-mumbai-indians-mi-full-schedule-mi-vs-csk-mi-vs-rcb-hardik-pandya-rohit-sharma-jasprit-bumrah-8726952" rel="dofollow">Mumbai Indians</a> ahead of IPL 2025, their captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hardik-pandya" rel="dofollow">Hardik Pandya</a>&nbsp;is ruled out of the side&rsquo;s season opener against their rivals <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-check-out-chennai-super-kings-csk-full-schedule-csk-vs-mi-csk-vs-rcb-ms-dhoni-8726773" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a>. The IPL on Sunday (Feb 16) announced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-full-schedule-eden-gardens-to-host-season-opener-final-csk-mi-face-off-on-march-23-8726632" rel="dofollow">final schedule of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league</a>, where the two most successful IPL teams are scheduled for an early face-off in the second game on March 23 at Chepauk.
Upon his return to his first IPL franchise following a trade with MI and Gujarat Titans (GT), Pandya took over the captaincy from veteran skipper Rohit Sharma. That decision, however, wasn&rsquo;t well-received by the fans, as they mocked and booed the star all-rounder throughout, piling pressure on him, which led to a dip in his and the team&rsquo;s performance.
As a result, Mumbai could win just four out of the 14 matches, finishing at 10th position with just eight points. &nbsp;
If that wasn&rsquo;t enough, Pandya being slapped with a one-match ban for three over-rate offenses the past season, resulting in him getting ruled out of the marquee clash against CSK in IPL 2025, would add salt to the injury.
Since Pandya&rsquo;s MI failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2024, his one-match ban is carried forward to IPL 2025.
However, it remains to be seen who leads Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings in their first face-off of the season. With several options to choose from, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah leads the race, subject to his fitness.
<h2>Mumbai, Chennai to face off twice in IPL 2025</h2>
Unlike the past season, where Chennai and Mumbai played each other only once, the IPL heavyweights will take on each other twice this year, with the first game coming on the second day of IPL 2025, while the return fixture is scheduled on April 20 in Mumbai.
The most-talked-about IPL rivalry has plenty riding on it, given the superstars featuring across both camps. While Mumbai&rsquo;s squad is a star-studded one featuring Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav among others, Chennai&rsquo;s backbone remains intact with MS Dhoni, the skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja holding it tight.
<h3>Squads &ndash;</h3>
CSK - Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Vansh Bedi, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Gurjapneet Singh, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Gopal
MI - Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Mujeeb Rahman, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Krishnan Shrijith, Raj Angad Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams and Vignesh Puthur
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Upon his return to his first IPL franchise following a trade deal with MI and Gujarat Titans, Pandya took over the captaincy from veteran skipper Rohit Sharma.

In an early blow to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2025, their captain Hardik Pandya is ruled out of the side’s season opener against their rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The IPL on Sunday (Feb 16) announced the final schedule of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league, where the two most successful IPL teams are scheduled for an early face-off in the second game on March 23 at Chepauk. Upon his return to his first IPL franchise following a trade with MI and Gujarat Titans (GT), Pandya took over the captaincy from veteran skipper Rohit Sharma. That decision, however, wasn’t well-received by the fans, as they mocked and booed the star all-rounder throughout, piling pressure on him, which led to a dip in his and the team’s performance. As a result, Mumbai could win just four out of the 14 matches, finishing at 10th position with just eight points. If that wasn’t enough, Pandya being slapped with a one-match ban for three over-rate offenses the past season, resulting in him getting ruled out of the marquee clash against CSK in IPL 2025, would add salt to the injury. Since Pandya’s MI failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2024, his one-match ban is carried forward to IPL 2025. However, it remains to be seen who leads Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings in their first face-off of the season. With several options to choose from, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah leads the race, subject to his fitness. Mumbai, Chennai to face off twice in IPL 2025 Unlike the past season, where Chennai and Mumbai played each other only once, the IPL heavyweights will take on each other twice this year, with the first game coming on the second day of IPL 2025, while the return fixture is scheduled on April 20 in Mumbai. The most-talked-about IPL rivalry has plenty riding on it, given the superstars featuring across both camps. While Mumbai’s squad is a star-studded one featuring Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav among others, Chennai’s backbone remains intact with MS Dhoni, the skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja holding it tight. Squads – CSK - Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Vansh Bedi, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Gurjapneet Singh, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Gopal MI - Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Mujeeb Rahman, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Krishnan Shrijith, Raj Angad Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams and Vignesh Puthur (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya ruled out of Mumbai Indians’ opener against CSK, here’s why

The five-time Indian Premier League winners&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians" rel="dofollow">Mumbai Indians (MI)</a> are ready to chase history as they gear up for another blockbuster season of the IPL. The joint-most successful IPL side will take on their oldest rivals,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-check-out-chennai-super-kings-csk-full-schedule-csk-vs-mi-csk-vs-rcb-ms-dhoni-8726773" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a>, in their tournament opener on March 23 at Chepauk stadium; the return fixture is scheduled for April 20 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
During their scheduled 14 league matches, the Hardik Pandya-led franchise will face CSK, Gujarat Titans (GT), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Delhi Capitals (DC) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) twice while facing the remaining four sides just once, per the revised format.
Having last won the tournament five years ago in 2020, Mumbai finished 10th last season, with just four wins (eight points) from 14 matches.
Meanwhile, Mumbai retained their core, perhaps the strongest among all ahead of last December&rsquo;s auction, including captain Pandya, veteran batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma" rel="dofollow">Rohit Sharma</a>, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and two T20 specialists &ndash; Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma.&nbsp;
At the auction, they bagged some top names in the shortest format, including picking up Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner and returning seamer Trent Boult. They also bagged services of several new and emerging faces, indicating what they can do with a perfect blend of youth and experience in the next&nbsp;season.
With the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-full-schedule-eden-gardens-to-host-season-opener-final-csk-mi-face-off-on-march-23-8726632" rel="dofollow">IPL announcing the full schedule for the 18th edition</a>, it&rsquo;s time we look at Mumbai Indians&rsquo; schedule.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m77smhtp-729lg8mp-hgcqyczz">
𝑵𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒂 𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒘𝒂 𝒅𝒐, 𝒎𝒂𝒎𝒂 🗣 🗓 𝗧𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝗣𝗟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 schedule aa gaya hai! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiMeriJaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/HoBuM6a8UT">pic.twitter.com/HoBuM6a8UT</a>
&mdash; Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1891097662981628171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Here is MI&rsquo;s IPL 2025 full schedule &ndash;</h2>
<ul>
<li>March 23: vs Chennai Super Kings, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>March 29: vs Gujarat Titans, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>March 31: vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>April 4: vs Lucknow Super Giants, BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>April 7: vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>April 13: vs Delhi Capitals, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>April 17: vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>April 20: vs Chennai Super Kings, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>April 23: vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>April 27: vs Lucknow Super Giants, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 3:30 PM</li>
<li>May 1: vs Rajasthan Royals, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>May 6: vs Gujarat Titans, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM</li>
<li>May 11: vs Punjab Kings, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala - 3:30 PM</li>
<li>May 15: vs Delhi Capitals, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mumbai Indians&rsquo; squad for IPL 2025 &ndash;</h3>
Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Mujeeb Rahman, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Krishnan Shrijith, Raj Angad Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams and Vignesh Puthur

Sports, Cricket: Having last won the tournament five years ago in 2020, Mumbai finished in the 10th position last season, with just four wins (eight points) from 14 matches.

The five-time Indian Premier League winners Mumbai Indians (MI) are ready to chase history as they gear up for another blockbuster season of the IPL. The joint-most successful IPL side will take on their oldest rivals, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), in their tournament opener on March 23 at Chepauk stadium; the return fixture is scheduled for April 20 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. During their scheduled 14 league matches, the Hardik Pandya-led franchise will face CSK, Gujarat Titans (GT), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Delhi Capitals (DC) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) twice while facing the remaining four sides just once, per the revised format. Having last won the tournament five years ago in 2020, Mumbai finished 10th last season, with just four wins (eight points) from 14 matches. Meanwhile, Mumbai retained their core, perhaps the strongest among all ahead of last December’s auction, including captain Pandya, veteran batter Rohit Sharma, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and two T20 specialists – Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. At the auction, they bagged some top names in the shortest format, including picking up Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner and returning seamer Trent Boult. They also bagged services of several new and emerging faces, indicating what they can do with a perfect blend of youth and experience in the next season. With the IPL announcing the full schedule for the 18th edition, it’s time we look at Mumbai Indians’ schedule. 𝑵𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒂 𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒘𝒂 𝒅𝒐, 𝒎𝒂𝒎𝒂 🗣 🗓 𝗧𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝗣𝗟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 schedule aa gaya hai! #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/HoBuM6a8UT — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) February 16, 2025 Here is MI’s IPL 2025 full schedule – March 23: vs Chennai Super Kings, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai - 7:30 PM March 29: vs Gujarat Titans, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad - 7:30 PM March 31: vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM April 4: vs Lucknow Super Giants, BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow - 7:30 PM April 7: vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM April 13: vs Delhi Capitals, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi - 7:30 PM April 17: vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM April 20: vs Chennai Super Kings, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM April 23: vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad - 7:30 PM April 27: vs Lucknow Super Giants, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 3:30 PM May 1: vs Rajasthan Royals, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur - 7:30 PM May 6: vs Gujarat Titans, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM May 11: vs Punjab Kings, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala - 3:30 PM May 15: vs Delhi Capitals, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians’ squad for IPL 2025 – Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Mujeeb Rahman, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Krishnan Shrijith, Raj Angad Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams and Vignesh Puthur

IPL 2025: Check out Mumbai Indians (MI) Full Schedule

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rcb" rel="dofollow">Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)</a> will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against the defending IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the first day of the tournament (March 22) at the Eden Gardens. RCB appointed batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/royal-challengers-bengaluru-name-rajat-patidar-as-new-skipper-ahead-of-ipl-2025-8716503" rel="dofollow">Rajat Patidar as the side&rsquo;s new captain</a>, replacing departed veteran opener Faf du Plessis, who will now feature for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. Meanwhile, RCB&rsquo;s final group game is against the KKR (May 17) in Bengaluru.
RCB&rsquo;s marquee clash against their rivals <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-check-out-chennai-super-kings-csk-full-schedule-csk-vs-mi-csk-vs-rcb-ms-dhoni-8726773" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> is scheduled for March 28, while the return fixture will get underway on May 3 in Bengaluru.&nbsp;
Though they will play three of their first eight games at home (and five away), the M Chinnaswamy will stage four of their last six matches.&nbsp;
The new-look RCB side has enough firepower in their ranks to chase the ultimate glory, which is to win an IPL title. Having come close several times in the past years, including making it to the playoffs after beating CSK in the Southern Derby the last season, RCB believe they can strike a balance and do whatever it takes to realise their dream of being crowned the champions.&nbsp;
The inclusion of several match-winners across all departments, including the English batting trio of Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell, will boost their daunting-looking batting lineup while picking up homegrown talents like Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam and Jitesh Sharma in the last auction, further improve their chances of turning the tables around.
With the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-full-schedule-eden-gardens-to-host-season-opener-final-csk-mi-face-off-on-march-23-8726632" rel="dofollow">IPL announcing the final schedule of the 18th edition</a>, it&rsquo;s time we look at RCB&rsquo;s full schedule.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m77qv6tn-6kp6dovb-x22z0apz">
🚨 IPL 2025 Full Schedule Released! 🚨 🗓️ Here&rsquo;s when, where, and who we&rsquo;ll face in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TataIPL2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TataIPL2025</a>. 🔥 We&rsquo;re locking horns with CSK, RR, PBKS, KKR and DC twice. We play MI, GT, LSG and SRH once. 💪 Save the dates, 12th Man Army. We are ready to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a>! 🙌 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AERCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ನಮ್ಮRCB</a>&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/92NpYAw8e3">pic.twitter.com/92NpYAw8e3</a>
&mdash; Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1891101634673156231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Here is RCB&rsquo;s IPL 2025 full schedule -</h2>
<ul>
<li>KKR vs RCB - 7:30 pm - March 22 - Kolkata</li>
<li>CSK vs RCB - 7:30 pm - March 28 - Chennai</li>
<li>RCB vs GT - 7:30 pm - April 2 - Bengaluru</li>
<li>MI vs RCB - 7:30 pm - April 7 - Mumbai</li>
<li>RCB vs DC - 7:30 pm - April 10 - Bengaluru</li>
<li>RR vs RCB - 3:30 pm - April 13 - Jaipur</li>
<li>RCB vs PBKS - 7:30 pm - April 18 - Bengaluru</li>
<li>PBKS vs RCB - 3:30 pm - April 20 - Mullanpur</li>
<li>RCB vs RR - 7:30 pm - April 24 - Bengaluru</li>
<li>DC vs RCB - 7:30 pm - April 27 - Delhi</li>
<li>RCB vs CSK - 7:30 pm - May 3 - Bengaluru</li>
<li>LSG vs RCB - 7:30 pm - May 9 - Lucknow</li>
<li>RCB vs SRH - 7:30 pm - May 13 - Bengaluru</li>
<li>RCB vs KKR - 7:30 pm - May 17 - Bengaluru</li>
</ul>
<h3>RCB&rsquo;s IPL 2025 squad &ndash;</h3>
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh and Mohit Rathee

Sports, Cricket: RCB’s marquee clash against their rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is scheduled for March 28, while the return fixture will get underway on May 3 in Bengaluru.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against the defending IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the first day of the tournament (March 22) at the Eden Gardens. RCB appointed batter Rajat Patidar as the side’s new captain, replacing departed veteran opener Faf du Plessis, who will now feature for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. Meanwhile, RCB’s final group game is against the KKR (May 17) in Bengaluru. RCB’s marquee clash against their rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is scheduled for March 28, while the return fixture will get underway on May 3 in Bengaluru. Though they will play three of their first eight games at home (and five away), the M Chinnaswamy will stage four of their last six matches. The new-look RCB side has enough firepower in their ranks to chase the ultimate glory, which is to win an IPL title. Having come close several times in the past years, including making it to the playoffs after beating CSK in the Southern Derby the last season, RCB believe they can strike a balance and do whatever it takes to realise their dream of being crowned the champions. The inclusion of several match-winners across all departments, including the English batting trio of Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell, will boost their daunting-looking batting lineup while picking up homegrown talents like Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam and Jitesh Sharma in the last auction, further improve their chances of turning the tables around. With the IPL announcing the final schedule of the 18th edition, it’s time we look at RCB’s full schedule. 🚨 IPL 2025 Full Schedule Released! 🚨 🗓️ Here’s when, where, and who we’ll face in the #TataIPL2025. 🔥 We’re locking horns with CSK, RR, PBKS, KKR and DC twice. We play MI, GT, LSG and SRH once. 💪 Save the dates, 12th Man Army. We are ready to #PlayBold! 🙌 #ನಮ್ಮRCB… pic.twitter.com/92NpYAw8e3 — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 16, 2025 Here is RCB’s IPL 2025 full schedule - KKR vs RCB - 7:30 pm - March 22 - Kolkata CSK vs RCB - 7:30 pm - March 28 - Chennai RCB vs GT - 7:30 pm - April 2 - Bengaluru MI vs RCB - 7:30 pm - April 7 - Mumbai RCB vs DC - 7:30 pm - April 10 - Bengaluru RR vs RCB - 3:30 pm - April 13 - Jaipur RCB vs PBKS - 7:30 pm - April 18 - Bengaluru PBKS vs RCB - 3:30 pm - April 20 - Mullanpur RCB vs RR - 7:30 pm - April 24 - Bengaluru DC vs RCB - 7:30 pm - April 27 - Delhi RCB vs CSK - 7:30 pm - May 3 - Bengaluru LSG vs RCB - 7:30 pm - May 9 - Lucknow RCB vs SRH - 7:30 pm - May 13 - Bengaluru RCB vs KKR - 7:30 pm - May 17 - Bengaluru RCB’s IPL 2025 squad – Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh and Mohit Rathee

IPL 2025: Check out Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Full Schedule

The five-time IPL winners, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings-csk" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a>, will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against their oldest rivals and the joint-most successful IPL team &ndash; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians" rel="dofollow">Mumbai Indians</a>, in the first of the two matches on Sunday evening (March 23).
Led by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ruturaj-gaikwad" rel="dofollow">Ruturaj Gaikwad</a>, the Yellow Brigade has plenty to look forward to this season, with, for the nth time since his international retirement, all eyeballs will be on the veteran gloveman MS Dhoni.
Besides Dhoni, CSK also have several new faces, a handful of match winners and core members, including Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja and the Kiwi pair of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra.
The return of Ravichandran Ashwin to CSK after ten years will boost the side&rsquo;s bowling and overall experience otherwise, with the newcomers, including Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmed, adding firepower to the attack.&nbsp;
In the batting department, the addition of several Indian talents in Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda, with the return of all-rounder Sam Curran and the inclusion of his countryman Jamie Overton, add value to the already-strengthened batting line-up.
Meanwhile, with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-full-schedule-eden-gardens-to-host-season-opener-final-csk-mi-face-off-on-march-23-8726632" rel="dofollow">IPL announcing the schedule for the 18th edition</a>, it&rsquo;s time we look at when and where CSK will play its scheduled 14 matches this season. Placed in Group B alongside KKR, RCB, RR and PBKS, CSK will play MI twice, once on the first double header of the season and next on April 20 in the return game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m77perih-10qwwllb-r0nss63z">
𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗦 &amp; 𝗬𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘, 2⃣0⃣2⃣5⃣- Here we come! 🦁🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheSummerIsComing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheSummerIsComing</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qx15ZejJhk">pic.twitter.com/Qx15ZejJhk</a>
&mdash; Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1891107474788270411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Here is CSK&rsquo;s IPL 2025 full schedule -</h2>
<ul>
<li>March 23 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians (MI) in Chennai</li>
<li>March 28 (Friday): Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Chennai</li>
<li>March 30 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati</li>
<li>April 5 (Saturday): Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals (DC) in Chennai</li>
<li>April 8 (Tuesday): Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur</li>
<li>April 11 (Friday): Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai</li>
<li>April 14 (Monday): Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow</li>
<li>April 20 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians (MI) in Mumbai</li>
<li>April 25 (Friday): Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai</li>
<li>April 30 (Wednesday): Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Chennai</li>
<li>May 3 (Saturday): Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Bengaluru</li>
<li>May 7 (Wednesday): Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata</li>
<li>May 12 (Monday): Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Chennai</li>
<li>May 18 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedaba</li>
</ul>
<h3>CSK&rsquo;s IPL 2025 squad &ndash;</h3>
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Vansh Bedi, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Gurjapneet Singh, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Gopal

Sports, Cricket: Placed in Group B alongside KKR, RCB, RR and PBKS, CSK will play MI twice, once on the first double header of the season and next on April 20 in the return game.

The five-time IPL winners, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against their oldest rivals and the joint-most successful IPL team – Mumbai Indians, in the first of the two matches on Sunday evening (March 23). Led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Yellow Brigade has plenty to look forward to this season, with, for the nth time since his international retirement, all eyeballs will be on the veteran gloveman MS Dhoni. Besides Dhoni, CSK also have several new faces, a handful of match winners and core members, including Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja and the Kiwi pair of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. The return of Ravichandran Ashwin to CSK after ten years will boost the side’s bowling and overall experience otherwise, with the newcomers, including Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmed, adding firepower to the attack. In the batting department, the addition of several Indian talents in Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda, with the return of all-rounder Sam Curran and the inclusion of his countryman Jamie Overton, add value to the already-strengthened batting line-up. Meanwhile, with the IPL announcing the schedule for the 18th edition, it’s time we look at when and where CSK will play its scheduled 14 matches this season. Placed in Group B alongside KKR, RCB, RR and PBKS, CSK will play MI twice, once on the first double header of the season and next on April 20 in the return game. 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗦 & 𝗬𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘, 2⃣0⃣2⃣5⃣- Here we come! 🦁🔥 #WhistlePodu #TheSummerIsComing pic.twitter.com/Qx15ZejJhk — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) February 16, 2025 Here is CSK’s IPL 2025 full schedule - March 23 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians (MI) in Chennai March 28 (Friday): Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Chennai March 30 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati April 5 (Saturday): Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals (DC) in Chennai April 8 (Tuesday): Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur April 11 (Friday): Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai April 14 (Monday): Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow April 20 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians (MI) in Mumbai April 25 (Friday): Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai April 30 (Wednesday): Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Chennai May 3 (Saturday): Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Bengaluru May 7 (Wednesday): Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata May 12 (Monday): Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Chennai May 18 (Sunday): Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedaba CSK’s IPL 2025 squad – Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Vansh Bedi, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Gurjapneet Singh, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Gopal

IPL 2025: Check out Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Full Schedule

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> full schedule is out, and Eden Gardens in Kolkata is slated to host the season opener (March 22) and the final (May 25), alongside the Qualifier 2 on May 23. For the first time in a decade, the iconic venue will be hosting an IPL final, having last staged on two occasions in 2013 and 2015. Meanwhile, Hyderabad, the home venue of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad</a>, will host the two playoffs &ndash; Qualifier 1 on May 20 and Eliminator on May 21.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m77piq7r-mrm4g5vq-3f2p4o0a">
Mark your calendars, folks! 🥳🗓<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> 2025 kicks off on March 2️⃣2️⃣ with a clash between <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> 🤜🤛 When is your favourite team's&nbsp;first&nbsp;match?&nbsp;🤔 <a href="https://t.co/f2tf3YcSyY">pic.twitter.com/f2tf3YcSyY</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1891108307756015779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League will feature 74 matches spread over two months (65 days) with 12 doubleheaders.&nbsp;
The defending champions <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kkr" rel="dofollow">Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</a> will host <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rcb" rel="dofollow">Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)</a> in the curtain-raiser on Saturday evening (Mar 22), and the marquee clash between the two most successful teams &ndash; Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will be played on the next day (Mar 23). The first doubleheader of IPL 2025 will also feature last year&rsquo;s runners-up SRH hosting Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an afternoon game.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ex-india-selector-kris-srikkanth-compares-rajat-patidars-rcb-captaincy-call-to-ms-dhonis-appointment-as-india-captain-in-2007-8726363" rel="dofollow">Ex-India selector compares Patidar&rsquo;s RCB captaincy call to MS Dhoni's appointment as India captain</a>
While Royals, Gujarat Titans (GT), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will play three afternoon games each, the remaining seven IPL teams will play two day matches.&nbsp;
Besides, 13 venues are listed to host all matches this season, with three - Guwahati (Royals' second home venue), Visakhapatnam (Capitals' second home venue) and Dharamsala (Punjab's second home venue) added to the usual ten cities. Guwahati and Vizag will stage two games each, and Dharamsala will host three.
While Punjab Kings (PBKS) is the only team to host three back-to-back home games (all in Dharamsala from May 4 to 11), no team is scheduled for three away matches this season. Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow will face PBKS during that window.
<h2>New season, same format</h2>
Since the IPL expanded to ten teams in 2022, all teams have been split into two groups, with KKR, RCB, Royals, CSK and Punjab in Group A and SRH, Capitals, Titans, Mumbai and LSG in Group B.&nbsp;
The teams will face the remaining ones in their group and one in the other &ndash; determined by seeds, twice, and the remaining four teams in the other once.
For instance, CSK and MI will face off twice despite not being in the same group.
While Chepauk will host their first clash of this season, an evening game on March 23, the Wankhede in Mumbai will stage the return tie on April 20, again an evening contest.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), starting March 22, will feature 74 matches spread over two months (65 days) with 12 doubleheaders.

The IPL 2025 full schedule is out, and Eden Gardens in Kolkata is slated to host the season opener (March 22) and the final (May 25), alongside the Qualifier 2 on May 23. For the first time in a decade, the iconic venue will be hosting an IPL final, having last staged on two occasions in 2013 and 2015. Meanwhile, Hyderabad, the home venue of SunRisers Hyderabad, will host the two playoffs – Qualifier 1 on May 20 and Eliminator on May 21. Mark your calendars, folks! 🥳🗓#TATAIPL 2025 kicks off on March 2️⃣2️⃣ with a clash between @KKRiders and @RCBTweets 🤜🤛 When is your favourite team's first match? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/f2tf3YcSyY — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 16, 2025 The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League will feature 74 matches spread over two months (65 days) with 12 doubleheaders. The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the curtain-raiser on Saturday evening (Mar 22), and the marquee clash between the two most successful teams – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will be played on the next day (Mar 23). The first doubleheader of IPL 2025 will also feature last year’s runners-up SRH hosting Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an afternoon game. Also read | Ex-India selector compares Patidar’s RCB captaincy call to MS Dhoni's appointment as India captain While Royals, Gujarat Titans (GT), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will play three afternoon games each, the remaining seven IPL teams will play two day matches. Besides, 13 venues are listed to host all matches this season, with three - Guwahati (Royals' second home venue), Visakhapatnam (Capitals' second home venue) and Dharamsala (Punjab's second home venue) added to the usual ten cities. Guwahati and Vizag will stage two games each, and Dharamsala will host three. While Punjab Kings (PBKS) is the only team to host three back-to-back home games (all in Dharamsala from May 4 to 11), no team is scheduled for three away matches this season. Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow will face PBKS during that window. New season, same format Since the IPL expanded to ten teams in 2022, all teams have been split into two groups, with KKR, RCB, Royals, CSK and Punjab in Group A and SRH, Capitals, Titans, Mumbai and LSG in Group B. The teams will face the remaining ones in their group and one in the other – determined by seeds, twice, and the remaining four teams in the other once. For instance, CSK and MI will face off twice despite not being in the same group. While Chepauk will host their first clash of this season, an evening game on March 23, the Wankhede in Mumbai will stage the return tie on April 20, again an evening contest. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 Full Schedule: Eden Gardens to host season opener, final; CSK-MI face off on March 23

Former Indian cricketer and chief selector Kris Srikkanth has made a bold call on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/rajat-patidar-named-new-rcb-captain-for-ipl-season-8718321" rel="dofollow">Rajat Patidar&rsquo;s shocking appointment as RCB captain</a>. The Bengaluru-based IPL franchise named Patidar their new captain ahead of star batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow">Virat Kohli</a>, with the cricketing lobby reacting differently to it.
Though RCB&rsquo;s director of cricket, Mo Bobat, admitted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-virat-kohli-doesnt-need-captaincy-rcbs-director-of-cricket-mo-bobat-rajat-patidar-8717766" rel="dofollow">considering Kohli&rsquo;s name for the leadership role</a>, Srikkanth feels Patidar&rsquo;s appointment is a smart call by the IPL franchise, so much so that he compared his promotion to the leadership group to that of MS Dhoni&rsquo;s appointment as the Indian captain in 2007.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rashid-latif-hails-afghanistans-rashid-khan-calls-him-bigger-cricketer-than-wasim-akram-8726272" rel="dofollow">Rashid Latif hails Afghanistan&rsquo;s Rashid Khan, calls him bigger cricketer than Wasim Akram</a>
Speaking on his YouTube channel &lsquo;Cheeky Cheeka&rsquo;, Srikkanth said Virat must have said no to the RCB captaincy to concentrate more on his batting, while RCB must have picked Patidar after consulting the ace batter only.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think it is Virat who said no to the captaincy. He must have wanted to focus on batting, and RCB did all of this in consultation with Virat Kohli,&rdquo; Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Kohli also congratulated Patidar on becoming the new RCB captain.
&ldquo;I am here to inform everyone like the others will do as well, that Rajat Patidar is going to be the new captain of RCB. Rajat, firstly, I want to congratulate you and wish you all the very best.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The way you have grown in the franchise and the way you have performed, you have made a place in the hearts of all the fans of RCB all over India. They get excited to watch you play.&nbsp;
&ldquo;So, this is very well deserved. Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, and you&rsquo;ll have all our support,&rdquo; Kohli said in a video posted by RCB.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m77j2ee8-112uceo7-cghjegfv">
𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐨𝐡𝐥𝐢 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬! 💌 &ldquo;Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, Rajat&rdquo;: Virat Kohli &ldquo;The way you have grown in this franchise and the way you have performed, you&rsquo;ve made a place in the hearts of all RCB fans. This is very well deserved.&rdquo;&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/dgjDLm8ZCN">pic.twitter.com/dgjDLm8ZCN</a>
&mdash; Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1889924890331111838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
Patidar will be the fourth Indian captain to lead RCB in the IPL, with Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Kohli being the previous skippers.
Besides, Patidar is the second name to lead the franchise since Kohli stepped down in 2021, replacing Faf du Plessis, who captained them for three seasons from 2022 to 2024.&nbsp;
Du Plessis will now represent Delhi Capitals from IPL 2025 onwards.
<h2>From MS Dhoni to Patidar</h2>
Srikkanth feels Patidar&rsquo;s appointment makes sense, given he&rsquo;s been a seasoned IPL campaigner, with everyone not expecting much out of his captaincy. Comparing that to Dhoni becoming the Indian skipper back in 2007, Srikkanth said,
&ldquo;He (Rajat) is a good choice. He has been doing well in the IPL, and the good thing is that he will not carry a lot of expectations, like how Dhoni was appointed in 2007 as the Indian captain; not a lot was expected from his team. Rajat will take his calls, and he has Virat Kohli to consult any time.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Srikkanth said Virat must have said no to the RCB captaincy to focus on his batting, while RCB must have picked Patidar after consulting the ace batter only.

Former Indian cricketer and chief selector Kris Srikkanth has made a bold call on Rajat Patidar’s shocking appointment as RCB captain. The Bengaluru-based IPL franchise named Patidar their new captain ahead of star batter Virat Kohli, with the cricketing lobby reacting differently to it. Though RCB’s director of cricket, Mo Bobat, admitted considering Kohli’s name for the leadership role, Srikkanth feels Patidar’s appointment is a smart call by the IPL franchise, so much so that he compared his promotion to the leadership group to that of MS Dhoni’s appointment as the Indian captain in 2007. Also read | Rashid Latif hails Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, calls him bigger cricketer than Wasim Akram Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Cheeky Cheeka’, Srikkanth said Virat must have said no to the RCB captaincy to concentrate more on his batting, while RCB must have picked Patidar after consulting the ace batter only. “I think it is Virat who said no to the captaincy. He must have wanted to focus on batting, and RCB did all of this in consultation with Virat Kohli,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. Meanwhile, Kohli also congratulated Patidar on becoming the new RCB captain. “I am here to inform everyone like the others will do as well, that Rajat Patidar is going to be the new captain of RCB. Rajat, firstly, I want to congratulate you and wish you all the very best. “The way you have grown in the franchise and the way you have performed, you have made a place in the hearts of all the fans of RCB all over India. They get excited to watch you play. “So, this is very well deserved. Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, and you’ll have all our support,” Kohli said in a video posted by RCB. 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐨𝐡𝐥𝐢 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬! 💌 “Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, Rajat”: Virat Kohli “The way you have grown in this franchise and the way you have performed, you’ve made a place in the hearts of all RCB fans. This is very well deserved.”… pic.twitter.com/dgjDLm8ZCN — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 13, 2025 Patidar will be the fourth Indian captain to lead RCB in the IPL, with Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Kohli being the previous skippers. Besides, Patidar is the second name to lead the franchise since Kohli stepped down in 2021, replacing Faf du Plessis, who captained them for three seasons from 2022 to 2024. Du Plessis will now represent Delhi Capitals from IPL 2025 onwards. From MS Dhoni to Patidar Srikkanth feels Patidar’s appointment makes sense, given he’s been a seasoned IPL campaigner, with everyone not expecting much out of his captaincy. Comparing that to Dhoni becoming the Indian skipper back in 2007, Srikkanth said, “He (Rajat) is a good choice. He has been doing well in the IPL, and the good thing is that he will not carry a lot of expectations, like how Dhoni was appointed in 2007 as the Indian captain; not a lot was expected from his team. Rajat will take his calls, and he has Virat Kohli to consult any time.” (With inputs from agencies)

Ex-India selector compares Patidar’s RCB captaincy call to MS Dhoni's appointment as India captain

The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will reportedly get underway on March 22 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rcb" rel="dofollow">Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)</a> in the tournament opener. Though the BCCI has yet to release the final schedule of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, several updates on top teams have made headlines&mdash;check them out.<o:p></o:p>
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/royal-challengers-bengaluru-name-rajat-patidar-as-new-skipper-ahead-of-ipl-2025-8716503" rel="dofollow">RCB, who announced their new captain &ndash; Rajat Patidar</a>, on Thursday (Feb 13), will face off the hosts in a cracker of a contest, while last year&rsquo;s runners-up, SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), will host Rajasthan Royals the next afternoon at home.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-virat-kohli-doesnt-need-captaincy-rcbs-director-of-cricket-mo-bobat-rajat-patidar-8717766" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: &lsquo;Virat Kohli doesn&rsquo;t need captaincy&hellip;,&rsquo; RCB&rsquo;s director of cricket Mo Bobat</a>
Cricbuzz first reported that the IPL will continue to follow an old tradition of the city (belonging to the winner of the previous edition) hosting the curtain raiser for the next season; as a result, the iconic Eden Gardens will host the first match of IPL 2025. Besides, the same venue will host the season finale on Sunday (May 25). <o:p></o:p>
Meanwhile, after the January 12 Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla revealed the forthcoming season of the IPL will begin on March 23; however, the board seemed to have revised the dates. The BCCI might release the full schedule of IPL 2025 in a day or two.<o:p></o:p>
<h2>What&rsquo;s more?<o:p></o:p></h2>
Outside of the ten cities that will host matches, including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mullanpur, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, Guwahati and Dharamsala will stage a few matches this season. Guwahati will host two games (of the Rajasthan Royals) with the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings being the opponents on March 26 and 30, respectively.<o:p></o:p>
On the other hand, Dharamsala will host a few games this season, with the latest report suggesting that the venue might stage three matches in IPL 2025, one more than the previous edition. <o:p></o:p>
Moreover, Hyderabad will host Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, while the Eden Gardens will stage Qualifier 2 and the summit clash.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Though the BCCI has yet to release the final schedule of IPL 2025, several updates on top teams, including the KRR, RCB, and SRH, have made headlines—check them out.

The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will reportedly get underway on March 22 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament opener. Though the BCCI has yet to release the final schedule of IPL 2025, several updates on top teams have made headlines—check them out. RCB, who announced their new captain – Rajat Patidar, on Thursday (Feb 13), will face off the hosts in a cracker of a contest, while last year’s runners-up, SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), will host Rajasthan Royals the next afternoon at home. Also read | IPL 2025: ‘Virat Kohli doesn’t need captaincy…,’ RCB’s director of cricket Mo Bobat Cricbuzz first reported that the IPL will continue to follow an old tradition of the city (belonging to the winner of the previous edition) hosting the curtain raiser for the next season; as a result, the iconic Eden Gardens will host the first match of IPL 2025. Besides, the same venue will host the season finale on Sunday (May 25). Meanwhile, after the January 12 Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla revealed the forthcoming season of the IPL will begin on March 23; however, the board seemed to have revised the dates. The BCCI might release the full schedule of IPL 2025 in a day or two. What’s more? Outside of the ten cities that will host matches, including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mullanpur, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, Guwahati and Dharamsala will stage a few matches this season. Guwahati will host two games (of the Rajasthan Royals) with the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings being the opponents on March 26 and 30, respectively. On the other hand, Dharamsala will host a few games this season, with the latest report suggesting that the venue might stage three matches in IPL 2025, one more than the previous edition. Moreover, Hyderabad will host Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, while the Eden Gardens will stage Qualifier 2 and the summit clash. (With inputs from agencies)

KKR vs RCB to kick off IPL 2025 on March 22, full schedule to be out soon: Report

Indian batting stalwart <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow">Virat Kohli</a> doesn&rsquo;t need a &lsquo;captaincy title&rsquo; to lead, says <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rcb" rel="dofollow">RCB</a>&rsquo;s director of cricket, Mo Bobat. On Thursday (Feb 13), the IPL franchise announced batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/royal-challengers-bengaluru-name-rajat-patidar-as-new-skipper-ahead-of-ipl-2025-8716503" rel="dofollow">Rajat Patidar as their new captain</a> ahead of the 18th edition (starting March 21), with Bobat admitting discussing Kohli&rsquo;s name among all options discussed for the role.
Speaking during the event in Bengaluru, Bobat reflected on RCB&rsquo;s decision to appoint Patidar and not Kohli, who was rumoured to take over the captaincy role following Faf du Plessis&rsquo; departure, saying regardless of who leads the franchise, Virat remains an integral part of the leadership group, something that comes naturally to him.
&ldquo;Of course, Virat was an option, and that goes without saying, and I know that the fans would've probably lent towards Virat in the first instance, but we've seen a lot of love for Rajat too," RCB&rsquo;s Mo Bobat said at an event in Bengaluru.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Look, my point on Virat would be that Virat doesn't need a captaincy title to lead. I think leadership, as we've all seen, is one of his strongest instincts. I think it just comes naturally to him. He leads regardless,&rdquo; he continued.
Virat captained RCB for nine years (from 2013 to 2021) before stepping down, with former South Africa captain Du Plessis succeeding him. However, with the RCB not retaining Faf (as he moved to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2025), the fans thought they could pick Kohli as the new captain, which did not happen.
Speaking on how Patidar can follow Faf&rsquo;s path (of leaning towards Kohli), Bobat said, "Everybody in the country and everyone in the world knows that Virat's a leader in every sense of the word. Andy [Flower, head coach] and I lean on him quite a lot. Faf has lent on him quite a lot, and we're pretty sure that Rajat will be leaning on him too.&rdquo;
<h2>Kohli backed Patidar&rsquo;s selection as new RCB captain</h2>
Bobat also admitted that Kohli was part of the discussions leading to Patidar's appointment as the new RCB captain. Bobat said he, the head coach (Flower), spent time with Kohli (in Ahmedabad) earlier this week, where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-backs-rajat-patidar-for-captaincy-role-at-rcb-says-this-is-very-well-deserved-8716941" rel="dofollow">Kohli expressed excitement in the franchise&rsquo;s call to name Rajat as Faf&rsquo;s successor</a>.&nbsp;
"Andy and I spent some time with Virat earlier this week actually in Ahmedabad, and it was really nice getting some time with him and talking things through with him [about captaincy]," Bobat said.&nbsp;
"And what was so obvious was he had so much energy and excitement for this decision and this appointment. He's so pleased for Rajat, like us. He knows how deserving Rajat is of this opportunity and is right behind him,&rdquo; he added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: On Thursday (Feb 13), RCB announced Rajat Patidar as their new captain, with Bobat admitting discussing Kohli’s name among all options discussed for the role.

Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli doesn’t need a ‘captaincy title’ to lead, says RCB’s director of cricket, Mo Bobat. On Thursday (Feb 13), the IPL franchise announced batter Rajat Patidar as their new captain ahead of the 18th edition (starting March 21), with Bobat admitting discussing Kohli’s name among all options discussed for the role. Speaking during the event in Bengaluru, Bobat reflected on RCB’s decision to appoint Patidar and not Kohli, who was rumoured to take over the captaincy role following Faf du Plessis’ departure, saying regardless of who leads the franchise, Virat remains an integral part of the leadership group, something that comes naturally to him. “Of course, Virat was an option, and that goes without saying, and I know that the fans would've probably lent towards Virat in the first instance, but we've seen a lot of love for Rajat too," RCB’s Mo Bobat said at an event in Bengaluru. “Look, my point on Virat would be that Virat doesn't need a captaincy title to lead. I think leadership, as we've all seen, is one of his strongest instincts. I think it just comes naturally to him. He leads regardless,” he continued. Virat captained RCB for nine years (from 2013 to 2021) before stepping down, with former South Africa captain Du Plessis succeeding him. However, with the RCB not retaining Faf (as he moved to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2025), the fans thought they could pick Kohli as the new captain, which did not happen. Speaking on how Patidar can follow Faf’s path (of leaning towards Kohli), Bobat said, "Everybody in the country and everyone in the world knows that Virat's a leader in every sense of the word. Andy [Flower, head coach] and I lean on him quite a lot. Faf has lent on him quite a lot, and we're pretty sure that Rajat will be leaning on him too.” Kohli backed Patidar’s selection as new RCB captain Bobat also admitted that Kohli was part of the discussions leading to Patidar's appointment as the new RCB captain. Bobat said he, the head coach (Flower), spent time with Kohli (in Ahmedabad) earlier this week, where Kohli expressed excitement in the franchise’s call to name Rajat as Faf’s successor. "Andy and I spent some time with Virat earlier this week actually in Ahmedabad, and it was really nice getting some time with him and talking things through with him [about captaincy]," Bobat said. "And what was so obvious was he had so much energy and excitement for this decision and this appointment. He's so pleased for Rajat, like us. He knows how deserving Rajat is of this opportunity and is right behind him,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: ‘Virat Kohli doesn’t need captaincy…,’ RCB’s director of cricket Mo Bobat

Rajat Patidar will lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the new latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after an announcement on Thursday (Feb 13). Patidar becomes the eighth player to lead in the franchise history, joining the likes of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. Patidar recently led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and saw off competition from Virat Kohli in the race for captaincy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A new chapter begins for RCB and we couldn&rsquo;t be more excited for Ra-Pa! 🤩 From being scouted for two to three years before he first made it to RCB in 2021, to coming back as injury replacement in 2022, missing out in 2023 due to injury, bouncing back and leading our middle&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/gStbPR2fwc">pic.twitter.com/gStbPR2fwc</a>
&mdash; Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1889930275993633152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Patidar named new captain</h2>
In a special programme held by RCB in Bengaluru, Patidar succeeded Faf du Plessis as the new skipper with the latter no longer with the side after IPL 2025 auctions.
The middle-order batter was one of three players retained by the franchise along with Virat and Yash Dayal in October.
The franchise decided to not retain Faf and other senior players like Mohammed Siraj while showing faith in Patidar. The Madhya Pradesh captain showed glimpses of his captaincy in the SMAT where his side finished runners-up to Mumbai.
"Rajat has the simplicity, cares about the people around him, we have closely see how he led Madhya Pradesh, we really liked it," RCB head coach Andy Flower said during the unveiling.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kevin-pietersen-gobsmacked-after-england-surrender-odi-series-3-0-says-im-sorry-but-i-am-absolutely-8715941" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kevin Pietersen gobsmacked after England surrender ODI series 3-0, says 'I&rsquo;m sorry, but I am absolutely...'</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">List of RCB captains</h2>
1. Rahul Dravid (2008) &ndash; The first captain of RCB in the inaugural IPL season.
2. Kevin Pietersen (2009) &ndash; Led the team for the first half of IPL 2009 before handing over the captaincy.
3. Anil Kumble (2009&ndash;2010) &ndash; Took over from Pietersen and led RCB to the IPL 2009 final.
4. Daniel Vettori (2011&ndash;2012) &ndash; Led the team to the IPL 2011 final.
5. Virat Kohli (2013&ndash;2021) &ndash; The longest-serving RCB captain, led them to the IPL 2016 final.
6. Faf du Plessis (2022&ndash;present) &ndash; Took over after Kohli stepped down.
7. Shane Watson (2017) &ndash; Stand-in captain for a few matches when Kohli and AB de Villiers were injured.
8. Rajat Patidar (Present)
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">RCB Squad for IPL 2025</h2>
Retained players and their retention prices
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal
Players acquired at the IPL 2025 auction
Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Nuwan Thushara.

Sports, Cricket: Rajat Patidar will lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the new latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after an announcement on Thursday.

Rajat Patidar will lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the new latest season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after an announcement on Thursday (Feb 13). Patidar becomes the eighth player to lead in the franchise history, joining the likes of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. Patidar recently led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and saw off competition from Virat Kohli in the race for captaincy. A new chapter begins for RCB and we couldn’t be more excited for Ra-Pa! 🤩 From being scouted for two to three years before he first made it to RCB in 2021, to coming back as injury replacement in 2022, missing out in 2023 due to injury, bouncing back and leading our middle… pic.twitter.com/gStbPR2fwc — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 13, 2025 Patidar named new captain In a special programme held by RCB in Bengaluru, Patidar succeeded Faf du Plessis as the new skipper with the latter no longer with the side after IPL 2025 auctions. The middle-order batter was one of three players retained by the franchise along with Virat and Yash Dayal in October. The franchise decided to not retain Faf and other senior players like Mohammed Siraj while showing faith in Patidar. The Madhya Pradesh captain showed glimpses of his captaincy in the SMAT where his side finished runners-up to Mumbai. "Rajat has the simplicity, cares about the people around him, we have closely see how he led Madhya Pradesh, we really liked it," RCB head coach Andy Flower said during the unveiling. ALSO READ | Kevin Pietersen gobsmacked after England surrender ODI series 3-0, says 'I’m sorry, but I am absolutely...' List of RCB captains 1. Rahul Dravid (2008) – The first captain of RCB in the inaugural IPL season. 2. Kevin Pietersen (2009) – Led the team for the first half of IPL 2009 before handing over the captaincy. 3. Anil Kumble (2009–2010) – Took over from Pietersen and led RCB to the IPL 2009 final. 4. Daniel Vettori (2011–2012) – Led the team to the IPL 2011 final. 5. Virat Kohli (2013–2021) – The longest-serving RCB captain, led them to the IPL 2016 final. 6. Faf du Plessis (2022–present) – Took over after Kohli stepped down. 7. Shane Watson (2017) – Stand-in captain for a few matches when Kohli and AB de Villiers were injured. 8. Rajat Patidar (Present) RCB Squad for IPL 2025 Retained players and their retention prices Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal Players acquired at the IPL 2025 auction Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Nuwan Thushara.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru name Rajat Patidar as new skipper ahead of IPL 2025

Indian Premier League (IPL) side <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a> (LSG) announced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> as the new LSG skipper at an event on Monday (Jan 20) in Kolkata. Pant replaces KL Rahul as LSG skipper who had led the team in the first three seasons from 2022 to 2024. Rahul and Pant switched sides in the IPL mega auction 2025 when Delhi Capitals, Pant's former IPL team, picked Rahul and named him the skipper as well.
Pant was picked up by LSG in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> mega auction for an exorbitant amount of INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.), making him the most expensive player in the history of the league. With Pant at helm, LSG aims to end their trophy drought&mdash;something that Rahul couldn't do. Let's have a look at how good a chance Pant has as a player and a captain:
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-new-lsg-captain-rishabh-pant-says-he-learned-to-care-for-a-player-from-rohit-sharma-8638520">New LSG captain Rishabh Pant says learned to 'care for a player' from Rohit Sharma</a>
<h2>Pant's Record As IPL Captain</h2>
This will be the first time Pant will turn up for a different team other than the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter had started his career with DC in 2016 and went on to play 111 matches for them.
Pant was named the DC skipper in 2021 before a car accident ruled him out of the 2023 season. He returned in 2024 to lead the side before moving out of the team.
In his capacity as the DC skipper, Pant led the team in 43 matches and registered wins in 23 of them. He lost 19 IPL matches as captain, while one game ended in a tie. Pant's win percentage as IPL captain is 53.48 with a win-loss ratio of 1.21.
As for his batting prowess, Pant scored 3,284 runs in 11 matches at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 148.93. He also hit 18 fifties and a hundred in the IPL for DC, with a highest of 128 not out.
Pant, as IPL captain, has scored 1205 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 143.96 - clearly showing no impact of captaincy on his batting. He has also hit six fifties as IPL captain with a highest of 88 not out.
His runs as IPL captain are third most for Delhi Capitals, following Virender Sehwag (1523 runs in 52 matches) and Shreyas Iyer (1242 runs in 41 matches).

In his capacity as the DC skipper, Pant led the team in 43 matches and registered a win in 23 of them. He lost 19 IPL matches as captain while one game ended as tie. cricket sports

Indian Premier League (IPL) side Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) announced Rishabh Pant as the new LSG skipper at an event on Monday (Jan 20) in Kolkata. Pant replaces KL Rahul as LSG skipper who had led the team in the first three seasons from 2022 to 2024. Rahul and Pant switched sides in the IPL mega auction 2025 when Delhi Capitals, Pant's former IPL team, picked Rahul and named him the skipper as well. Pant was picked up by LSG in the IPL 2025 mega auction for an exorbitant amount of INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.), making him the most expensive player in the history of the league. With Pant at helm, LSG aims to end their trophy drought—something that Rahul couldn't do. Let's have a look at how good a chance Pant has as a player and a captain: Also Read: New LSG captain Rishabh Pant says learned to 'care for a player' from Rohit Sharma Pant's Record As IPL Captain This will be the first time Pant will turn up for a different team other than the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter had started his career with DC in 2016 and went on to play 111 matches for them. Pant was named the DC skipper in 2021 before a car accident ruled him out of the 2023 season. He returned in 2024 to lead the side before moving out of the team. In his capacity as the DC skipper, Pant led the team in 43 matches and registered wins in 23 of them. He lost 19 IPL matches as captain, while one game ended in a tie. Pant's win percentage as IPL captain is 53.48 with a win-loss ratio of 1.21. As for his batting prowess, Pant scored 3,284 runs in 11 matches at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 148.93. He also hit 18 fifties and a hundred in the IPL for DC, with a highest of 128 not out. Pant, as IPL captain, has scored 1205 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 143.96 - clearly showing no impact of captaincy on his batting. He has also hit six fifties as IPL captain with a highest of 88 not out. His runs as IPL captain are third most for Delhi Capitals, following Virender Sehwag (1523 runs in 52 matches) and Shreyas Iyer (1242 runs in 41 matches).

IPL 2025: New LSG skipper Rishabh Pant's record as captain - All you need to know

Indian Premier League (IPL) side <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a>' (LSG) new captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> said that he has learned to care for players from skipper Rohit Sharma. He made the statement at an event in Kolkata where Pant was announced as the new LSG skipper. Pant was acquired by LSG for an exorbitant amount of INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.) at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> mega auction in December 2024.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve learnt from a lot of captains and a lot of my seniors because I feel you don&rsquo;t have to only learn from your captain. There are a lot of senior players who have experience of the game, the way the game is moving forward. There&rsquo;s a lot you can learn from all the seniors, not just the captain,&rdquo; said Pant during the event.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/jasprit-bumrah-coldplay-concert-in-mumbai-chris-martin-sorry-for-telling-lie-pacer-reacts-8638369" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'I'm so sorry,' says Coldplay's Chris Martin for telling 'a lie' about Jasprit Bumrah during Mumbai concert</a>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to be very specific. With Rohit bhai, I have learnt how to care for a player. And I feel the same as a captain when I captain a side. I feel if you give confidence and trust to a player, he will do things you can&rsquo;t even imagine for you and for the team. And that&rsquo;s the kind of ideology we like to have,&rdquo; added Pant.&nbsp;
<h2>LSG to have 'never-say-die attitude'</h2>
The new skipper also said that the team under him 'will have a clear communication and a never-say-die attitude.' Pant replaces KL Rahul as LSG skipper who had led the team in the first three seasons from 2022-2024. Rahul and Pant switched sides in the IPL mega auction when Delhi Capitals, Pant's former IPL team, picked Rahul and named him the skipper as well.
The wicketkeeper-batter also said that he was worried about being picked by Punjab Kings who had a huge purse in the IPL mega auction.
"I only had one tension, that was Punjab. They had the highest purse," Pant had said during the auction in an interview.
The new skipper of LSG has promised to give his "200%". "That's my commitment to you. I will try whatever is in my power to repay the faith you have shown. Looking forward to have a new beginning with new energy and just have a blast out there, and have lots of fun."
<h2>Pant IPL stats</h2>
This will be the first time Pant will turn up for a different team other than Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter started his career with Delhi in 2016 and went on to play 111 matches for them.
In those matches, Pant scored 3,284 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 148.93. He also hit 18 fifties and a hundred in the IPL for DC with a high score of 128 not out. He was also named the skipper in 2021 before a car accident ruled him out of the 2023 season. He returned in 2024 to lead the side before moving out of the team.

New LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who was bought for INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.), said that the team under him 'will have a clear communication and a never-say-die attitude.' Cricket Sports

Indian Premier League (IPL) side Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) new captain Rishabh Pant said that he has learned to care for players from skipper Rohit Sharma. He made the statement at an event in Kolkata where Pant was announced as the new LSG skipper. Pant was acquired by LSG for an exorbitant amount of INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.) at the IPL 2025 mega auction in December 2024. “I’ve learnt from a lot of captains and a lot of my seniors because I feel you don’t have to only learn from your captain. There are a lot of senior players who have experience of the game, the way the game is moving forward. There’s a lot you can learn from all the seniors, not just the captain,” said Pant during the event. Also Read: 'I'm so sorry,' says Coldplay's Chris Martin for telling 'a lie' about Jasprit Bumrah during Mumbai concert “It’s difficult to be very specific. With Rohit bhai, I have learnt how to care for a player. And I feel the same as a captain when I captain a side. I feel if you give confidence and trust to a player, he will do things you can’t even imagine for you and for the team. And that’s the kind of ideology we like to have,” added Pant. LSG to have 'never-say-die attitude' The new skipper also said that the team under him 'will have a clear communication and a never-say-die attitude.' Pant replaces KL Rahul as LSG skipper who had led the team in the first three seasons from 2022-2024. Rahul and Pant switched sides in the IPL mega auction when Delhi Capitals, Pant's former IPL team, picked Rahul and named him the skipper as well. The wicketkeeper-batter also said that he was worried about being picked by Punjab Kings who had a huge purse in the IPL mega auction. "I only had one tension, that was Punjab. They had the highest purse," Pant had said during the auction in an interview. The new skipper of LSG has promised to give his "200%". "That's my commitment to you. I will try whatever is in my power to repay the faith you have shown. Looking forward to have a new beginning with new energy and just have a blast out there, and have lots of fun." Pant IPL stats This will be the first time Pant will turn up for a different team other than Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter started his career with Delhi in 2016 and went on to play 111 matches for them. In those matches, Pant scored 3,284 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 148.93. He also hit 18 fifties and a hundred in the IPL for DC with a high score of 128 not out. He was also named the skipper in 2021 before a car accident ruled him out of the 2023 season. He returned in 2024 to lead the side before moving out of the team.

IPL 2025: New LSG captain Rishabh Pant says learned to 'care for a player' from Rohit Sharma

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a> (LSG) has named <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> as its new skipper. LSG named Pant as the captain at an event on Monday (Jan 20) in Kolkata. Pant was acquired by LSG for an exorbitant amount of INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.) at the IPL mega auction in December 2024.
"Thank you to LSG family for showing the faith in me," Pant said, alongside team owner Sanjiv Goenka and mentor Zaheer Khan. "I will give my 200% and that's my commitment to you. I will try whatever is in my power to repay the faith you have shown. Looking forward to have a new beginning with new energy and just have a blast out there, and have lots of fun."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/this-ex-world-cup-winner-wants-pant-to-play-with-more-responsibility-he-is-8637219" rel="dofollow">This ex-World Cup winner wants Pant to play with more responsibility</a>
<h2>Pant-Rahul switch sides</h2>
Pant replaces KL Rahul as LSG skipper who had led the team in the first three seasons from 2022-2024. Rahul and Pant switched sides in the IPL mega auction 2025 when Delhi Capitals, Pant's former IPL team, picked Rahul and named him the skipper as well.
This will be the first time Pant will turn up for a different team other than Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter had started his career with DC in 2016 and went on to play 111 matches for them.
In those matches, Pant scored 3,284 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 148.93. He also hit 18 fifties and a hundred in the IPL for DC with a highest of 128 not out. He was also named the skipper in 2021 before a car accident ruled him out of the 2023 season. He returned in 2024 to lead the side before moving out of the team.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> starts on March 21 weekend at Eden Gardens, Kolkata with the final set to be played on May 25 at the same venue.

Pant was acquired by LSG for an exorbitant amount of INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.) at the IPL mega auction in December 2024. Cricket Sports

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has named Rishabh Pant as its new skipper. LSG named Pant as the captain at an event on Monday (Jan 20) in Kolkata. Pant was acquired by LSG for an exorbitant amount of INR 27 crore (US $3.21 million approx.) at the IPL mega auction in December 2024. "Thank you to LSG family for showing the faith in me," Pant said, alongside team owner Sanjiv Goenka and mentor Zaheer Khan. "I will give my 200% and that's my commitment to you. I will try whatever is in my power to repay the faith you have shown. Looking forward to have a new beginning with new energy and just have a blast out there, and have lots of fun." Also Read: This ex-World Cup winner wants Pant to play with more responsibility Pant-Rahul switch sides Pant replaces KL Rahul as LSG skipper who had led the team in the first three seasons from 2022-2024. Rahul and Pant switched sides in the IPL mega auction 2025 when Delhi Capitals, Pant's former IPL team, picked Rahul and named him the skipper as well. This will be the first time Pant will turn up for a different team other than Delhi Capitals in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter had started his career with DC in 2016 and went on to play 111 matches for them. In those matches, Pant scored 3,284 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 148.93. He also hit 18 fifties and a hundred in the IPL for DC with a highest of 128 not out. He was also named the skipper in 2021 before a car accident ruled him out of the 2023 season. He returned in 2024 to lead the side before moving out of the team. IPL 2025 starts on March 21 weekend at Eden Gardens, Kolkata with the final set to be played on May 25 at the same venue.

IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant named LSG captain. 'Looking forward to...'

Rishabh Pant could be Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) new captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), per the latest reports. LSG splurged a whopping $3.21 million (INR 27 crore) on Pant at the December auction in Jeddah, making him the most expensive IPL player ever.
Upon being declared the new captain next season onwards, Pant will succeed former gloveman KL Rahul at LSG, under whom the franchise made the playoffs in their first two seasons (since 2022), though they never reached the final. LSG&rsquo;s 2024 IPL season ended with them finishing seventh on the points table.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/sirajs-impact-dips-when-not-bowling-with-the-new-ball-rohit-8633213" rel="dofollow">Siraj&rsquo;s impact dips when not bowling with the new ball: Rohit</a>
However, after KL and LSG decided to part ways after three seasons, they brought in a replacement &ndash; a keeper-batter and someone who could lead the side, with Pant ticking all the boxes. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, LSG retained five players, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan, with none offering a captaincy choice for the owners and the management.
Pant had led Delhi Capitals (DC) before, having captained them in his return season following a horrific road mishap a few years ago. Although DC wanted to retain Pant ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, not offering him a chance to extend his role as the franchise captain perhaps led to the fallout, which saw him enter the IPL auction and make history.
Having made his IPL debut nine years ago in 2016, Pant played for just one franchise, leading them in three seasons (2021-2024), but failed to guide them to reach a finale, let alone helping them win their first IPL title.&nbsp;
<h2>Pant&rsquo;s new team</h2>
Pant will join a star-studded LSG team for the next season commencing March 21. The attacking left-handed batter will have the services of overseas batters like David Miller, Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, alongside rejoining his India teammates Akash Deep Singh and Avesh Khan.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/sanjay-manjrekar-wants-virat-kohli-to-follow-pujaras-path-in-bid-to-regain-form-ahead-of-england-tests-8633202" rel="dofollow">Manjrekar wants Kohli to play County cricket to regain form ahead of England Tests</a>
Besides, Pant will also work with former Australia coach Justin Langer, with whom he interacted on and off on the sidelines of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, and new team mentor Zaheer Khan.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m635u9ss-o51qt0um-o3n0w9lc">
2025 IPL: Rishabh Pant 🤝 Justin Langer Rishabh talks about what he's looking forward to playing under Langer as coach... <a href="https://t.co/bx7I58v8k1">pic.twitter.com/bx7I58v8k1</a>
&mdash; 7Cricket (@7Cricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/7Cricket/status/1875315579961196822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, Pant has returned to India&rsquo;s ODI squad for the England series (three matches on February 6, 9 and 12) and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (scheduled in Pakistan and the UAE beginning February 19).
He and KL Rahul will share wicket-keeping duties for the two marquee series.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, cricket: After KL and LSG decided to part ways, they brought in a replacement – a keeper-batter and someone who could lead the side, with Pant ticking all the boxes.

Rishabh Pant could be Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) new captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), per the latest reports. LSG splurged a whopping $3.21 million (INR 27 crore) on Pant at the December auction in Jeddah, making him the most expensive IPL player ever. Upon being declared the new captain next season onwards, Pant will succeed former gloveman KL Rahul at LSG, under whom the franchise made the playoffs in their first two seasons (since 2022), though they never reached the final. LSG’s 2024 IPL season ended with them finishing seventh on the points table. Also read | Siraj’s impact dips when not bowling with the new ball: Rohit However, after KL and LSG decided to part ways after three seasons, they brought in a replacement – a keeper-batter and someone who could lead the side, with Pant ticking all the boxes. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, LSG retained five players, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan, with none offering a captaincy choice for the owners and the management. Pant had led Delhi Capitals (DC) before, having captained them in his return season following a horrific road mishap a few years ago. Although DC wanted to retain Pant ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, not offering him a chance to extend his role as the franchise captain perhaps led to the fallout, which saw him enter the IPL auction and make history. Having made his IPL debut nine years ago in 2016, Pant played for just one franchise, leading them in three seasons (2021-2024), but failed to guide them to reach a finale, let alone helping them win their first IPL title. Pant’s new team Pant will join a star-studded LSG team for the next season commencing March 21. The attacking left-handed batter will have the services of overseas batters like David Miller, Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, alongside rejoining his India teammates Akash Deep Singh and Avesh Khan. Also read | Manjrekar wants Kohli to play County cricket to regain form ahead of England Tests Besides, Pant will also work with former Australia coach Justin Langer, with whom he interacted on and off on the sidelines of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, and new team mentor Zaheer Khan. 2025 IPL: Rishabh Pant 🤝 Justin Langer Rishabh talks about what he's looking forward to playing under Langer as coach... pic.twitter.com/bx7I58v8k1 — 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 3, 2025 Meanwhile, Pant has returned to India’s ODI squad for the England series (three matches on February 6, 9 and 12) and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (scheduled in Pakistan and the UAE beginning February 19). He and KL Rahul will share wicket-keeping duties for the two marquee series. (With inputs from agencies)

Rishabh Pant to captain Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025 – Report

India batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer" rel="dofollow">Shreyas Iyer</a> created a unique record in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being named the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-news-shreyas-iyer-news-punjab-kings-skipper-8613563" rel="dofollow">skipper of Punjab Kings (PBKS)</a>. With the announcement, Iyer became the first Indian player to lead three different teams in the IPL. Iyer had previously led Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as well.
<h2>Shreyas Iyer in IPL</h2>
Iyer started his IPL career with DC in 2015 and was named the skipper mid-way in 2018 season. Under him Delhi made the playoffs each on the three seasons (2018, 2019 and 2020) and finished runners-up in the 2020 season - their best performance in the league. He stayed with DC till 2021 season.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/the-greatest-rivalry-india-vs-pakistan-netflix-documentary-to-feature-former-cricketers-know-release-date-8617979" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;The Greatest Rivalry &ndash; India vs Pakistan&rsquo; comes to OTT - Know details</a>
Iyer then joined KKR as the skipper from 2022 season onwards,. He didn't play 2023 season due to injury but led the team to title in 2024 season.
PBKS spent a whopping INR 26.75 crore (US $3.18 million approx) at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-mega-auction-2025-updated-final-squad-all-teams-complete-player-list-csk-rcb-mi-gt-kkr-rr-srh-lsg-dc-pbks-779112">IPL 2025 mega auction</a> to buy Iyer - making him the second most expensive player in the league history.
PBKS have never won an IPL title, and they'd like to change that fact with Iyer at helm now. Iyer is also one of only eight captains to win an IPL trophy.
"I am honoured that the team has reposed its faith in me. I am looking forward to working again with coach [Ricky] Ponting," Iyer said in the release by PBKS announcing his captaincy. "The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title."
This year, he has been effective as Mumbai team captain in the domestic T20 tournament Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and led them to the title win as well. Additionally, Iyer was part of the Mumbai team that won the Ranji Trophy and the Irani Trophy as well.&nbsp;

Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer is the first Indian player to lead three different IPL teams. He has previously led the Delhi Capitals & Kolkata Knight Riders as well. Cricket Sports

India batter Shreyas Iyer created a unique record in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being named the skipper of Punjab Kings (PBKS). With the announcement, Iyer became the first Indian player to lead three different teams in the IPL. Iyer had previously led Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as well. Shreyas Iyer in IPL Iyer started his IPL career with DC in 2015 and was named the skipper mid-way in 2018 season. Under him Delhi made the playoffs each on the three seasons (2018, 2019 and 2020) and finished runners-up in the 2020 season - their best performance in the league. He stayed with DC till 2021 season. Also Read: ‘The Greatest Rivalry – India vs Pakistan’ comes to OTT - Know details Iyer then joined KKR as the skipper from 2022 season onwards,. He didn't play 2023 season due to injury but led the team to title in 2024 season. PBKS spent a whopping INR 26.75 crore (US $3.18 million approx) at the IPL 2025 mega auction to buy Iyer - making him the second most expensive player in the league history. PBKS have never won an IPL title, and they'd like to change that fact with Iyer at helm now. Iyer is also one of only eight captains to win an IPL trophy. "I am honoured that the team has reposed its faith in me. I am looking forward to working again with coach [Ricky] Ponting," Iyer said in the release by PBKS announcing his captaincy. "The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title." This year, he has been effective as Mumbai team captain in the domestic T20 tournament Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and led them to the title win as well. Additionally, Iyer was part of the Mumbai team that won the Ranji Trophy and the Irani Trophy as well.

IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer creates unique record as Punjab Kings captain

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) have named India batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer">Shreyas Iyer</a> as their new skipper. The announcement came on Sunday (Jan 12) through a press release by the IPL team. The tournament is expected to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-start-date-march-23-says-bcci-vice-president-rajiv-shukla-8612858">start on March 21</a>.
<h2>Iyer new PBKS skipper</h2>
"I am honoured that the team has reposed its faith in me. I am looking forward to working again with coach [Ricky] Ponting," Iyer said in the release. "The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/vijay-hazare-trophy-matches-scores-karun-nair-news-five-hundred-in-7-matches-vidarbha-beat-rajasthan-haryana-beat-gujarat-8613205">Vijay Hazare Trophy matches: Karun Nair, scoring at average of 664, hits 5th ton in seven games for Vidarbha</a>
PBKS' coach Ricky Pointing also backed the decision to appoint Iyer as the captain and said: "Shreyas has a great mind for the game. His proven capabilities as captain will enable the team to deliver." &nbsp;
"I have enjoyed my time with Iyer in the past in IPL, and I look forward to working with him again. With his leadership and the talent in the squad, I am excited about the seasons ahead," Ponting added.
Iyer was bought by PBKS at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-mega-auction-2025-updated-final-squad-all-teams-complete-player-list-csk-rcb-mi-gt-kkr-rr-srh-lsg-dc-pbks-779112">IPL mega auction 2025</a> for a whopping INR 26.75 crore (US $3.18 million approx) as one of the most expensive buys in the league history. Punjab outbid Delhi Capitals for Iyer&mdash;a team for which the India batter has played in the past.
Ahead of the auction, Iyer was with Kolkata Knight Riders from 2022 and 2024 and served as the skipper. Under Iyer, KKR became the IPL 2024 champion. Iyer is one of only eight captains to win an IPL trophy, and he would like to add another with PBKS, which have never won one.
This season, Iyer also led Mumbai to India's domestic T20 tournament Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title.

Shreyas Iyer was bought by PBKS at the IPL mega auction 2025 for a whopping INR 26.75 crore (US $3.18 million approx) as one of the most expensive buys in history. Sports Cricket

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) have named India batter Shreyas Iyer as their new skipper. The announcement came on Sunday (Jan 12) through a press release by the IPL team. The tournament is expected to start on March 21. Iyer new PBKS skipper "I am honoured that the team has reposed its faith in me. I am looking forward to working again with coach [Ricky] Ponting," Iyer said in the release. "The team looks strong, with a great mix of potential and proven performers. I hope to repay the faith shown by the management to deliver our maiden title." Also Read: Vijay Hazare Trophy matches: Karun Nair, scoring at average of 664, hits 5th ton in seven games for Vidarbha PBKS' coach Ricky Pointing also backed the decision to appoint Iyer as the captain and said: "Shreyas has a great mind for the game. His proven capabilities as captain will enable the team to deliver." "I have enjoyed my time with Iyer in the past in IPL, and I look forward to working with him again. With his leadership and the talent in the squad, I am excited about the seasons ahead," Ponting added. Iyer was bought by PBKS at the IPL mega auction 2025 for a whopping INR 26.75 crore (US $3.18 million approx) as one of the most expensive buys in the league history. Punjab outbid Delhi Capitals for Iyer—a team for which the India batter has played in the past. Ahead of the auction, Iyer was with Kolkata Knight Riders from 2022 and 2024 and served as the skipper. Under Iyer, KKR became the IPL 2024 champion. Iyer is one of only eight captains to win an IPL trophy, and he would like to add another with PBKS, which have never won one. This season, Iyer also led Mumbai to India's domestic T20 tournament Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title.

IPL 2025: Punjab Kings name Shreyas Iyer as new skipper

R Ashwin retired from international cricket on Wednesday (Dec 18) following the Gabba Test between India and Australia, of the ongoing 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), in Brisbane. After his retirement, he announced that he would be leaving for India and the wily spinner reached his hometown Chennai on Thursday (Dec 19). Meeting&nbsp;reporters in his hometown post his arrival, Ashwin made it clear that he has 'no regrets' and aspires to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for long.

Talking to the media, Ashwin quashed rumours of having regrets of not captaining India during his 14-year-long career. He said, "I can't any more. It's done. No, I have zero regrets. I have seen so many people with regrets from afar, but I don't want to live my life like that."

On his plans post retirement, the 38-year-old Ashwin stated, "I want to be idle-no immediate plans. Being idle is difficult for me.

He added,&nbsp;"I am going to play for CSK, and don't be surprised if I try and aspire to play for as long as I can. I don't think Ashwin the cricketer is done. I think Ashwin the Indian cricketer has probably called it time. That's it."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bit-disappointed-you-retired-wanted-you-to-go-past-619-anil-kumble-reacts-to-ashwins-retirement-785192">'Bit disappointed you retired, wanted you to go past 619': Anil Kumble reacts to Ashwin's retirement</a>

"Thanks to all of you. I didn't expect so many of you to come. I thought I would quietly reach home, but you've all made my day. The last time it was like this was when I returned home after the 2011 World Cup. It brought back those memories," Ashwin concluded.

Ashwin ended his international career having represented India in 106 Tests, 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is. He accounted for 537 Test scalps (second-most by an Indian) and 228 wickets in white-ball formats. He even returned with 3,503 Test runs, including six centuries.&nbsp;The off-spinner was part of India's victorious runs in the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy.

Ashwin will be back in Chennai colours in IPL 2025, after being bought by the CSK franchise in IPL 2025 mega auction. He represented the Yellow Army from 2010-2015, being part of their winning runs in 2010 and 2011.

R Ashwin retired from international cricket on Wednesday (Dec 18) following the Gabba Test between India and Australia, of the ongoing 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), in Brisbane.

R Ashwin retired from international cricket on Wednesday (Dec 18) following the Gabba Test between India and Australia, of the ongoing 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), in Brisbane. After his retirement, he announced that he would be leaving for India and the wily spinner reached his hometown Chennai on Thursday (Dec 19). Meeting reporters in his hometown post his arrival, Ashwin made it clear that he has 'no regrets' and aspires to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for long. Talking to the media, Ashwin quashed rumours of having regrets of not captaining India during his 14-year-long career. He said, "I can't any more. It's done. No, I have zero regrets. I have seen so many people with regrets from afar, but I don't want to live my life like that." On his plans post retirement, the 38-year-old Ashwin stated, "I want to be idle-no immediate plans. Being idle is difficult for me. He added, "I am going to play for CSK, and don't be surprised if I try and aspire to play for as long as I can. I don't think Ashwin the cricketer is done. I think Ashwin the Indian cricketer has probably called it time. That's it." Also read: 'Bit disappointed you retired, wanted you to go past 619': Anil Kumble reacts to Ashwin's retirement "Thanks to all of you. I didn't expect so many of you to come. I thought I would quietly reach home, but you've all made my day. The last time it was like this was when I returned home after the 2011 World Cup. It brought back those memories," Ashwin concluded. Ashwin ended his international career having represented India in 106 Tests, 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is. He accounted for 537 Test scalps (second-most by an Indian) and 228 wickets in white-ball formats. He even returned with 3,503 Test runs, including six centuries. The off-spinner was part of India's victorious runs in the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy. Ashwin will be back in Chennai colours in IPL 2025, after being bought by the CSK franchise in IPL 2025 mega auction. He represented the Yellow Army from 2010-2015, being part of their winning runs in 2010 and 2011.

I have zero regrets, want to play for CSK as long as possible, says R Ashwin post his international retirement

Madhya Pradesh and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Rajat Patidar is welcome to lead the side in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. After leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the coveted domestic tournament, Patidar opened up on the leadership role at RCB. His side is set to take on Mumbai in the SMAT final on Sunday in Bengaluru, where Patidar has fond memories.

<h2>Patidar welcomes leadership role at RCB</h2>

"Yes, definitely. RCB is a big franchise, and I love playing for RCB. So, it (retention) gave me a lot of confidence that they retained me. I enjoyed going to the Test team. But sometimes I feel bad that I missed the opportunity. But it's alright; sometimes things don't go your way," Patidar admitted after leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

"Acceptance is the key. You have to accept that there will be a failure in the cricketing journey. So, it's important for me to face it and learn from it. I have just accepted it and I am moving forward. It's a part and parcel of the game. I can re-create the opportunity," he said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-2024-25-history-of-this-venue-michael-vaughan-not-happy-with-rohit-bowling-first-at-gabba-783975">BGT 2024-25: 'History of this venue...,' Michael Vaughan not happy with Rohit bowling first at Gabba</a>

On Sunday, the SMAT will be an opportunity for Patidar and his opposite number, Ajinkya Rahane, to showcase why they are vital for their respective sides in the IPL. While Patidar will play for RCB, Rahane will be back at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), with the franchise also searching for a captain after Shreyas Iyer’s release.

Playing at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Patidar can recall the 2022 Ranji Trophy memories having won the prestigious title at the same venue. On the other hand, Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai will have the opportunity to complete a double, adding another feather in the impressive hat.

Madhya Pradesh and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Rajat Patidar is welcome to lead the side in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. After leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the coveted domestic tournament, Patidar opened up on the leadership role at RCB.

Madhya Pradesh and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Rajat Patidar is welcome to lead the side in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. After leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the coveted domestic tournament, Patidar opened up on the leadership role at RCB. His side is set to take on Mumbai in the SMAT final on Sunday in Bengaluru, where Patidar has fond memories. Patidar welcomes leadership role at RCB "Yes, definitely. RCB is a big franchise, and I love playing for RCB. So, it (retention) gave me a lot of confidence that they retained me. I enjoyed going to the Test team. But sometimes I feel bad that I missed the opportunity. But it's alright; sometimes things don't go your way," Patidar admitted after leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. "Acceptance is the key. You have to accept that there will be a failure in the cricketing journey. So, it's important for me to face it and learn from it. I have just accepted it and I am moving forward. It's a part and parcel of the game. I can re-create the opportunity," he said. ALSO READ | BGT 2024-25: 'History of this venue...,' Michael Vaughan not happy with Rohit bowling first at Gabba On Sunday, the SMAT will be an opportunity for Patidar and his opposite number, Ajinkya Rahane, to showcase why they are vital for their respective sides in the IPL. While Patidar will play for RCB, Rahane will be back at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), with the franchise also searching for a captain after Shreyas Iyer’s release. Playing at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Patidar can recall the 2022 Ranji Trophy memories having won the prestigious title at the same venue. On the other hand, Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai will have the opportunity to complete a double, adding another feather in the impressive hat.

IPL 2025: Rajat Patidar welcome to captaincy role at RCB after leading Madhya Pradesh to SMAT final

Almost a fortnight after the much-discussed IPL auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Delhi Capitals' new head coach Hemang Badani opened up on Rishabh Pant’s shock departure from the franchise. Per DC’s co-owner Parth Jindal, Pant leaving the IPL team he captained the previous season was never about the money. But Badani’s comments tell a different story.

Pant entered the IPL 2025 mega auction for a purpose, and with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bagging him for a whopping $3.18 million (INR 27 crore), making him the costliest player ever, it perhaps served it.

Although DC also chased Pant, even willing to use an RTM or right to match option for him at $2.4mn (INR 21 crore), LSG outbid them, offering Pant the staggering amount and eventually securing him for three seasons.

In a chat with former India cricketer and CSK batter Subramaniam Badrinath during a YouTube show, Badani revealed what happened behind the scenes.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-siraj-head-may-face-repercussions-for-adelaide-brawl-as-iccs-disciplinary-hearing-looms-report-782572">BGT: Siraj, Head may face repercussions for Adelaide brawl as ICC’s disciplinary hearing looms - Report</a>

"I think it's the other way around. He wanted not to be retained. He said he wanted to go to the auction and test the market. If you want to retain a player, both parties (the team and the player) have to agree on certain things. We tried talking to him; the management tried talking to him. There were a lot of phone calls and messages exchanged," Badani revealed.&nbsp;

Badani also admitted that Delhi was always keen to retain Pant in the first place.

However, the India keeper-batter insisted on entering the auction and testing the market, believing chances of him getting for money were higher, which eventually happened.&nbsp;

“Yes (Delhi Capitals were interested in retaining him). He said he wanted to go to the auction and test the market. He said he had a feeling that there were chances he would get more money than the highest cap for retained player, which is Rs 18 crore."&nbsp;

"And, at the end of the day, he felt he was worth more. And the market said the same thing. He got Rs 27 crore. Good for him. He is a very good player. We will obviously miss him. But, life goes on," Badani added.&nbsp;

In a social media statement earlier, Pant had said the decision not to continue playing for DC wasn’t motivated by money.&nbsp;

"My retention wasn’t about the money for sure that I can say," he said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My retention wasn’t about the money for sure that I can say 🤍
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17/status/1858745953756303689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>'Brotherhood'</h2>

Jindal&nbsp; meanwhile took to social media to pay gratitude for his relationship with Pant and what he meant to the franchise and him.&nbsp;

“To Rishabh @RishabhPant17 you are and will always remain my younger brother - from the bottom of my heart I love you and I have tried everything to make sure you are happy and have treated you like my family.&nbsp;

“I am very sad to see you go and I am very emotional about it. You will always be in DC and I hope one day we can reunite. Thank you for everything Rishabh and remember that we will always love you - go well champ, the world is at your feet. Best wishes from all of us at @DelhiCapitals - other than when you play DC I will be cheering and hoping for the best for you!” Jindal wrote on X.&nbsp;

To which, Pant responded, "Thanku bhaiya the feeling is mutual. Means a lot."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanku bhaiya the feeling is mutual. Means a lot 😇😇
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17/status/1861346434441793558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Delhi, however, made some smart calls in this auction, bagging KL Rahul (potential captain) for $1.65mn (INR 14 crore) and Mitchell Starc for $1.29mn (INR 11 crore).&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Almost a fortnight after the much-discussed IPL auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Delhi Capitals' new head coach Hemang Badani opened up on Rishabh Pant’s shock departure from the franchise.

Almost a fortnight after the much-discussed IPL auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Delhi Capitals' new head coach Hemang Badani opened up on Rishabh Pant’s shock departure from the franchise. Per DC’s co-owner Parth Jindal, Pant leaving the IPL team he captained the previous season was never about the money. But Badani’s comments tell a different story. Pant entered the IPL 2025 mega auction for a purpose, and with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bagging him for a whopping $3.18 million (INR 27 crore), making him the costliest player ever, it perhaps served it. Although DC also chased Pant, even willing to use an RTM or right to match option for him at $2.4mn (INR 21 crore), LSG outbid them, offering Pant the staggering amount and eventually securing him for three seasons. In a chat with former India cricketer and CSK batter Subramaniam Badrinath during a YouTube show, Badani revealed what happened behind the scenes. ALSO READ: BGT: Siraj, Head may face repercussions for Adelaide brawl as ICC’s disciplinary hearing looms - Report "I think it's the other way around. He wanted not to be retained. He said he wanted to go to the auction and test the market. If you want to retain a player, both parties (the team and the player) have to agree on certain things. We tried talking to him; the management tried talking to him. There were a lot of phone calls and messages exchanged," Badani revealed. Badani also admitted that Delhi was always keen to retain Pant in the first place. However, the India keeper-batter insisted on entering the auction and testing the market, believing chances of him getting for money were higher, which eventually happened. “Yes (Delhi Capitals were interested in retaining him). He said he wanted to go to the auction and test the market. He said he had a feeling that there were chances he would get more money than the highest cap for retained player, which is Rs 18 crore." "And, at the end of the day, he felt he was worth more. And the market said the same thing. He got Rs 27 crore. Good for him. He is a very good player. We will obviously miss him. But, life goes on," Badani added. In a social media statement earlier, Pant had said the decision not to continue playing for DC wasn’t motivated by money. "My retention wasn’t about the money for sure that I can say," he said. My retention wasn’t about the money for sure that I can say 🤍 — Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) November 19, 2024 × 'Brotherhood' Jindal meanwhile took to social media to pay gratitude for his relationship with Pant and what he meant to the franchise and him. “To Rishabh @RishabhPant17 you are and will always remain my younger brother - from the bottom of my heart I love you and I have tried everything to make sure you are happy and have treated you like my family. “I am very sad to see you go and I am very emotional about it. You will always be in DC and I hope one day we can reunite. Thank you for everything Rishabh and remember that we will always love you - go well champ, the world is at your feet. Best wishes from all of us at @DelhiCapitals - other than when you play DC I will be cheering and hoping for the best for you!” Jindal wrote on X. To which, Pant responded, "Thanku bhaiya the feeling is mutual. Means a lot." Thanku bhaiya the feeling is mutual. Means a lot 😇😇 — Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) November 26, 2024 × Delhi, however, made some smart calls in this auction, bagging KL Rahul (potential captain) for $1.65mn (INR 14 crore) and Mitchell Starc for $1.29mn (INR 11 crore). (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: ‘He said he wanted to go…’ – Delhi Capitals coach Hemang Badani opens up on Rishabh Pant’s departure

Justin Langer, former Australian head coach, admitted that Rishabh Pant was his nemesis and 'haunted' him during the last two India-Australia Test series, held Down Under, but is relieved that he will be working closely with him at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025. Pant was roped in by the Lucknow franchise, for a whopping INR 270 million (INR 27 crore) – the highest-ever in IPL auction. Langer took over as LSG coach before IPL 2024 and will be sharing the dressing room with the Indian keeper-batter.&nbsp;

<h2>'Now he’s my mate not my nemesis'</h2>

When Pant came out to bat on Day 1 of the second Test, of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), in Adelaide, Langer said, on air, on Friday (Dec 6), "Rishabh Pant has haunted me the most from the last two series. Now a week ago, I hope he’s my favourite person in the world with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) picking him. Now he’s my mate not my nemesis."

During Langer's days as Australia's coach, from 2018-2022, India toured Australia twice for the BGT. On both occasions, India beat the Aussies on their home soil with Pant being one of the top performers. While in the 2018/19 series, Pant scored 350 runs – second-most overall – with a best of 159, he ended with 274 runs – third-most – during the 2020/21 series. He also accounted for 28 dismissals overall.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/adelaide-test-nitish-reddy-entertains-fans-with-reverse-sweep-six-off-scott-boland-on-day-1-watch-782002">Adelaide Test: Nitish Reddy entertains fans with REVERSE SWEEP SIX off Scott Boland on Day 1 - WATCH</a>

As a result, India won both the series 2-1. Thus, Langer achieved a lot of success as Australia's coach but couldn't prevent India from becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia, in 2018/19, and replicate their success in 2020/21.

After LSG bought Pant in IPL 2025 mega auction, held in Saudi Arabia last month, Langer would be eager to work with the star Indian keeper-batter. He is expected to lead the Lucknow franchise, however, an official announcement is awaited.

Currently, Pant-starrer India is involved in the second Test versus Australia, at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Opting to bat first, Rohit Sharma-led India bundled out for 180 with Nitish Reddy top-scoring with 42. Pant (21), KL Rahul (37), Shubman Gill (31) and R Ashwin (22) also chipped in but couldn't make a big score.

Justin Langer, former Australian head coach, admitted that Rishabh Pant was his nemesis and 'haunted' him during the last two India-Australia Test series, held Down Under, but is relieved that he will be working closely with him at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025.

Justin Langer, former Australian head coach, admitted that Rishabh Pant was his nemesis and 'haunted' him during the last two India-Australia Test series, held Down Under, but is relieved that he will be working closely with him at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025. Pant was roped in by the Lucknow franchise, for a whopping INR 270 million (INR 27 crore) – the highest-ever in IPL auction. Langer took over as LSG coach before IPL 2024 and will be sharing the dressing room with the Indian keeper-batter. 'Now he’s my mate not my nemesis' When Pant came out to bat on Day 1 of the second Test, of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), in Adelaide, Langer said, on air, on Friday (Dec 6), "Rishabh Pant has haunted me the most from the last two series. Now a week ago, I hope he’s my favourite person in the world with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) picking him. Now he’s my mate not my nemesis." During Langer's days as Australia's coach, from 2018-2022, India toured Australia twice for the BGT. On both occasions, India beat the Aussies on their home soil with Pant being one of the top performers. While in the 2018/19 series, Pant scored 350 runs – second-most overall – with a best of 159, he ended with 274 runs – third-most – during the 2020/21 series. He also accounted for 28 dismissals overall. Also read: Adelaide Test: Nitish Reddy entertains fans with REVERSE SWEEP SIX off Scott Boland on Day 1 - WATCH As a result, India won both the series 2-1. Thus, Langer achieved a lot of success as Australia's coach but couldn't prevent India from becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia, in 2018/19, and replicate their success in 2020/21. After LSG bought Pant in IPL 2025 mega auction, held in Saudi Arabia last month, Langer would be eager to work with the star Indian keeper-batter. He is expected to lead the Lucknow franchise, however, an official announcement is awaited. Currently, Pant-starrer India is involved in the second Test versus Australia, at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Opting to bat first, Rohit Sharma-led India bundled out for 180 with Nitish Reddy top-scoring with 42. Pant (21), KL Rahul (37), Shubman Gill (31) and R Ashwin (22) also chipped in but couldn't make a big score.

'Pant haunted me in last two series but...,' Langer on working with Indian star after LSG’s bumper IPL deal

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, ace India seamer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) newest recruit, has picked a stunning hat-trick in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) for Uttar Pradesh. Playing against Jharkhand at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (Dec 5), the right-arm seamer completed his debut T20 hat-trick in the 17th over, bowling a maiden that piled pressure on the opposition. A complete team show helped UP the must-win game by ten runs.

Giving Jharkhand a target of 161, Kumar began with his routine disciplined bowling, completing three overs inside the Powerplay for just six runs, though he remained wicketless. The overlooked India seamer returned to bowl the 17th over, picking his first T20 hat-trick by removing Robin Minz, Bal Krishna, and Vivek Anand Tiwari in consecutive deliveries. Besides, he bowled a maiden, completing his spell of 4-1-6-3.

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HAT-TRICK! Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3.3-6-3) Jharkhand 116/8 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JHAvUP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JHAvUP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SMAT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SMAT</a>
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIdomestic/status/1864591560794661017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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With this hat trick, he became the fourth bowler this season after Akash Madhwal, Shreyas Gopal, and Felix Alemao to achieve this feat.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/smat-abhishek-sharma-smashes-record-scores-joint-fastest-t20-century-by-an-indian-as-punjab-beat-meghalaya-781664">SMAT: Abhishek Sharma smashes record, scores joint-fastest T20 century by an Indian as Punjab beat Meghalaya</a>

Early in this tournament, Bhuvneshwar became the first Indian seamer and fourth overall to pick 300 or more wickets in T20s. He joined the elite list of Yuzvendra Chahal (364), Piyush Chawla (319), and Ravichandran Ashwin (310). Following this game, the UP captain now has 305 wickets besides his name.

<h2>Bhuvneshwar to play for RCB in IPL 2025</h2>

The Indian new-ball quick will ply his trade for a new franchise from IPL 2025 onwards. Having represented the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a decade (2014-2024), wherein he won an IPL title in 2016, losing two finals since (2018 and 2024), Bhuvneshwar will now play for RCB, who purchased him for a whopping $1.26mn (INR 10.75 crore) at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Kumar will lead RCB’s heavy-pace attack consisting of Yash Dayal and Rasikh Dar (as India seamers) alongside Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara and Lungi Ngidi.&nbsp;

While he made his name during his early days with now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI), Kumar became the superstar following his rise in the Indian jersey across formats and in SRH.&nbsp;

However, 15 years after his RCB debut (in 2009), Bhuvneshwar will return to his former IPL franchise.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, ace India seamer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) newest recruit, has picked a stunning hat-trick in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) for Uttar Pradesh.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, ace India seamer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) newest recruit, has picked a stunning hat-trick in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) for Uttar Pradesh. Playing against Jharkhand at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (Dec 5), the right-arm seamer completed his debut T20 hat-trick in the 17th over, bowling a maiden that piled pressure on the opposition. A complete team show helped UP the must-win game by ten runs. Giving Jharkhand a target of 161, Kumar began with his routine disciplined bowling, completing three overs inside the Powerplay for just six runs, though he remained wicketless. The overlooked India seamer returned to bowl the 17th over, picking his first T20 hat-trick by removing Robin Minz, Bal Krishna, and Vivek Anand Tiwari in consecutive deliveries. Besides, he bowled a maiden, completing his spell of 4-1-6-3. HAT-TRICK! Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3.3-6-3) Jharkhand 116/8 #JHAvUP #SMAT — BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 5, 2024 × With this hat trick, he became the fourth bowler this season after Akash Madhwal, Shreyas Gopal, and Felix Alemao to achieve this feat. ALSO READ: SMAT: Abhishek Sharma smashes record, scores joint-fastest T20 century by an Indian as Punjab beat Meghalaya Early in this tournament, Bhuvneshwar became the first Indian seamer and fourth overall to pick 300 or more wickets in T20s. He joined the elite list of Yuzvendra Chahal (364), Piyush Chawla (319), and Ravichandran Ashwin (310). Following this game, the UP captain now has 305 wickets besides his name. Bhuvneshwar to play for RCB in IPL 2025 The Indian new-ball quick will ply his trade for a new franchise from IPL 2025 onwards. Having represented the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a decade (2014-2024), wherein he won an IPL title in 2016, losing two finals since (2018 and 2024), Bhuvneshwar will now play for RCB, who purchased him for a whopping $1.26mn (INR 10.75 crore) at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Kumar will lead RCB’s heavy-pace attack consisting of Yash Dayal and Rasikh Dar (as India seamers) alongside Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara and Lungi Ngidi. While he made his name during his early days with now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI), Kumar became the superstar following his rise in the Indian jersey across formats and in SRH. However, 15 years after his RCB debut (in 2009), Bhuvneshwar will return to his former IPL franchise. (With inputs from agencies)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar completes maiden SMAT hat-trick after RCB’s bumper IPL deal

Prithvi Shaw,&nbsp;with a base price of INR 7.5 million (75 lakhs), went unsold in&nbsp;the recently held IPL 2025 mega auction&nbsp;in Saudi Arabia. The right-hander led India to a memorable U19 World Cup win in 2018 and was soon picked by the Delhi Daredevils (DD), now known as the Delhi Capitals (DC). He could, however,&nbsp;never cement his spot due to fitness and inconsistency. For India, Shaw made his debut in 2018, where he scored a hundred in his maiden Test, and last played in mid-2021. He has also been involved in many controversies, on and off the field, and faced a doping ban in 2020.&nbsp;Seeing Shaw's decline, post IPL 2025 auction, his childhood coach admitted that 'everything but his game rose'.

"He is just 25 years old. He still has age in his hand. He can bounce back with hard work if he wants to sustain in competitive cricket," Shaw's coach Santosh Pingutkar told ETV Bharat.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/lsg-owner-explains-why-he-broke-the-bank-for-rishabh-pant-hints-who-can-lead-franchise-in-ipl-2025-780832">LSG owner explains why he broke the bank for Rishabh Pant, hints who can lead franchise in IPL 2025</a>

Pingutkar added, "Other activities, everything but his game witnessed a rise. He was more involved in his groups outside cricket. But, no doubt he loves cricket. However, he wasn't able to convert his love for the game into his efforts. That's why he is witnessing such a lean phase. He should bounce back as soon as possible. Everyone's blessings are with him."

Left unsold in auction, Shaw&nbsp;continues to struggle, whereas his former colleagues Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, etc., have gone far ahead. The 25-year-old will be eager to move past the IPL snub and revamp his career. The right-hander, who has been compared with legends of the game, will be desperate to keep himself away from outside noise and work on his fitness in order&nbsp;to stage a memorable comeback.

Prithvi Shaw, with a base price of INR 7.5 million (75 lakhs), went unsold in the recently held IPL 2025 mega auction in Saudi Arabia. The right-hander led India to a memorable U19 World Cup win in 2018 and was soon picked by the Delhi Daredevils (DD), now known as the Delhi Capitals (DC).

Prithvi Shaw, with a base price of INR 7.5 million (75 lakhs), went unsold in the recently held IPL 2025 mega auction in Saudi Arabia. The right-hander led India to a memorable U19 World Cup win in 2018 and was soon picked by the Delhi Daredevils (DD), now known as the Delhi Capitals (DC). He could, however, never cement his spot due to fitness and inconsistency. For India, Shaw made his debut in 2018, where he scored a hundred in his maiden Test, and last played in mid-2021. He has also been involved in many controversies, on and off the field, and faced a doping ban in 2020. Seeing Shaw's decline, post IPL 2025 auction, his childhood coach admitted that 'everything but his game rose'. "He is just 25 years old. He still has age in his hand. He can bounce back with hard work if he wants to sustain in competitive cricket," Shaw's coach Santosh Pingutkar told ETV Bharat. Also read: LSG owner explains why he broke the bank for Rishabh Pant, hints who can lead franchise in IPL 2025 Pingutkar added, "Other activities, everything but his game witnessed a rise. He was more involved in his groups outside cricket. But, no doubt he loves cricket. However, he wasn't able to convert his love for the game into his efforts. That's why he is witnessing such a lean phase. He should bounce back as soon as possible. Everyone's blessings are with him." Left unsold in auction, Shaw continues to struggle, whereas his former colleagues Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, etc., have gone far ahead. The 25-year-old will be eager to move past the IPL snub and revamp his career. The right-hander, who has been compared with legends of the game, will be desperate to keep himself away from outside noise and work on his fitness in order to stage a memorable comeback.

'More involved in groups....', Prithvi Shaw's coach on his decline, says 'everything but his game rose'

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