The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 promises to be a spectacle like never before. With teams undergoing a major revamp following the mega auction in November, fans are eagerly anticipating the new-look squads and the thrilling matchups ahead. This season, each franchise was permitted to retain a maximum of six players, including the Right-To-Match (RTM) option, while the rest of the squad was assembled through the high-stakes auction.
Stealing the spotlight was Rishabh Pant, who made history by becoming the most expensive player ever in an IPL auction. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) went all-in for the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, securing him for a whopping Rs 27 crore.
While an official schedule for the season is yet to be released, as per a report y Cricbuzz, the 18th edition of the IPL is likely to commence on March 22. Ten teams will compete in 74 matches across a span of two months. The IPL final is set to be played in Kolkata on May 25, the report further said. The official schedule announcement has been delayed by the BCCI but it is set to release next week.
IPL 2025 Teams
As IPL season kicks off on March 22, here’s a quick look at the IPL teams and their captains:
| IPL Team | New Captain | Previous Captain |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | Rajat Patidar | Faf du Plessis |
| Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | Ruturaj Gaikwad | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | To be announced | Shreyas Iyer |
| Punjab Kings (PBKS) | Shreyas Iyer | Shikhar Dhawan |
| Lucknow Super Giant (LSG) | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | To be announced | Rishabh Pant |
| Gujarat Titans (GT) | Shubman Gill | Shubman Gill |
| Mumbai Indian (MI) | Hardik Pandya | Hardik Pandya |
| Rajasthan Royals (RR) | Sanju Samson | Sanju Samson |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | Pat Cummins | Pat Cummins |
Five time IPL champion, the Chennai Super Kings retained their previous captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad. Whereas Delhi Capitals and 2024 IPL winners, Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to announce their team captains.
KKR vs RCB – March 22
As a norm, the season opener will feature the defending champions in their home city. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will open at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The reigning team will compete against, Rajat Patidar led RCB. RCB has not registered a win yet in 18 seasons as fans hope to see a change under the new captain.
The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has ten primary venues including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi among others. Guwahati and Dharamshala have also been added to the season’s venues this year. Changes in captains, venues and rules, IPL 2025 is set to be an eventful season. As fans prepare to support their home-teams, the complete schedule is yet to be announced by the BCCI.