The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League will be played in 2025, as it is scheduled to begin on the 21st of March. The IPL, considered one of the greatest leagues in the world in terms of franchise-level T20 cricket, has turned out to be a massive platform for younger talents from around the world. 
The IPL has given high standards to players like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Maxwell">Glenn Maxwell</a>, David Miller, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan, who later went on to establish themselves as greats of the game in international cricket. 
Many senior players and Indian domestic scouts look out for and keep track of the domestic games that recognize junior uncapped players who are instead picked in the IPL mega-auction. 
<h2 dir="ltr"></h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Top scouted players who can make it big post the IPL 2025:</h2>

<h3 dir="ltr">Jacob Bethell </h3>
The English batting all-rounder, Bethell, has been a standout talent in international cricket. The player stepped up from the English Vitality T20 Blast, and later the world witnessed his rise in both T20, ODI, and test cricket for England, as the kiddo has made his mark across all formats. 
Currently, Bethell is being seen making his mark in Australia in the ongoing Big Bash League while he is about to make his debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. 
<h3 dir="ltr">Anshul Kamboj </h3>
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202501/image_430x256_67848209821ff.jpg" alt="" width="791" height="492">
Anhsul Kamboj starred in IPL 2024 for the Mumbai Indians (Image Credit: X)
The player who made his debut in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians has been picked up by the Chennai Super Kings for the upcoming season of the IPL in 2025. Kamboj has been a stunning player in the T20 domestic tournament in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, while he also left his mark in the Duleep Trophy and the Ranji Trophy as well. 
He recently made the cut of news headlines as he picked all 10 wickets in a single innings of a test match and made it to the unique record books. Kamboj is sure to earn some name for himself after his contributions with both bat and ball. 
<h3 dir="ltr">Vipraj Nigam</h3>
The youngster has been stunning with his recent performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and later in the UP T20 League. Nigam does not have stats in his favour; while he has been a superb hitter of the white ball, his services have also been outstanding with the promising medium pace he bowls. 
<h3 dir="ltr">Allah Ghazanfar </h3>
Mumbai Indians have picked the young Afghan spinner as their lead spin option if Mitchell Santner is not featured in the games. Ghazanfar is known to have taken the place of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, as the new off-spinner has brought immense glory to the Afghan team. 
The spinner might excel in the subcontinent and hence might be a standout player to look after the IPL 2025 concludes. 
<h3 dir="ltr">Suryansh Shedge</h3>
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202501/image_430x256_6784827bb9d5a.jpg" alt="" width="786" height="489">
The explosive down the order batsman for Mumbai (Image Credit: India Today)
Promising down the order, batting all-rounder Shedge has been a stunning performer down the order while the batter has played for the Mumbai team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. On many occasions, the batter has played with a strike rate of over 250 in the shortest format. 
While with the ball, he has been effective as well and has picked wickets at regular intervals. Shedge has been picked by the Punjab Kings for a very minor cost, though his effectiveness will be a major effort to watch out for in the upcoming season of the IPL. 
ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/rohit-sharma-categorically-tells-selector-he-wants-to-captain-india-in-tests-and-odis-till-/"> Rohit Sharma informs selectors that he will remain India's test and ODI captain until they can find a replacement for the skipper </a>

A look into the underdog players picked for IPL 2025 who can excel in this season

The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League will be played in 2025, as the IPL 2025 is scheduled to begin on the 21st of March. The IPL, considered one of the greatest leagues in the world in terms of franchise-level T20 cricket, has turned out to be a massive platform for younger underdog talents from around the world. 

Top 5 underdog talents who can be star favourite players post IPL 2025

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is regarded as the best T20 league in the entire and whenever a season of IPL arrives, a lot of excitement and buzz is created among the fans as they get the chance to watch the best players compete with each other and play with each other in the same team. 
We all know the kind of destruction which the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers in RCB, Lasith Malinga, Rohit Sharma in MI and Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni and Ravinchandran Ashwin in CSK have created together by playing in the same team and this is the reason why the IPL is the richest and the moust sought out league in the entire world. 
When we talk about this tournament, we talk about teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). But, whenever the term IPL is mentioned, the first name which comes on our mind, is Mumbai Indians (MI). 
The Mumbai based team are regarded as one of the the best teams to ever play in the history of the tournament and they are also the joint most successful team, having lifted the IPL trophy five times, a feat which has been matched by just the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for now.
Mumbai had a really good pre auction and an amazing Mega-Auction too. They retained their Indian core of Rohit Sharma, Captain Hardik Pandya, the best T20 bowler in the world Jasprit Bumrah, best T20 batter in the world Suryakumar Yadav and the next big thing in Indian Cricket Tilak Varma. These retentions just showed that the Mumbai based team mean business and they are here to dominate. 
Talking about the Mega-Auction, they purchased a total of 18 players in the auction and have set up a deadly 23-member squad ahead of IPL 2025. They made some really smart and strategic moves in the auction which have allowed them to build a strong, experienced and a really balanced squad. 
The kind of players which they have managed to purchase in the Mega-Auction feels like Mumbai have installed cheat codes in their squad like the ones we use in GTA games. It's really hard to find a weakness in their team and they would surely not settle for yet another trophy less season. Let's analyze their full IPL 2025 squad and their chances of lifting the IPL Trophy for a record 6th time. 
<h2>IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians (MI) squad analysis</h2>
<h4>Excellent Batting unit</h4>
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202501/image_430x256_677bf9fbeda7e.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="248" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
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<div>When players like Suryakumar Yadav, a former #1 T20 International ranked player, Rohit Sharma, a T20 World Cup winning captain and Tilak Varma, a guy who is scoring centuries for fun in the International circuit are a part of your team, your batting unit is bound to be strong. Having a strong Indian Core is a luxury which only few IPL teams can afford and the Mumbai based team is one of them. </div>
</div>
Naman Dhir is another young talent who proved himself last season with his big hitting abilities and his presence will further add more strength to the already strong Mumbai Indians batting. In the auction, the Ambanis managed to secure the services of swashbuckling England batter Will Jacks for a dirt cheap price tag of 5 crore Indian rupees and he's the one who scored a brilliant century for RCB last season and he will surely provide even more solidity to batting unit of MI. 
A strong batting unit like this will surely allow MI to post 200+ runs scores on the board for fun and bowling to them is going to be a nightmare for the rest of the IPL teams.
Solid Power Hitters
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202501/image_430x256_677bfa84c17ba.jpg" alt="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
Mumbai Indians (MI) is a franchise who loves to have strong power hitters in their squad and we all know the love story between MI and Kieron Pollard. While Pollard has retired and has entered the support staff of the franchise, MI haven't lost their love for strong power hitters and captain Hardik Pandya, wicketkeeper batsman Robin Minz and Ryan Rickelton will be playing those roles. 
While Rickelton might open the inning alongside Rohit, his power hitting abilities are unmatched and this makes him a special player and the Wankhede Crowd will absolutely love to catch his big hits in the stands. 
Captain Hardik Pandya needs no introduction and we all know what kind of an impact he has had for the franchise whenever he has played for them. While the last season was a tough one for him in maiden season as the captain of the team, Junior Pandya has redeemed himself by helping the Indian team lift the T20 World Cup trophy for the 2nd time and by doing this, he has also managed to rediscover his lost mojo. 
The skipper being in his well known destructive form is what the MI management would want from him and his captaincy skills are proven too, having helped the Gujarat Titans (GT) lift the trophy in their very first season in 2022. The 31-year-old would surely want to lift the IPL trophy once again and he would love to do that with the Mumbai Indians (MI) once again. 
Talking about Robin Minz, this guy hailing from Ranchi, Jharkhand, the hometown of the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a special player. Many media outlets and fans have named him as the 'Chris Gayle of Ranchi' and there's a reason behind that. He is a player who knows how to attack the ball from the word go and his T20 career strike rate of 181.1 is a proof of that. 
Minz's big hitting abilities will surely benefit the MI Franchise a lot as the ground of Wankhede is not that big and it's easy to play your shots freely there and the 22-year-old will surely love batting at the home ground of MI. The crowd will surely go bonkers seeing this youngster hit those big shots with perfection and precision. Alongside his batting skills, he is a capable wicketkeeper too and he will surely be donning those wicketkeeping gloves for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2025.
<h4>Outstanding bowling unit</h4>
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Elite Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah made his debut for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2013 and he has become an important part of the franchise since then. His presence in the bowling unit makes it strong automatically and the kind of form the seamer is in currently, MI would surely be unstoppable. 
But the thing which makes their team overpowered and it almost feels like they have applied GTA cheat codes here is that the Ambanis managed to secure the services of former CSK bowler Deepak Chahar and the legendary Kiwi seamer Trent Boult. 
The addition of these two players is a masterstroke and opposition batters are going to have a tough time handling this deadly BBC combo of MI. Deepak and Boult will be seen handling the new ball bowling duties for the team and this gives the luxury to captain Hardik Pandya to introduce Bumrah in the middle overs and let him do his dirty work. 
Boult is not a stranger to the franchise, having helped them lift the IPL trophy in 2020 and he will surely be more than happy to help the Hardik Pandya-led team lift the title for a record 6th time. He also has a knack of making hit opponents witness football scores in the first six overs and watching him do this to teams at the friendly conditions of the Wankhede would surely make the crowd go wild. 
Deepak Chahar on the other hand is going to prove to be the perfect bowling partner for Boult. Chahar is known for making the ball move in both directions and this ability of his came into the limelight when he made his debut for CSK in 2018 and guess what, Chennai won the IPL in that season too. The 32-year-old loves to bowl on decks which offer a lot of swing and he will surely love to make the ball talk on the Wankhede pitch. 
Coming to the spin department, this is a department which has haunted the Mumbai Indians (MI) since IPL 2022. Ever since the departure of Krunal Pandya, a big hole was left in the squad of MI and the team management struggled to fill up this hole. They tried many spinners but it didn't work our for them. 
But this time around though, things are looking different and really good for Mumbai. They managed to pick Santner, Allah Ghazanfar and Karn Sharma in the Mega-Auction and these spinners are looking really promising. 
Santner had a solid Test-Series versus India where he completely demolished the Indian batting unit with his variations and this will surely work to his advantage as he knows the Indian pitches quite well. While he has featured on a sporadic basis for the CSK in the IPL previously, this will surely change with the Mumbai based team this around as they will be relying on his skills and experience to help them lift the title for the 6th time. 
Allah Ghazanfar on the other hand, is a young mystery spinner who is wrecking havoc. He is just 18-years-old and has already made his One-Day International debut, dismissing 21 batters in 11 contests. Not only this, he has also picked up 29 scalps in 16 T20 games which proves how talented the Afghanistan spinner is. The future is looking really bright for the youngster and under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, he will surely be seen wrecking havoc with the ball. 
Talking about Karn Sharma, this guy needs no introduction, we all know him as the trophy magnet in the IPL. He has lifted the IPL trophy at least once with each franchise he has represented in the tournament's history, except RCB. He played for RCB last season but even his trophy magent magic wasn't enough to help the franchise lift their maiden IPL Trophy XD. 
While he's 38-years-old already, you won't expect him to start over Ghazanfar or Santner but his experience will surely prove to be helpful for the franchise. 
<h2>IPL 2025: Will Mumbai Indians end their 4 year trophy drought? </h2>
By assembling a really strong and balanced squad, the Mumbai Indians (MI) are looking like a really strong and threatening team. Teams will hate batting &amp; bowling versus the Hardin Pandya-led team and even in away games, they can field a suitable 11 which will give them a solid chance of winning the matches. All in all, it surely looks like the Mumbai Indians (MI) will be lifting the IPL Trophy for a record 6th time.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2025-3-teams-who-have-the-strongest-batting-unit-they-can-blow-away-any-bowling-attack/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL 2025: 3 Teams who have the strongest batting unit, they can blow away any bowling attack</a>

The duo of Rohit and Hardik will play an important role in helping MI win their 6th IPL Trophy

The Mumbai Indians (MI) haven't won the IPL since 2020 and they would be desperate to end their trophy less drought in the 2025 edition of the tournament

IPL 2025: Will the Mumbai Indians lift the Trophy in IPL 2025? Will their 4 year trophy drought end finally?

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MI Squad IPL 2025: After a below-average season in the IPL 2024, the Mumbai Indians are set to ablaze fire in the IPL 2025 with an action-packed squad prepared at the auction table on 24, and 25 November. 
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Aakash Ambani and Neeta Ambani, alongside the MI management team, approached the auction table with crystal-clear priorities. Their confidence was evident as they seemed well-prepared, knowing exactly which players they wanted and the precise limits they were willing to push to secure them.
They were mostly inactive in the Marque set of the players but had a clear-cut picture of when, and for whom to raise the paddle. MI already had 5 best players in the form of retention, now they have added plenty of star players for the upcoming season. 
Let's take a look at the MI Squad for the Upcoming IPL 2025:
<h2>MI Squad For IPL 2025</h2>
Trent Boult is back in the squad and they went up to 9 Cr for Deepak Chahar as well, that made a clear bowling lineup of Bumrah, Boult, and Chahar. They also roped in Allah Ghazanfar, the mystery spinner from Afghanistan, Naman Dhir, and Will Jacks for an absolute steal. 
<table border="1">
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col">
Player
</th>
<th scope="col">
Price
</th>
<th scope="col">
Country
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Jasprit Bumrah
</td>
<td>
Rs. 18 Cr
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Suryakumar Yadav
</td>
<td>
Rs. 16.35 Cr
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Hardik Pandya
</td>
<td>
Rs. 16.35 Cr
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Rohit Sharma
</td>
<td>
Rs. 16.30 Cr
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Tilak Varma
</td>
<td>
Rs. 8 Cr
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Trent Boult
</td>
<td>
Rs. 12.50 Cr
</td>
<td>
New Zealand
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Naman Dhir
</td>
<td>
Rs. 5.25 Cr
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Robin Minz
</td>
<td>
Rs. 65 lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Karan Sharma
</td>
<td>
Rs. 50 lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Deepak Chahar
</td>
<td>
Rs. 9.25 Cr
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Ryan Rickelton
</td>
<td>
Rs. 1 Cr
</td>
<td>
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Allah Ghazanfar
</td>
<td>
Rs. 4.80 Cr
</td>
<td>
Afghanistan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Will Jacks
</td>
<td>
Rs. 5.25 Cr
</td>
<td>
England
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Ashwani Kumar
</td>
<td>
Rs. 30 lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Mitchell Santner
</td>
<td>
Rs. 2 Cr
</td>
<td>
New Zealand
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Reece Topley
</td>
<td>
Rs. 75 lakh
</td>
<td>
England
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
KL Shrijith
</td>
<td>
Rs. 30 lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Raj Angad Bawa
</td>
<td>
Rs. 30 Lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Bevon Jacobs
</td>
<td>
Rs. 30 Lakh 
</td>
<td>
New Zealand
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Venkata Penmetsa
</td>
<td>
Rs. 30 Lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Arjun Tendulkar
</td>
<td>
Rs. 30 lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Lizaad Williams
</td>
<td>
Rs. 75 Lakh
</td>
<td>
West Indies
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Vignesh Puthur
</td>
<td>
Rs. 30Lakh
</td>
<td>
India
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>SWOT Analysis of MI Squad</h2>
Having just 45 Cr INR in the Auction, many ruled out Mumbai Indians if they could fight for big names. Instead, Mumbai Indians played smart and went for slightly unpopular but lethal names in the world of cricket. The headline-grabbing moment of the auction was Trent Boult's homecoming, secured for an impressive ₹12.5 crore. MI utilized their RTM card to retain Naman Dhir for ₹5.25 crore, brought in Robin Minz for ₹65 lakh, and added experienced bowler Karn Sharma to their lineup for a bargain ₹50 lakh.
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202412/image_430x256_674eb20a765b8.jpg" alt="">
<ul>
<li>Batters: Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Bevon Jacobs</li>
<li>Wicketkeepers: Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton, Krishnan Shrijith</li>
<li>All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur</li>
<li>Fast bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Raju, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams</li>
<li>Spinners: Karn Sharma, Allah Ghazanfar</li>
</ul>
<h3>STRENGTHS of MI Squad</h3>
The Mumbai Indians’ batting lineup is a force to be reckoned with, guaranteed to send chills through any opposition. With stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Tilak Verma, SKY, Naman Dhir, and Hardik Pandya leading the charge, the firepower is relentless.
While Ishan Kishan's absence might be felt, Robin Minz steps in as a wildcard capable of dismantling any bowling attack on his day. This batting unit is primed to cross the 200-run mark repeatedly in the upcoming season.
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202412/image_430x256_674eb1a4f1621.jpg" alt="">
But MI isn't just about batting dominance—their pace attack is equally fearsome. The lethal trio of Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, and Jasprit Bumrah will pose a significant challenge for every team they face. Though the spin department seems less imposing, Ghazanfar has the potential to emerge as the game-changer, adding balance to this formidable squad.
<h3>WEAKNESSES of MI Squad</h3>
Honestly, this Mumbai Indians squad appears nearly flawless. If there's any area for concern, it might be their relatively inexperienced lower-middle order when it comes to finishing games. However, with a top five as stacked as theirs, finishing the game shouldn’t be an issue under normal circumstances. This lineup is built to dominate on most days, making it a formidable force in the upcoming season.
<h3>OPPORTUNITIES in the MI Squad</h3>
The Mumbai Indians squad is packed with well-known stars, making it a dream opportunity for young talents to share the camp and learn from the best. With such a balanced and powerful lineup, MI stands as a strong contender to clinch the trophy for an unprecedented sixth time, solidifying their legacy in the league.
<h3>THREATS for MI Squad</h3>
The lack of backup options is a threat that many teams in the upcoming IPL might suffer. If Trent Bould gets injured, there isn't a perfect replacement for him, and similar for many other players. This might be the only threat one can figure out in the squad.
READ:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2025-2-players-who-can-become-the-next-captain-of-rcb-if-virat-kohli-refuses-to-lead-the-team/"> 2 players who can become the next captain of RCB if Virat Kohli refuses to lead the team</a>
SOURCE- <a href="https://www.mumbaiindians.com/">MI OFFICIAL</a>
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Mumbai Indians, the five-time champion side, stole the show at the auction as they made their rock-solid squad even with a smaller purse remaining. Read below for the players and their prices and full SWOT analysis. 

Retaining the five best players before the auction and acquiring plenty of players in the Auction have made the Mumbai Indians one of the best squads of the IPL 2025 on paper.

IPL 2025: MI Squad, Players, Prices, and Full SWOT analysis 

ipl-2025-mi-squad-players-prices-and-full-swot-analysis

The IPL 2025 mega-auction marked every franchise bringing in some new players in their squads, while many teams are also in the hunt for a new player in the role of a skipper. 
 
Though every team has included the likes of several players in their squad, they are yet to announce who would be seen in a captain’s role. Likes of great <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Dhoni">MS Dhoni</a> and Rohit Sharma, the most successful among IPL skippers, have now decided to end their role as they continue to feature for their sides as players. 
 
With five of the franchises being certain over their captains, only the likes of the remaining sides are looking for a new captain, while some teams’ like the Punjab Kings went all loose to acquire the likes of last season's title-winning skipper Shreyas Iyer. 
 
<h2 dir="ltr">Let's see a list of skipper choices from all 10 franchises:</h2>
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Chennai Super Kings</h3>
 
CSK have been the most legendary side in the history of the IPL under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, and now the captaincy has passed onto the next generation of players in Ruturaj Gaikwad. Gaikwad will continue in the role of captain. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Mumbai Indians</h3>
 
The veteran all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, who replaced Rohit Sharma as the MI skipper, would once again be resuming duties in the IPL as the skipper, having the national skippers, SKY and Rohit Sharma, play under him. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Gujarat Titans</h3>
 
The Gujarat Titans have included several new players in the role, while Shubman Gill, the rising Indian sensation, remains to be the captain of the side, as per speculations made. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
 
The SRH side was led by World Cup-winning skipper Pat Cummins last season, as he led them to another final against the KKR, which they eventually lost. The skipper was retained with a whopping INR 18 crore and will resume his duties. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Rajasthan Royals</h3>
 
Sanju Samson, the skipper of the Royals side, seems fixed from the last few years, and he will continue to do so while also being their prime gloveman and opening batter. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Lucknow Super Giants</h3>
 
The LSG side looked very interested in Rishabh Pant, as they spent almost 1/3rd of their remaining purse, as Pant was included for a whopping INR 27 crore. However, if reports were to be considered and Pant unwilling to continue as skipper, then he might be seen playing under Nicholas Pooran; otherwise, Pant would take up captaincy for LSG from IPL 2025. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Delhi Capitals</h3>
 
The Capitals have made choices that seem to be significant for their future, as KL Rahul, who was swapped in from LSG to the Capitals squad, might be considered their ideal option for the role of the Capitals skipper. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Royal Challengers Bangalore</h3>
 
RCB are in the biggest dilemma over their choice of skipper, having not retained Faf. Earlier speculations suggested that Virat Kohli might be resuming his role as the skipper; however, no confirmed reports have been made from either end of the player or the management. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Punjab Kings</h3>
 
The Punjab Kings have not included Shreyas Iyer just for fun, as Iyer, the captain with the defending title, was bought in for a whopping INR 26.75 crore to be termed the captain of the side under Ponting. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
 
The defending champions have let go of their skipper and are not looking to bring any such player who can be decisive as a captain, Sunil Narine who captains their other sides, Andre Russell, while also their heavily invested Venkatesh Iyer, all would stand a chance to be seen in the role of a skipper. 

ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2025-csk-squad-after-auction-players-prices-and-full-swot-analysis/">Chennai Super Kings Full Team SWOT analysis </a>

Let's take a good look at the players who can fit into the shoes of a captain.

Like Virat Kohli resuming as RCB captain, Hardik Pandya continuing as MI skipper, and Shreyas Iyer moving to PBKS as their skipper, let's take a good look at the players who can fit into the shoes of a captain.

Before the action resumes for IPL 2025, let's look at the possible choices for the franchises in the role of a skipper.

IPL 2025: Predicted Captains of All 10 Franchises for the upcoming season of the IPL

IPL-2025:-Predicted-Captains-of-All-10-Franchises-for-the-upcoming-season-of-the-IPL

The IPL 2025 mega-auctions marked one of the biggest auctions in the history of the IPL, consisting of one of the largest pools of players in over a decade. Every franchise included a huge bunch of players, as over 200 players went sold in the auction. 
 
This time around, a huge entrustment in Indian pacers was shown by the IPL franchises, as several Indian as well as overseas pacers went for some immense amount of money. From Arshdeep Singh’s whopping 18 crores to Mohammad Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Mohammed Shami getting a double-digit bid for the first time, the Indian pacers specially aced the IPL mega-auction. 
 
Among overseas options as well, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Boult">Trent Boult</a>, Jofra Archer, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazelwood emerged as a few of the most heavily invested bowlers, over whom teams went on to spend a huge amount of their purses. 
 
<h2 dir="ltr">Let’s rate every team based on their Pace bowling deck:</h2>
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Chennai Super Kings: Mateesha Pathirana, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurjapneet Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, and Anshul Kamboj. </h3>
 
Rating: 7/10
 
Though the Chennai Super Kings have one of the finest blends of pace and spin on their side, their pace deck looks a bit inexperienced. With the Lankan speedster Pathirana leading from the front, Khaleel Ahmed and Anhsul Kamboj, who recently gained stardom owing to his 10-wicket in a single inning, might turn out to be options sharing the new ball. 
 
While English all-rounders Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, and Aussie ace T20I bowler Nathan Ellis seem to be the backup options for CSK if their bowling trio fails to capitalize. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Royal Challengers Bangalore: Josh Hazelwood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Romario Shepherd, Rasikh Dar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thusara, and Lungi Ngidi</h3>
 
Rating: 7/10
 
Rating: Owing to their lack of interest in spinners, the Challengers are not left with much except Krunal Pandya on their side. Hence, in the bowling deck, RCB would go with an all-pace attack, with experienced Bhuvi and Hazelwood leading alongside the two young Indian stars Yash and Rasikh Dar. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Rajasthan Royals: Jofra Archer, Yudhvir Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tushar Deshpande, and Akash Madhwal. </h3>
 
Rating: 7/10
 
The Royals came much later into the party, and their biggest among bids lay in Jofra Archer, the ex-Royals pace bowler who was brought back into the side. Meanwhile, Afghan pacer Farooqi might back up Archer owing to his prone injury status. 
 
Tushar Deshpande The rising talent from the CSK academy and Sandeep Sharma might be crucial to the team alongside Madhwal and Yudhvir, all not eminent yet aspiring names in the history of the game. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Delhi Capitals: Mitchell Starc, Thangarasu Natrajan, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, and Dusmantha Chameera. </h3>
 
Rating: 8/10
 
The Delhi Capitals do not have the most promising bowling lineup, as they have the least number of pacers on their side. Still, with a fine set of picks, they have included the hot favourites in the last auction's biggest buy, Mitchell Starc, and Indian medium pacers Mukesh Kumar and Natrajan as their other key seamers. 
 
Mohit Sharma played a very vital role for the Gujarat Titans last season during the death overs, while Natrajan and Mukesh were also the finest with the ball during the end phase. Now they would all play for the Delhi Capitals. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Kolkata Knight Riders: Harshit Rana, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Spencer Johnson, and Umran Malik. </h3>
 
Rating: 8/10
 
The Kolkata Knight Riders have almost retained their entire deck of quick bowlers in Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora, the stars who bowled last time alongside the Aussie speedster. The Protea pacer Nortje or Aussie left-arm seamer Spencer Johnson might be placed to replace Starc in the XI. Umran Malik brings a raw pace alongside him; however, his way into the team doesn’t seem very likely, especially in the presence of an additional golden arm from Andre Russell. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, NK Reddy, Brydon Carse, Simarjeet Singh, and Eshan Malinga. </h3>
 
Rating: 8/10
 
The Sunrisers Hyderabad have completely brought in new players to their bowling side alongside skipper Pat Cummins. Cummins will be leading a pace attack now comprised of another experienced hat, Mohammed Shami. 
 
Harshal Patel, the highest wicket-taker from the seasons of 2022 and 2024, will now be seen for the Orange Army, alongside fellow all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, currently dominating Aussies in the BGT. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Lucknow Super Giants: Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Shamar Joseph, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Mitchell Marsh, and Digvesh Singh</h3>
 
Rating: 8/10
 
The Lucknow Super Giants, having bought Rishabh Pant, were not left with much to invest in a lot of talented pacers; hence, though their pace deck doesn’t look fancy, it seems of great futuristic scope, especially under Zaheer Khan, the new LSG mentor. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Punjab Kings: Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, and Lockie Ferguson. </h3>
 
Rating: 9/10
 
Punjab Kings have used their RTM to bring back their most trustworthy bowler, Arshdeep Singh, currently India’s most budding player in the shortest format. While alongside him, Marco Jansen, the lanky fast bowler from South Africa, will be an asset to Ponting’s side. 
 
Their deck would also comprise Vyshak, Stoinis the all-rounder, Omarzai, Hardie, Lockie Ferguson, and Yash Thakur, who among the main seamers can be of immense importance. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya, Raj Angad Bawa, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Reece Topley, and Lizaad Williams. </h3>
 
Rating: 9.5/10
 
Undoubtedly, the Mumbai Indians are one of the deadliest-looking teams when their bowling deck is considered. Other than their pacers, the overall team looks stunning on the team sheets. 
 
Led by world-class pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah, the MI pace deck will now have the services of Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult sharing the new ball in the powerplay, while middle-overs can have Pandya at the best services he can provide. 
 
<h3 dir="ltr">Gujarat Titans: Gerald Coetzee, Arshad Khan, Mohammad Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, and Ishant Sharma. </h3>
 
Rating: 10/10
 
Probably, the second pacer deck looks like a nightmare to the franchises, as Kagiso Rabada will lead the pace bowling options alongside the Indian pace maestro Mohammad Siraj. 
 
However, what seems eminent on the Titans' side would be their backup options, and the 3rd or 4th pace options look equally promising alongside the frontline pacers. Prasidh Krishna, Coetzee, and young left-arm pacer Arshad Khan are expected to have a dream track under their belt in Ahmedabad.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/bgt-2024-australia-unveil-their-squad-for-the-2nd-test-this-player-has-been-added-as-cover-for-mitch-marsh/">Aussies call in debutant for Second Test at Adelaide </a>
<h1 class="jsx-12b9302b376ac3cf Introheading"></h1>

Pacers will be crucial from the point of view of the IPL franchises for the upcoming edition

The IPL 2025 mega-auctions marked one of the biggest auctions in the history of the IPL, consisting of one of the largest pools of players in over a decade. Every team looked to bolster their pace attack and hence rate them based on their bowling strengths.

The upcoming IPL will be an event to remember for their bowlers, as it's the pace deck that will bring glory to every franchise to their extent.

Rating All 10 IPL 2025 Franchises based on the strength of their pace bowling deck

rating-all-10-ipl-2025-franchises-based-on-the-strength-of-their-pace-bowling-deck

The IPL 2025 Mega-auction recently got over and fans across the globe are really excited for the forthcoming edition of the best T20 League in the world. While there is still a lot of time left for the next edition to start, some star players of the Indian Cricket Team are taking part in the currently ongoing edition of the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and they are wrecking havoc. 

The likes of Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami are playing in this competition and while the duo of Iyer and Rahane played some aggressive knocks on Wednesday, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was seen at his vintage best, playing a quickfire knock of 69 runs in just 30 deliveries. 

Representing the team of Baroda, Junior Pandya's stormy-inning helped his side secure a thrilling nail-biting win versus Tamil Nadu in the Group E encounter. 

During his inning of 69 runs, the 31-year-old smashes four good-looking fours and seven huge maximums. Five of these huge sixes were hit off the bowling of two new players acquired by five-time IPL winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for huge amounts in the recently concluded Mega-auction. 

Hardik Smashed Gurjapneet all over the park

The team of Tamil Nadu, batting first, put up a mammoth score of 221 runs for the loss of six-wickets in 20 overs. Wicket-keeper batsman scored a brilliant fifth, while Fast bowling all-rounder Vijay Shankar played a good looking quick fire inning of 42 runs in 22 deliveries. Shankar's services have been acquired by the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team for a price of 1.20 crore Indian Rupees in the recently concluded Mega-auction. 

However, despite the Shahrukh Khan-led team putting up a 200+ runs score on the scoreboard, Hardik didn't give up. At one point in the match, Baroda were struggling at 152/6 but following the destructive batting display of the Junior Pandya, Baroda managed to execute a comeback and got themselves back in the match. 

The duo of Atit Seth and Raj Limbani guided the Krunal Pandya-led team to victory. The former hit a magnificent boundary on the final delivery of the contest. Pandya smacked the duo of Gurjapneet Singh and Vijay Shankar, the new signings of Chennai Super, to all parts of the ground. CSK signed seamer Gurjapneet Singh in the recent Mega-auction for a sum of 2.20 Crore Indian Rupees

Baroda ride on Hardik's quickfire half-century to seal the victory

Pandya hit a total of four big maximums and a boundary off the bowling of Gurjapneet Singh and a total of 29 runs were scored off the bowling of the youngster. 

Following this, Pandya didn't disable his rampage mode and continued to wreck havoc as he smashed 18 runs off the bowling of Vijay Shankar and these overs helped the Baroda based team make a comeback in the match. The 31-year-old was also in a good Nick with both bat and ball in Team India's recent T20 International series versus South Africa.

Hardik Pandya smashed CSK's Gurjapneet Singh for 29 runs in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | Image: Jio Cinema

Hardik Pandya destroys new CSK bowler, slams 4 continuous sixes, scores an excellent fifty

hardik-pandya-destroys-new-csk-bowler-slams-4-continuous-sixes-scores-an-excellent-fifty

The IPL 2025 auction is seemingly getting exciting as the franchises slowly lose their huge purse amounts, especially with Punjab Kings reduced to less than INR 50 crores despite them entering the auction with a huge purse of INR 110.5 crores. Having made some crazy deals over the likes of captain Shreyas Iyer and iconic batsman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rishabh_Pant">Rishabh Pant</a>, who surpassed his fellow mate further to be IPL?s highest-ever bid player with INR 27 crore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Let?s take a look at the auction purses left after the end of the 2nd set of Marquee Players with 12 players bought.</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Delhi Capitals: INR 47.25 crore</h3>



They have roped in two invaluable players, KL Rahul and Mitchell Starc, for much less money.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Chennai Super Kings: INR 55 crores</h3>



Chennai Super Kings successfully tried on several players but still await their first inclusion.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Rajasthan Royals: INR 41 crore</h3>



Rajasthan Royals have also tried their luck hard, though nothing went in their favor as they, despite trying, could not acquire any players.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Royal Challengers Bangalore: INR 74.25 crore</h3>



RCB have also made some good attempts, though only ending up with Liam Livingstone for 8.75 crores.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Kolkata Knight Riders: INR 51 crore</h3>



KKR, the defending champions, are trying harder but still looking for their first player addition.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Lucknow Super Giants: INR 34.50 crores</h3>



The Super Giants have the most unique auction, having made the highest bid of Rishabh Pant and then followed by dynamic middle-order finisher David Miller.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Sunrisers Hyderabad: INR 35 crores</h3>



The SRH have now roped in Mohammed Shami as their only inclusion to their pace bowling deck as of yet.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mumbai Indians: INR 45 crores</h3>



The Indians, in the quest for many players, have not bid eagerly for any except for Jos Buttler and Mitchell Starc, though withdrawing very early.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Gujarat Titans: INR 30.25 crore</h3>



The Titans can be arguably said to have the best auction day till now with the likes of Mohammad Siraj, Jos Buttler, and finally Kagiso Rabada, the best three inclusions possible for them.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Punjab Kings: INR 47.75 crore</h3>



The people with the highest purse have spent a significant amount of money to acquire the likes of Arshdeep Singh for a huge INR 18 crore, while next getting Yuzi Chahal for another 18 crore and skipper Iyer for a record-breaking INR 26.75 crore.



ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/indias-yashasvi-jaiswal-creates-history-becomes-the-batsman-to-hit-the-highest-number-of-sixes-in-a-calendar-year-of-test-cricket-ind-vs-aus/"> India?s Yashasvi Jaiswal creates history, becomes the batsman to hit the highest number of sixes in a calendar year of Test Cricket | IND vs AUS</a>

IPL 2025 Auction Updates: Every Franchise Purse Left After the Completion of the Marquee Set 2

ipl-2025-auction-updates-every-franchise-purse-left-after-the-completion-of-the-marquee-set-2

Pacers are having a day out here at Jeddah on the second day of the much anticipated IPL auction, as after several among batters and all-rounders went unsold, the pacers are making the banks of the franchises shaken up. First of all, Marco Jansen, the lanky pace bowling all-rounder from the Proteas, goes for the biggest bid of the day from the first session, with the Punjab Kings showing immense interest in the left-arm seamer.



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 Followed by a short break, the teams now seemed too determined, with the likes of Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, and RCB all looking forward to decking up their pace bowling set. India?s one of the most anticipated pacers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, also the greatest ever Indian in the history of the IPL, gets rewarded for his consistency, as RCB bring him in for a whopping INR 10.75 crore, the only double-digit bid for the day.



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 While Indian pacers other than Bhuvi, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepak_Chahar">Deepak Chahar</a> earns a huge bid going to the arch-rivals MI from the Men in Yellow. While followed by him are Tushar Deshpande to the Rajasthan Royals, while Mukesh Kumar was retained by the Capitals using the RTM.



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Coetzee is the only overseas bowler now going to the Gujarat Titans pace deck alongside national mate Kagiso Rabada, pairing for a breathtaking pace bowling duo.



Akash Deep gets a new franchise in the Lucknow Super Giants, who have their first player of the day and quite intriguing a futuristic option seemingly for the Super Giants.



Lockie Ferguson off at base price to the Punjab Kings.



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/live-ipl-auction-2025-live-updates-day-2-latest-news-and-more-on-auction/">[LIVE] IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates DAY 2, Latest News and More on Auction</a>

The IPL Auction  Day 2 sees its first major jump; A pacers day out Bhuvneshwar Kumar sold for INR 10.75 Crores to RCB

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IPL?s most successful franchise, the five-time champion Mumbai Indians, have made their retentions ahead of the mega-auction, as five of their key players have been retained. Among the biggest of the retentions made, Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been MI?s biggest retention, with a huge amount surpassing INR 18 crore. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, both of whom can be an ideal option as MI skippers, have also been kept for a huge INR 16.5 crore each. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/MI-possible-retentions-min-1024x768.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149192" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">MI's retention of Big-4 (Image Credit: X.com)</figcaption></figure>



 Rohit Sharma, the MI veteran, and Tilak Varma, the rising star, have also been kept by the Mumbai Indians for the upcoming season. Though they have retained a huge number of core players, the Mumbai Indians will be looking to include the likes of a few of their old Indian or overseas players. 



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><ul><li class=""><a href="#five-former-stars-mumbai-indians-could-look-to-sign-for-the-ipl-2025-auction">Five Former Stars Mumbai Indians could look to sign for the IPL 2025 Auction</a><ul><li class=""><a href="#jos-buttler">Jos Buttler </a></li><li class=""><a href="#quinton-de-kock">Quinton de Kock</a></li><li class=""><a href="#trent-boult">Trent Boult</a></li><li class=""><a href="#krunal-pandya">Krunal Pandya</a></li><li class=""><a href="#yuzvendra-chahal">Yuzvendra Chahal</a></li></ul></li></ul></nav></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="five-former-stars-mumbai-indians-could-look-to-sign-for-the-ipl-2025-auction">Five Former Stars Mumbai Indians could look to sign for the IPL 2025 Auction</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="jos-buttler">Jos Buttler </h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/Jossy-RR-1024x555.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-149187" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jos Buttler - Rajasthan Royals (Image Credit: Economic Times)</figcaption></figure>



The English white-ball captain and undoubtedly one of the finest overseas batters in the IPL, as his best seasons came with the Rajasthan Royals. The Royals parted ways with the veteran after having retained him for 7 seasons. He played for the Mumbai Indians back in 2016 and 2017 and was also part of one of the seasons under Rohit Sharma where Mumbai won the IPL title. MI, who released Ishan Kishan, might pick Buttler as their best possible opening wicketkeeper option. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="quinton-de-kock">Quinton de Kock</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/QDK-LSG-1024x538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-149188" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Quinton de Kock set to return for Mumbai Indians? (Image Credit: NDTV Sports)</figcaption></figure>



The South African veteran, who now has retired from the two longest formats of the game, started off his IPL career with the Delhi Daredevils back then before making a move to RCB. He joined the Mumbai Indians after being traded from RCB in 2019. Playing three seasons for MI, QDK scored 1329 runs for MI and was also a part of their 2-title wins. Not being retained by the Lucknow Super Giants for the upcoming season, the veteran Protea wicketkeeper might be welcomed back by the Mumbai Indians. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="trent-boult">Trent Boult</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/Trent-Boult-1024x683.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-149189" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Boult features in all other global teams of the MI except for the IPL (Image Credit: India Today)</figcaption></figure>



Ahead of the 2020 IPL season, Trent Boult was traded in from the Delhi Capitals to the Mumbai Indians, and in his two-season long stint with the five-time champions, he struck for 38 wickets in almost 29 accounted games. Known as a regular wicket-taker with the new ball, he also did stunningly well with the Rajasthan Royals over the course of the last few seasons, but if not retained this season, he might take his seat back in the Mumbai Indians camp. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="krunal-pandya">Krunal Pandya</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/Krunal-Pandya.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-149190" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Will the Pandya brothers reunite in the MI Camp? (Image: Cricshots)</figcaption></figure>



Alongside Hardik Pandya, the veteran Indian all-rounder, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krunal_Pandya">Krunal Pandya</a>, his elder brother, was also a constant with the Mumbai Indians for six seasons between 2016 and 2021. Both Pandya brothers moved to the two different debutant franchises in 2022. The reliable spin-bowling all-rounder is an asset to the Mumbai Indians side if they can acquire him back. From bowling in the powerplay to the middle-overs, while coming and hitting the ball long down the order during the end phases to be an electrifying fielder, Krunal has all the reasons to be back at the MI camp. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="yuzvendra-chahal">Yuzvendra Chahal</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/11/Yuzi-Chahal-IPL.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-149191" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Is Yuzi Chahal the answer to MI's call for a spinner (Image Credit: ESPNcricinfo)</figcaption></figure>



The most successful spinner in the history of the Indian Premier League, Yuzu Chahal, has also been released by his former franchise, the Rajasthan Royals, with whom he clinched almost two purple caps in the IPL. Chahal has 205 wickets in the history of the IPL, while his best years came with the Royal Challengers Bangalore as he rose to fame at the Chinnaswamy. He might be one of the top-book targets for RCB, but MI, for whom Chahal started off his journey in the IPL back in 2013, might also look to bring him back in the hunt for an expert spinner. 



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/top-three-franchises-who-might-target-washington-sundar-for-the-ipl-mega-auction-ft-mumbai-indians/">Top Three Franchises Who Might Target Washington Sundar for the IPL mega-auction ft. Mumbai Indians</a> Alongside these five major names in the IPL, there also lie a few other players like Glenn Maxwell and Nitish Rana whom the MI might target. Though it suits MI?s low purse left after the core retentions, they might have only one or two of these big names added to their lineup if they look to go behind these players.

Former Mumbai Indians stars who could be signed back in the IPL 2025 auction||||||

Former Mumbai Indians stars who could be signed back in the IPL 2025 auction

former-mumbai-indians-stars-who-could-be-signed-back-in-the-ipl-2025-auction

Since Washington Sundar starred for India in the T20I series? after the retirement of legendary all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, he has made quite an impact under several difficult circumstances. Reports suggest teams like Mumbai Indians, CSK and Gujarat Titans are eyeing him for the mega-auction. Sundar, though young, has been an eminent part of Indian domestic cricket and has several standout records across all formats of the game. Sundar recently, after his dominating second-class hundred of 159 runs, was called up for the Indian team. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Sundar">Washington Sundar</a> has also been a long part of the IPL, as Sundar in the recent game against New Zealand went on to secure his best-ever international performance with 11 wickets in the game. With Sundar nearing 50 international T20I wickets, several IPL franchises have shown a keen interest in hiring him into their side as SRH is not likely to retain him for the upcoming season. 



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The top 3 franchises who might target Washington Sundar in the IPL mega-auction</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Gujarat Titans </h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/Shubi-Gill-GT-1024x719.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-149082" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shubman Gill - Likely retention for Gujarat Titans (Image: Adda247)</figcaption></figure>



The Gujarat Titans are reportedly only looking to retain the likes of their skipper and star batter Shubman Gill, while Rashid Khan?s retention also remains questionable, and nothing has been confirmed for either of these claims. However, something that seems imminent is that the Titans would be in the quest to reinforce their squad and hence would look for crucial players of Indian origin who can turn the fortunes for the champions from the 2022 season. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Chennai Super Kings</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/Jadeja-in-CSK-1024x576.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-149083" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ravindra Jadeja the most likely CSK retention (Image Credit: X.com)</figcaption></figure>



The CSK side is often known for featuring the likes of India?s best-ever spinner produced in the IPL, Ravi Ashwin. Washington Sundar is also not very different from the former, with his excellence being on par. Sundar has also had a good hand in batting, he can also score quick runs with the bat and can be very helpful on the Chepauk track, which is very handy for off-spinners. Only having Jadeja as a spinner, they would be in the quest for another such bowler. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mumbai Indians </h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/10/Hardik-Pandya-MI.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-149084" style="width:693px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hardik Pandya - Will he continue as MI skipper (Image Credit: News18)</figcaption></figure>



The Mumbai Indians are the most successful franchise in the history of the game, as the Hardik Pandya-led side have been troubled by their lack of spin bowlers in the middle-phase of the game. Also, the overseas batters do not find the pace of Pandya or anyone else to be threatening in the middle overs. Mohammad Nabi could not be very handy, while another Indian addition will be crucial to the team, as Sundar can be an asset for MI, so that he can provide further depth to their batting order, which is often favored by Mahela Jayawardene and the Mumbai management. 



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/lsg-to-retain-3-capped-players-alongside-2-uncapped-indian-players-for-ipl-2025-ft-nicholas-pooran-suggests-reports-from-espncricinfo/">LSG to retain 3 capped players alongside 2 uncapped Indian players for IPL 2025 ft. Nicholas Pooran suggests reports from ESPNcricinfo</a>

Top Three Franchises Who Might Target Washington Sundar for the IPL mega-auction ft. Mumbai Indians|||

Top Three Franchises Who Might Target Washington Sundar for the IPL mega-auction ft. Mumbai Indians

top-three-franchises-who-might-target-washington-sundar-for-the-ipl-mega-auction-ft-mumbai-indians

The Mumbai Indians are a franchise cricket team based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, that competes in the Indian Premier League. It is the most successful IPL team with five title wins. Founded in 2008, the team is owned by India's biggest conglomerate, Reliance Industries, through its 100% subsidiary IndiaWin Sports.

Mumbai Indians

India is all set to lock horns with England in the five-match T20I series. The first game of the series is all set to be played on Wednesday (23rd January) at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The India team is all set to be captained by Suryakumar Yadav and the squad is filled with plenty of youngsters. Thus the series provides a great opportunity for the young players to make their case strong and seal their place in the Indian XI for the T20 World Cup 2026. Openers: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson; Tilak Varma at No.3 Coming to the Indian XI for the first T20I against England, it is expected that Sanju Samson will retain his place as an opener in the team. He has been in great form of late, as he slammed three centuries in 2024 while opening the innings. Abhishek Sharma is expected to partner with him at the top of the series. The left-hander hasn't been able to maintain the consistency, and there were reports that this will be the make-or-break series for him. At No.3, it is expected that Tilak Varma will be batting because of his heroics in South Africa. Tilak Varma asked for the No.3 role during the South Africa series and he delivered. He slammed two back-to-back centuries in the series. With the kind of batting that is displayed, it's fair to say that he will be retaining his place in the team for the first IND vs ENG T20I. Middle order: Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya; Finishers: Rinku Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy Skipper Suryakumar Yadav will be batting at No.4 and would want to get some runs under his belt, especially after his low scores in South Africa. Hardik Pandya will be back in action after having a solid  Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 and will be important for his team with bat and ball. Rinku Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy will be the two finishers for the team. The left-hander will be crucial for the team as he has been carrying his golden form with the bat and would want to make an impact. On the other hand, the all-rounder has been put a big striker forward in international cricket and would want to replicate his efforts from Tests in Australia to T20Is. Spinners: Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy Axar Patel, who has been appointed as the vice-captain of the team, will be the spinner in the team. While Varun Chakaravarthy will be the second spinner. The mystery spinner has been sensational with the ball in the last two series and would be hoping to carry his good form. Pacers: Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh Mohammed Shami will be making his comeback for the team after a long injury break. Arshdeep Singh will be the second pacer in the team. Here's India playing XI for the first T20I against England prediction Sanju Samson (wk) Abhishek Sharma Tilak Varma Suryakumar Yadav Hardik Pandya Rinku Singh Nitish Kumar Reddy Axar Patel Varun Chakaravarthy Mohammed Shami Arshdeep Singh India squad for the England T20Is Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).

India is all set to lock horns with England in the five-match T20I series

India playing XI for the first T20I against England prediction

The tensions between Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir are increasing day by day as the duo were involved in a massive argument. As per the reports in Dainik Jagran, it is learned that both weren't on the same page related to the selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. 
The India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was announced on Saturday (18th January). The press conference of the skipper Rohit Sharma and selector Ajit Agarkar was scheduled to take place at 12:30 PM IST, but it took place two and a half hours later than the scheduled time as the media was asked to wait. 
However, it was revealed, as per the reports in Dainik Jagran, that the reason behind the delay was there was an argument between Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar over some of the players. The major talking point was the vice-captain of the team. 
Both Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar wanted Shubman Gill as the vice-captain while Gautam Gambhir wanted to give vice-captaincy to Hardik Pandya. However, the coach and captain were adamant about making Gill deputy, and hence, the decision was taken in favour of Gill. 
The other argument they had was between Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson. Gautam Gambhir was in favour of the latter while Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar wanted Rishabh Pant. They didn't listen to the coach, and hence, both Gill and Pant were picked in their roles on demand of skipper and selector. 
Apart from these selections, what was the surprise was India named just three pacers in the team. Mohammed Siraj was dropped while they went in with four seamers: Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, who will be the wrist spinner. 
<h2>India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025: </h2>
Here's India's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
India's Group Stage Fixtures:
20 February - India vs Bangladesh, Dubai
23 February - India vs Pakistan, Dubai
2 March - India vs New Zealand, Dubai
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2025-rishabh-pant-set-to-be-appointed-as-the-captain-of-lucknow-super-giants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant set to be appointed as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants</a>

The tensions between Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir are increasing day by day as the duo were involved in a massive argument

Huge fight between Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir over selection; reason for delayed squad announcement revealed

huge-fight-between-rohit-sharma-and-gautam-gambhir-over-selection-reason-for-delayed-squad-announcement-revealed-

In what promises to be an intense battle between two of the strongest teams in Women's Cricket, Ashes-Rivals and the Women's teams of England and Australia are set to battle it out versus each other in the three-match Women's Ashes 2025 T20 International series. The first contest of the T20 International leg will be played on the 20th of January at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground and the match will begin at 1:45 PM IST (Indian Standard Time). 
Hosts Australia women are the favourites, thanks to their dominant record and form in the current Women's Ashes series, while the Women's team of England will be looking to bounce back on a strong note after a disappointing performance in the One-Day International series. 
The Alyssa Healy-led team enter this T20 International series as the clear favourites to win as they have been a dominant force in International Cricket, but their shocking defeat versus the Proteas in last year's T20 World Cup semi-final serves as an eye opener for them and proves that they are not invincible. 
The home side has already won the One-Day International leg of the Women's Ashes and they will looking to carry forward their winning momentum into the shortest format of the game too. Their batting has improved significantly, with the likes of Ellyse Perry, Skipper Alyssa Healy anf Ashleigh Gardner finding form at the right time. Their bowling unit remains strong as before, led by the duo of Darcie Brown &amp; Megan Schutt, who will create a lot of difficulties for their Ashes counterparts.
The Women's team of England on the other hand, will have a tough task up their sleeve of overcoming the home advantage of the Aussies. They are already trailing by six points in the Women's Ashes and they will have to win the forthcoming T20 International series at any cost if they want to have any chance of staying alive in the bilateral event. 
The Heather Knight-led team has struggled with inconsistencies in both the departments of the sport but the trio of Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge have shown glimpses of good form. England's bowling unit, led by the experienced will have to be at their very best if they want to control the run flow versus the aggressive batting unit of the Aussies. 
<h2>Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia: Head-to-Head Record in T20 Internationals</h2>
The Women's teams of Australia &amp; England have participated in a total of 40 T20 International matches versus each other and out of these 40 encounters, the phenomenal Aussies have reigned supreme in 23 contests while the British Girls have managed to secure victories in just 10 games. 7 matches between the two teams have ended in a no-result situation. 
<h3>Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I: Pitch Report of the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)</h3>
The pitch of the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is anticipated to be a balanced one, offering a good amount of pace and bounce for the batsman. The batters will have to be careful in the fist six overs with the new ball as the pace bowlers will get a lot of movement off the surface while the spin bowlers will cause trouble in the middle phase of the innings. 
<h2>Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I: Weather-Report of Sydney</h2>
The weather of Sydney on the match day is anticipated to be a perfect one for Cricket as the sky is going to be clear with zero chances of rain intervening with the match. Winds are anticipated to blow at a speed ofof 16 kilometres per hour from the East while the humidity percentage is expected to be around 58%. The temperature is exepected to hit the 22 degrees Celsius mark.
<h2>Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I: Best Dream 11 Winning Combinations</h2>
<h3>Team number 1</h3>
Wicket-Keepers: Beth Mooney
Batters: Heather Knight, Ellyse Perry, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge
All-Rounders: Annabel Sutherland, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Ashleigh Gardner
Bowlers: Alana King, Sophie Ecclestone, Megan Schutt and Lauren Bell
<h3>Team Number 2</h3>
Wicket-Keepers: Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney
Batters: Ellyse Perry
All-Rounders: Ashleigh Gardner, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland, and Georgia Wareham
Bowlers: Alana King, Sophie Ecclestone and Megan Schutt
Do read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/women-s-ashes-2025-england-vs-australia-1st-t20i-when-and-where-to-watch-the-1st-t20i-in-india-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I: When and Where to watch the 1st T20I in India?</a>

Alana King of Australia celebrates the wicket of England's Danii Wyatt-Hodge | Image: Getty Images

The women's teams of England and Australia are set to battle it out versus each other in the three-match Women's Ashes 2025 T20 International series. The first contest of the T20 International leg will be played on the 20th of January at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground and the match will begin at 1:45 PM IST (Indian Standard Time).  We will be taking a look at the best winning Dream 11 combinations

Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I Best Dream 11 winning teams

Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I: Dream 11 Prediction, H2H Record and Team Tips

women-s-ashes-2025-england-vs-australia-1st-t20i-dream-11-prediction-h2h-record-and-team-tips

Ashes-Rivals and the women's teams of England and Australia are all set to taken on each other in a three-match T20 International series and the first match will be played on the 20th of January (Monday) at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground. The match will commence at 1:45 PM IST (Indian Standard Time). 
Earlier in the three-match One-Day International series, the Mighty Aussies successfully defeated the Three Lions by a margin of 86 runs in the final ODI and sealed a series whitewash victory of 3-0. All-rounder Ashleigh Gardner performed in a brilliant manner as her century allowed her team to post a strong total on the board. 
Ellyse Perry (445 runs with an average of 64) and skipper Alyssa Healy (287 runs at an average of 26) are the top performers with the bat in T20 International matches played at the SCG. 
England's Danni Wyatt has scored a total of 675 runs at an average of 23 versus the Aussies, while Sophie Ecclestone has taken 16 wickets in the last 10 matches. Beth Mooney has scored at an average of 49 against England, including 1 century and 5 half-centuries. Talking about recent form, Sarah Glenn has taken 46 wickets in 30 T20 matches since 2024. Alice Capsey has performed at an average of 45 points with 769 runs, 19 wickets and 13 catches. Ashleigh Gardner has taken 10 wickets and scored 79 runs in her last 5 innings. Alana King's bowling strike rate since 2024 is 12 in the second innings, while it is 26 in the first innings.
<h2>Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia: Head-2-Head Record in T20 Cricket</h2>
The Women's teams of England and Australia have taken part in a total of 40 T20 International matches versus each other and out of these 40 contests, the Mighty Australians have reigned supreme in 23 encounters while the English Girls have managed to secure victories in just 10 games. 7 matches between the two teams have ended in a no-result situation. 
<h2>Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I: Everything you need to know</h2>
<h3>When and Where will the 1st T20 International between the women's teams of England and Australia be played? </h3>
The 1st T20 International match of the three-match T20I series between the women's teams of England (ENG) and Australia (AUS) will be played on the 20th of January at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground of Sydney. The match will commence at 1:45 PM IST (Indian Standard Time) and the toss will take place at 1:15 PM IST (Indian Standard Time). 
<h3>Where can I watch the England (ENG) vs Australia (AUS) Women's Ashes 2025 1st T20I match live on television in India? </h3>
The England (ENG) versus Australia (AUS) Women's Ashes 2025 1st T20 International contest can be watched live on the Star Sports Select 2 HD channel on television in India. 
<h3>Which OTT service will livestream the England (ENG) vs Australia (AUS) Women's Ashes 2025 2nd ODI match in India? </h3>
Fans can watch the England (ENG) vs Australia (AUS) Women's Ashes 2025 1st T20I match on the application and website of Disney + Hotstar.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2025-rishabh-pant-set-to-be-appointed-as-the-captain-of-lucknow-super-giants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant set to be appointed as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants</a>

Alyssa Healy  (L) of Australia and Heather Knight of England (R) are all smiles at the toss | Image: Getty Images

The blockbuster multi-format Women's Ashes series shifts to the shortest format of the game as England and Australia gear up to take on each other in a three-match T20 International series

Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I - Everything you need to know

Women's Ashes 2025 England vs Australia 1st T20I: When and Where to watch the 1st T20I in India?

women-s-ashes-2025-england-vs-australia-1st-t20i-when-and-where-to-watch-the-1st-t20i-in-india-

Defending champions India started their ICC Women's T20 U19 World Cup 2025 campaign with a resounding victory over the West Indies at the picturesque Bayeumas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.

After winning the toss and opting to bowl under overcast conditions, India delivered a stellar all-round performance. Joshitha VJ set the tone with a fiery opening spell, trapping West Indies skipper Samara Ramnath LBW in her second over. She followed it up with a second wicket off the next delivery, dismissing Naijanni Cumberbatch for a duck. The spin duo of Aayushi Shukla and Parunika Sisodia then tightened the noose. Shukla claimed two wickets, while Sisodia finished with an impressive three-wicket haul.

Indian fielders added to the Windies' misery, executing three run-outs to clean up the tail. Apart from Asabi Callender and Kenika Cassar, no other batter offered significant resistance as the West Indies were bowled out for 44.

Chasing 45, India lost opener G Trisha on the second ball of the innings. However, Kamalini G and Sanika Chalke stabilized the innings, guiding India home in just 4.2 overs. With dark clouds looming and rain threatening, they raced against the weather and secured victory just as the rain began to fall.
<img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202501/image_870x_678cd710e1233.jpg" alt="">
India now tops Group A with two points and a commanding net run rate of +8.646. As clinical as it could get, India's title defence is up and running. Meanwhile, Samara Ramnath and her team will need to regroup ahead of their next match against Sri Lanka.

Player of the Match: Joshitha VJ, for her outstanding figures of 2 for 5 in 2 overs, said she focuses on generating swing with her pace and admires Bhuvneshwar Kumar. She credited her team for supporting her performance and expressed confidence in India's strong start to the tournament.

Indian Women Won By 9 Wickets | ICC under 19 World Cup

IND W 19 beats WI W 19 by 9 wickets just making them to get all out on 44 runs.

IND W 19 beats WI W 19 by 9 wickets just making them to get all out on 44 runs