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The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin with high anticipation, but several star players, including Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, will miss the opening matches.
The tournament will kick off on Saturday at Eden Gardens, where defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first of 74 matches scheduled over nine weeks. The final is set to be played on May 25, with Kolkata hosting two knockout games as well.
Bumrah, Pandya to Miss Season Opener
Mumbai Indians (MI) will face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, but they will be without their ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who is still recovering from a lower back injury sustained during India’s tour of Australia earlier this year. His absence is a major setback for Mumbai, as he is considered the world’s top fast bowler. Reports suggest he could miss at least one-third of the season.
Adding to Mumbai’s woes, their newly appointed captain, Hardik Pandya, is also unavailable for the high-profile match due to a one-game suspension. Pandya is serving a penalty for maintaining a slow-over rate during the final game of IPL 2024. In his absence, vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team.
New Captaincy Roles and Big Money Players
This season will see several leadership changes. Rishabh Pant, who was the most expensive player at the IPL auction at $3.12 million, will captain Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to the title last year, will now captain Punjab Kings after Kolkata decided not to retain him.
“I personally felt I didn’t get the recognition I deserved after winning the IPL,” Iyer stated after his move. He will reunite with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, with whom he previously worked at Delhi Capitals.
Other captaincy changes include Ajinkya Rahane leading KKR and Axar Patel taking charge at Delhi Capitals.
Kohli Backs New RCB Captain Rajat Patidar
Royal Challengers Bengaluru has named Rajat Patidar as their new captain, replacing Faf du Plessis. Patidar, a middle-order batter, made his Test debut for India in 2024 and has quickly risen through the ranks.
Virat Kohli, retained by RCB for $2.4 million, expressed confidence in Patidar’s leadership. “He is an amazing talent with a great cricketing mind. He will do a great job for this franchise,” Kohli said at an RCB event.
MS Dhoni Returns, 13-Year-Old to Make History
At 43, former Indian captain MS Dhoni is set to return to the IPL, playing for CSK. As per IPL rules, a player retired from international cricket for over five years is classified as “uncapped,” but Dhoni remains a crucial asset for Chennai.
Meanwhile, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi is set to become the youngest player in IPL history. He was picked by Rajasthan Royals for $125,000 after a competitive bidding war.
Controversial IPL Rule Change
A recent IPL rule change has sparked debate after England’s Harry Brook withdrew from the tournament for personal reasons. Under the new policy, any player who withdraws without an injury or board-related restrictions could be banned from the IPL for three seasons. This means Brook might be unable to participate until 2028.
Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali supported the rule, stating, “Many players have withdrawn late in the past and then re-entered the IPL for better financial deals. It messes up team planning.”
Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has revolutionized T20 cricket, attracting the world’s top talent. This year, teams had a $14.3 million budget to build their squads, with a maximum of 25 players per team and restrictions on overseas players.
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