IPL 2025: Everything You Need to Know

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicks off on March 22, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens. The tournament will feature 74 matches across 13 cities, culminating in the final on May 25 in Kolkata.

Big changes mark this season. Five teams have new captains: Shreyas Iyer now leads Punjab Kings (PBKS), Ajinkya Rahane takes over at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rishabh Pant captains Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Axar Patel leads Deccan Chargers (DC), and Rajat Patidar helms Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Temporary leadership changes include Suryakumar Yadav replacing Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians) for one game and Riyan Parag leading RR (Rajasthan Royals) while Sanju Samson recovers.

As in 2024, Delhi Capitals will split home games between Delhi and Visakhapatnam, Punjab Kings between Mullanpur and Dharamsala, and Rajasthan Royals between Jaipur and Guwahati. The format remains unchanged: teams are divided into two groups, playing 14 matches each before the top four advance to the playoffs. Evening matches start at 7:30 PM IST, while afternoon double-headers begin at 3:30 PM IST.

Key player transfers include KL Rahul to DC, Yuzvendra Chahal to PBKS, R Ashwin to CSK, and Mohammed Siraj to GT. Among the most expensive buys, Pant topped the auction at INR 27 crore, followed by Iyer (Rs 26.75 crore) and Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 23.75 crore). And will this be MS Dhoni’s last IPL? Only time will tell.

New rules include the return of saliva use on the ball and Hawk-Eye for wides and no-balls. Major absentees due to injuries include Jasprit Bumrah and Harry Brook.

Catch the action live on Star Sports and JioCinema in India, Sky Sports in the UK, Fox Sports in Australia, and Willow TV in the US.