The Indian Premier League is back again, and we have some big stars looking to shine in cricket’s biggest franchise league in the world.
2025 was the year Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bangalore finally got their hands on the title after 17 years.
Rajat Patidar’s side beat the Punjab Kings in the final by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
RCB’s first title made them the eighth team to win the tournament.
They finished second in the League phase, and also became the first team in the tournament’s history to win all of their away matches in a season.
This was also one of the most anticipated title wins of all time, as the franchise had previously made it to three finals, but had not crossed the finishing line.
New Rules?
At night, conditions in India cool, which then produces dew on the surface. Therefore at the halfway point of each innings, the fielding team will be allowed to change the ball.
Interestingly, the teams will not be allowed to practice on match days. They can do individual warm-up routines, e.g. jogging/stretches off the field.
There are three main reasons for this:
- Protects pitch quality for matches
- Fair access for both teams
- Streamlines logistics — less crowding on the field before games
That is actually an interesting change, as although it may look like a good idea, it’s slightly controversial because it disrupts the game plan for both teams, i.e., should they bat or bowl first if they win the toss?
We’ll have to see whether this new rule works.
Most Expensive Buy- Cameron Green To KKR- INR 25.20 CRORES = £2.04 million
The tall Australian seam bowling All-Rounder hits the big bucks in this season’s tournament, with his big money move from RCB.
Green has played 29 games in the IPL and scored 707 runs at a strike rate of 153.70, including two fifties and a century.
He also has 16 wickets at an average of 45.50 and an economy of 9.08.
His best stint came with the Mumbai Indians in 2023, where he scored 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 in 16 games.
Even though his bowling figures were slightly better at RCB, most of his match-winning contributions came in the city of Bollywood.
He featured at the T20 World Cup, but had a mediocre tournament, with just 24 runs in three matches.
You could turn around and say, “Well, why is he getting paid that amount of money then?’, but here’s the real reason.
First of all, as he had a good debut season with MI, IPL franchises prioritise League performance over International form.
Second, because of his multiple skill sets in batting and bowling.
Third, because he adds flexibility to team balance.
Fourth, he is 26 years old, which makes him perfect for grooming from a talent into a real superstar of the future.
And fifth, because of the difference between the roles in franchise and international cricket, where you don’t always have a designated role, you have to adapt.
So it’s not just form that pays the hefty money, it’s all those things lifted above that paint the real picture. Kind of like the Transfer Window in football, but with a live auction taking place and shorter contracts.
KISHAN GETS FIRST GLIMPSE OF CAPTAINCY AT Senior Level
With Pat Cummins missing the part of the tournament due to his recovery from a lumber stress issue, which also ruled him out of the T20 World Cup, Ishan Kishan will temporarily step into his shoes.
Kishan was one of India’s standout players in the World Cup, scoring 317 runs at a strike rate of 193.29, the fourth-highest in the tournament.
He scored nine fifties, with a highest score of 77 in the group stage match against Pakistan.
Will the burden of Captaincy disrupt his outstanding form?
In terms of his experience in Captaincy, Kishan had a successful stint at the youth level, leading India U19 to the 2015/16 World Cup.
India reached the final but lost to the West Indies by five wickets.
This is also the first season in which each franchise is captained by an Indian, regardless of whether the role is interim or permanent.
What kind of impact will it have on the tournament?
Perhaps it’s another example of how deep Indian Cricket is, not just in players but in leaders as well.
Magnificent Muzarabani Earns IPL CONTRACT
The Zimbabwean speedster was one of the stars of the T20 World Cup, hence it is to know surprised the has has earned an IPL contract by the Kolkata Knight Riders, as a replacement for Bangladesh speedster Mustafizur Rahman.
Muzarabani took 13 wickets in six matches at the World Cup, including the 4-17, to stun Australia in the Group Stages.
Muzarabani is also the fifth Zimbabwean to feature in the IPL, after Sikandar Raza, Tatenda Taibu, Ray Price, and Brendan Taylor.
Can he continue to impress?
So these are the latest major updates heading into the 2026 Indian Premier League.
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