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Qualification scenarios: Titans inch closer to playoff spot

officialsquarexsportsMay 7, 2025May 7, 202504 mins

Gujarat Titans ended Mumbai Indians’ run of six wins on the bounce at the Wankhede, winning a rain marred thriller by three wickets off the final ball. With 14 matches still left in the league phase, no one has sealed their qualification yet with seven teams remaining in contention. Here’s how Tuesday’s result affects the proceedings. Points table after Match #55 Team Matches Won Lost NR Points NRR GT 11 8 3 0 16 0.793 RCB 11 8 3 0 16 0.482 PBKS 11 7 3 1 15 0.376 MI 12 7 5 0 14 1.156 DC 11 6 4 1 13 0.362 KKR 11 5 5 1 11 0.249 LSG 11 5 6 0 10 -0.469 SRH (E) 11 3 7 1 7 -1.192 RR (E) 12 3 9 0 6 -0.718 CSK (E) 11 2 9 0 4 -1.117 Gujarat Titans Remaining fixtures: DC (A), LSG (H) & CSK (H) Gujarat Titans are best placed with 16 points and three games in hand, two of them at home against LSG and CSK, both of whom have struggled off late. Three wins and they are assured of a top two finish, which they can get to even with two wins provided PBKS drop one game or RCB drop one and their NRR stays below that of GT. One win also confirms them a Play Off spot, but for a top two finish they will need other results to go their way. They can even qualify without another win, but that will need a permutation of results to go their way considering as many as five other teams can go past 16 points simultaneously. Mumbai Indians Remaining fixtures: PBKS (A) & DC (H) Mumbai Indians’ winning march has been halted by Titans at home and the defeat has large implications of their hopes of a top two finish. They started off the season with four defeats in their first five games which has left them too much to climb in the backend. Wins in both their games should seal a Play Offs berth for MI at 18 points but that doesn’t guarantee them a top two finish as RCB, GT, and PBKS can all go past the 18-point mark. One win can still take MI to the Play Offs but will need other results to go their way. What to look forward to for KKR in tomorrow’s clash? Remaining fixtures: CSK (H), SRH (A) & RCB (A) KKR have won back to back matches for the first time in the season beating DC and RR in their most recent games. They would want to continue that momentum to be carried forward to their remaining matches to stand any chance. As for how things stand, the most they can get to is 17 points and that might not suffice as four other sides can go past that. On the other hand, they can even qualify with 15 points should many other results go their favour.

MI’s inexplicable night of what-ifs

officialsquarexsportsMay 7, 202509 mins

C’est la vie – that’s life. Hardik Pandya may not have said those exact words in French, but the sentiment was unmistakably evident in his reaction. “The ground, in the first innings, was not wet but post that, throughout, the ball kept getting wetter. Not sure if it helped us or not. It was difficult. Rain kept coming in, not ideal to have stoppages and start again. We had to play a game and we definitely did.” It was a case of so near yet so far for Mumbai Indians – a classic slip between the cup and the lip. When the team does sit down to do the debriefing about the game, they’ll have no shortage of what-ifs to dwell upon – what if the rain had stopped a minute later, what if the Pandya throw off the final ball had been an inch sharper, what if his foot hadn’t overstepped by a millimetre (on what was a tight no-ball call), what if his lone over hadn’t extended up to 11 deliveries, what if he had bowled the final over himself, what if…? As Pandya put it, it was a game of margins, heightened by Hitchcockian suspense and drama that unfolded well past midnight. A true ‘thrilla in Mumbai’. With 15 needed off the last over with four wickets in hand for Gujarat Titans, there was a four, there was a six and lo and behold, there was even a no-ball in that over. The match still did not end and Mumbai Indians had a shot at pushing the match to the Super Over. Then Pandya’s throw from mid-on was a little wider. Gujarat Titans erupted in collective relief and ecstasy as they escaped with three-wicket win. It was one of those games in which everything seemed to conspire to turn it into a classic. Even the weather contributed to the tense drama to ensure the match went down to the wire with a result produced off the very last ball. The match swung from one side to the other constantly with rain interruptions in between steering the game into a totally different direction. A Powerhouse in motion that Mumbai Indians have been this IPL and they suddenly had their wheels come off. Inexplicably, their innings imploded, collapsing from a strong 97 for two to a modest 155 for eight in 20 overs. The damage was engineered by Gujarat Titans’ spinners – R Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan – who shared three wickets between them, conceding just 55 runs. Their innings was a story of two parts – 89 for two in the first 10 overs and then 66 for six in the second 10 overs. “It is the margins,” Mahela Jayawardene summed up the see-saw contest. “Both teams made quite a few mistakes out there in the middle, and we probably made more. I think that’s the difference. I haven’t been able to really go through everything in my head because it was quite late and we were trying to figure out what to do, but I think we didn’t play to our best, especially with the bat. I thought we were set up nicely and then we just had to bat those last eight overs which we didn’t bat smartly.” An underpar total of 155 for eight, preceded by middle-order collapse with key batsmen, including Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar Yadav and Pandya failing to make a reasonable contribution. So many failures in a game of such significance was a crime, an expression used by Pandya himself, albeit in a slightly different context. It seemed like game, set, and match by the end of the first innings itself, given the roaring form of the Gujarat Titans’ top three. Then came Jasprit Bumrah. As expected, he turned the game on its head – delivering two unplayable overs after the rain break, triggering a collapse that saw GT lose four wickets for just 13 runs. MI were ahead on the DLS equation at the time of the final rain intervention. But then the rain gods ordained for a different script and denouement. The downpour, which was heavy at one stage, subsided well in time for one over in which GT needed 15. Deepak Chahar made a mess of it. On another day and in another match, MI would, perhaps, have chosen to thrust the last over job in the hands of Pandya, who had won a World Cup defending 16 runs in the over with the opposition similarly six down. On that occasion, India had won by seven runs. It was again the question of what if. “Deepak did that job for us in the first few games when Booms (Bumrah) was not there. I don’t know. I mean, it’s easy for you to ask me that question and for me to say, yeah, maybe Hardik. I don’t know, if Hardik had gone for three sixes, you would have asked me, why didn’t you go with Deepak? I don’t like to go to that. I think throughout the game we made some good decisions with the ball when we had to attack and all that,” Jayawardene said, defending the team’s final over call. Gujarat Titans were lucky on the night, but what stood out for them was the composure of their captain Shubman Gill. His sterling performance – both as a batter and captain – came at a time when he’s being considered for a leadership role in the Indian team’s upcoming tour of England. He marshalled his bowlers incisively on a pitch offering some assistance to the spinners, and then did what was expected of him – score runs.

Can Titans stop MI’s juggernaut?

officialsquarexsportsMay 6, 2025May 6, 2025011 mins

The first leg clash between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans had ended in the demolition of the former at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. But that appears like one in a distant past (on March 29) – more than a month ago. The landscape of the IPL has changed both diametrically and dramatically, and MI have traversed from the bottom of the table at one stage to the top of the table, again, at one stage. Ahead of the return leg, Mumbai Indians appear to be on a roll. Well more appropriately, they have been more than just being on a roll. They are on rampant fire. Six in six – a rarity in the IPL if not entirely unprecedented – is not mere hitting a purple patch. It is utter domination – a commanding display of hegemony over the opposition. The MI juggernaut looks unstoppable. Batters Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult and all-rounder Hardik Pandya – the side’s lead players all – are well backed by support cast of Deepak Chahar, Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Will Jacks and Naman Dhir. They are firing on a myriad of cylinders at the opposition. Spin may not be their strongest suit, but Karn Sharma and even Jacks are stepping up to make up for the shortcoming. “Things are falling into place. Overall, not just the batting and bowling, I think fielding as well. I think our fielding has been really, really good. And we’ve converted a lot of opportunities. And that’s something that we’ve emphasized a lot with the group that we have. As long as we’re competing at that level and fighting for each and every opportunity, that’s all we can control and have that focus,” MI coach Mahela Jayawardene said about the team’s preparation and the situation in the league. MI have the momentum on their side and, more vitally, they are an inexhaustible force at home. Four of the five home games have been won this season and their form looks ominous. Third in the points table, MI are up against a side that is coming off a win but how strong is the Gujarat Titans resurgence will be tested on Tuesday (May 6) at the Wankhede. The Titans batting revolves around Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler and that Top 3 is supported well by a few others – Washington Sundar, Sherfane Rutherford, who have made substantial contributions, even if sporadically. Their bowling, spearheaded by Prasidh Krishna, strongly augments the batting. The side looks like a tight-knit unit. Despite the first leg reversal, there is little doubt that MI will start favourites in the face-off between two in-form sides, and more crucially a match-up between two Top-4 outfits. A win will be a giant leap forward for either team towards the play-off qualification but more crucially it will go a long way in their bid for a Top 2 finish. When: Tuesday, May 6 at 7:30 PM IST Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai What to expect: With top batters from either side in fine nick, it should be a high-scoring contest with Mumbai Indians having a slight edge. With the weather getting hotter by the day, there may be some dew in the night requiring the team winning the toss to field first. Head-to-Head: Since the return of home-away format in 2023, MI have the best win % at home (63.1%), closely followed by GT (60.0%), with CSK as the only other side with over 50% (52.3%). MI, alongside GT, has the best record at home this season winning four out of the first five games. Overall in six matches, it’s MI 2 and GT 4. Team Watch Mumbai Indians Injuries/ Unavailability: No news of injury in the camp. Mitchell Santner, who has been out of the last few games, is available for selection, said Mahela Jayawardene. Tactics & Match-ups: Mumbai Indians are mindful of the fact that not only 75 percent of GT runs are scored by their Top 3 – Gill, Sudharsan and Buttler – but also the fact that they face bulk of the deliveries (nearly 75 percent). Unmistakably, MI will unleash their best – Bumrah, Boult and Deepak – to target them early so that they can expose the GT middle order which is short on gametime. Probable XII: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah and Karn Sharma Gujarat Titans Injuries/Unavailability: There is no injury situation in the GT camp. All players are available for selection, including Kagiso Rabada. Tactics & Match-ups: Rabada enjoys a favourable match-up against key MI batters – Rohit, Surya, Hardik, and Jacks – having dismissed the first two four times each, Hardik thrice, and Jacks twice. Probable XII: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee/Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma Did you know? – MI seam attack is at the top of wickets (57), avg (22.40), SR (15.1) and is the only team which concedes at under nine/over. – In his last five games this season, Gill scored four fifties. His only failure came via a run out. – Gill and Sudharsan have scored 200+ runs more than the next best opening pair and they also became the first GT pair to aggregate 600+ runs in an IPL season. The last five opening stands for GT read: 120, 14, 114, 93, & 87 (last). What they said “With (Punjab) Kings having that odd number because of the rained-off game, all that we as a franchise can control or I as a coach can control is to focus on the game tomorrow and then after that the next game. We have three good games against us, which is good for us. So, we just want to do what we’ve been doing, play some good cricket. Boys are focused…

IPL 2025 scenarios: SRH eliminated; DC still in hunt for top-two finish

officialsquarexsportsMay 6, 202506 mins

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s IPL 2025 playoffs hopes hung by a thread ahead of their penultimate home game. They put up a spirited bowling performance, but passage of rain thereafter ended all their chances of a top-four finish. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, earned a crucial point, and are still in with more than a decent chance. This result also puts LSG in a must-win territory with three games to go, for 14 points won’t be enough for qualification now, as was the case last year. Team Matches Won Lost Tied NR Points NRR RCB 11 8 3 0 0 16 0.482 PBKS 11 7 3 0 1 15 0.376 MI 11 7 4 0 0 14 1.274 GT 10 7 3 0 0 14 0.867 DC 11 6 4 0 1 13 0.362 KKR 11 5 5 0 1 11 0.249 LSG 11 5 6 0 0 10 -0.469 SRH (E) 11 3 7 0 1 7 -1.192 RR (E) 12 3 9 0 0 6 -0.718 CSK (E) 11 2 9 0 0 4 -1.117 What do the Delhi Capitals need to secure a playoffs berth? Remaining fixtures: vs PBKS (Away), vs GT (Home), vs MI (Away) Assuming there are no further washouts, Delhi Capitals can now finish on 13, 15, 17 or 19 points. 13 points, i.e. three defeats will knock them out, whereas a win in each of their remaining games will help them enter the playoffs. They have games remaining against MI, GT and PBKS, and therefore, if they finish on 19, they will stand a great chance of a top-two finish. In this case, they will certainly stay ahead of MI, and could be tied with PBKS. That too wouldn’t matter for a top-two finish if RCB drop two of their remaining three games and GT drop one. In case DC finish with 15 points, they would need the loser of Match 56 to stay at 14 for starters, and hope the winner runs away towards the top. To simplify things in this case, DC would ideally want MI to beat GT and PBKS, who are their next two opponents as well, to curb the competition and hope for KKR and LSG to drop at least one game each. If they win two more (ie. get to 17), there could be a three-way tie between KKR, PBKS and DC (should at least two of RCB, GT and MI run towards the top with 18 or more), bringing it down to the net run-rate (NRR). How crucial is the MI vs GT contest? Remaining fixtures for GT: vs MI (Away), vs DC (Away), vs LSG (Home), vs CSK (Home) For MI: vs GT (Home), vs PBKS (Away), vs DC (Home) If GT win each of their next four games, they’ll be confirmed of a top-two finish, as only RCB can match them with 22 points in that case. If both finish on 20, ie MI win on Tuesday (and thereafter) and GT win their other three, either or both can still finish in top-two, depending on RCB’s remaining results. 18 points too, will be enough for MI for a playoffs spot, as a win against PBKS or DC (or both) will limit at least one of them to a maximum attainable tally of 17. 18 points would suffice for GT as well, even if their defeats come against DC and MI – their direct competitors in that case – and they win later against LSG and CSK. In this scenario, only three of RCB, PBKS, DC and MI can finish with equal or more points as them, as the latter three play each other later in the league phase. 16 points i.e one win each, will only be enough for either of these two teams only if several other results go their way. MI stand at a great advantage if it comes down to the NRR, their +1.274 being comfortably the highest among all teams. *The scenarios have been calculated assuming there are no more games ending in a no-result.

IPL 2025: Qualification Scenarios

officialsquarexsportsMay 5, 2025May 5, 2025013 mins

After the end of the 54th match in the ongoing IPL 2025, the two teams, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, have been eliminated. With 16 more matches to be played in the round-robin league stage, eight teams are still hunting for a place in the playoffs. Here’s a look at how the teams are placed currently, and the possible qualification scenarios: Points Table (after Match 54) Teams Mat Won Lost NR Pts NRR Royal Challengers Bengaluru 11 8 3 0 16 0.482 Punjab Kings 11 7 3 1 15 0.376 Mumbai Indians 11 7 4 0 14 1.274 Gujarat Titans 10 7 3 0 14 0.867 Delhi Capitals 10 6 4 0 12 0.362 Kolkata Knight Riders 11 5 5 1 11 0.249 Lucknow Super Giants 11 5 6 0 10 -0.469 Rajasthan Royals (E) 12 3 9 0 6 -0.718 Sunrisers Hyderabad 10 3 7 0 6 -1.192 Chennai Super Kings (E) 11 2 9 0 4 -1.117 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Remaining fixtures: vs LSG (Away), vs SRH (Home), vs KKR (Home) Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with 16 points, are at the top of the points table. Ideally, in most seasons, these many points would have been enough to confirm a playoff berth, but in the current scenario, there could be more than four teams finishing with 16 points. For RCB to qualify without concern, they must win two of their remaining three matches. And if they win all of their remaining games, they are guaranteed to finish in the top two spots. They have all their remaining games against the bottom-placed teams and two of the three matches at their home venue in Bengaluru, where they won the last two games, including a thrilling one against CSK last Saturday. Even if they lose all their remaining games, they can still qualify for the playoffs if other results go their way. There will be an extreme situation where more than four teams can finish above 16 points and RCB loses all their games. In this case, NRR will decide RCB’s playoff fate. Punjab Kings Remaining fixtures: vs DC (Home), vs MI (Home), vs RR (Away) Punjab Kings’ latest win over LSG in Dharamsala took them into the top four again. For the first time since 2014, they have reached 15 points in the league stage. With three games to go for them, they need to win two of those to confirm qualification. One win with a strong net run rate can also be enough for them to qualify. As they have two games at home, against DC and MI, if they beat Mumbai Indians, they could have a strong chance to finish in the top two. If PBKS win only one of their remaining three matches, they will finish on 17 points. They will still qualify but will have to depend on other results. If they lose all three games, there will be a strong chance that PBKS could miss the qualification, as 16 points could be the cut-off this season. Mumbai Indians Remaining fixtures: vs GT (Home), vs PBKS (Away), vs DC (Home) The five-time champion MI have a dream run; they have won six games in a row now. They are in a good position to finish in the top four as they have the best net run rate (1.274) among all teams so far. MI have two home games to play, against GT and DC, where they have already won four out of the five matches this season. To confirm qualification, MI will need to win at least two of the three remaining games. Their next game against GT at Wankhede will be crucial as the winner could finish in the top two for qualifier 1. If they lost all three but not by a big margin, they could still qualify with a superior NRR than others in the competition. MI can be eliminated as well if they are beaten in all three remaining games, as four other teams can finish above them. Gujarat Titans Remaining fixtures: vs MI (Away), vs DC (Away), vs LSG (Home), vs CSK (Home) Gujarat Titans, currently stand at fourth in the table with 14 points in 10 games, and they have the second-best NRR after MI. They are in a better position to qualify than any other team in the league with four games to go, and two of those at their home of Narendra Modi Stadium, where they won four out of five games this season. If Titans can win two of the four remaining games, then 18 points will be enough for them to qualify for the Playoffs. And three wins guarantee them a place in Qualifier 1. One win may not be enough for GT, as mentioned above, since 16 points will not be safe to qualify this season. Delhi Capitals Remaining fixtures: vs SRH (Away), vs PBKS (Away), vs GT (Home), vs MI (Away) After winning the first four games of the season for the first time in IPL, Delhi Capitals lost four of their last six games, which now puts them fifth on the table with 12 points. They still have four matches to play, of which three will be away games, where DC won three out of the four. By winning all four games, they can reach 20 points and secure a qualification berth without depending on other teams. Three wins also give them a strong chance for qualification, as only three teams can match or exceed 18 points. Three of their four games are against top teams above them, so wins against them could benefit the,m as they all are playoff contenders. More losses in the coming matches will make it tough for DC to stay in contention. Kolkata Knight Riders Remaining fixtures: vs CSK (Home), vs SRH (Away), vs RCB (Away) A narrow one-run win over Rajasthan Royals kept the defending champions KKR alive in the competition. With 11 points in 11 games so far, they can get to a maximum of 17 points, which…

Data Shorts: Recurring fast-bowling struggles stall LSG

officialsquarexsportsMay 5, 202509 mins

Lucknow Super Giants’ success in their first two seasons of participation was brought about by impressive bowling numbers, as was the case with fellow new franchise Gujarat Titans, who fared even better. Both teams made the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, and while GT led the bowling averages (25.51) and economy rates (8.31) across the two editions, LSG stood second at 26.48 and 8.31 respectively. LSG fared even better on the fast-bowling front, leading on average (25.41) and strike-rate (17.3). As the IPL progressively became batting friendly and opting to chase became a trend, LSG enjoyed a whopping 85.7% win-loss record while defending totals (12 wins and two defeats) across 2022 and 2023, comfortably the highest among all teams. Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan were their standout quicks in 2022, and as the former was traded to the Rajasthan Royals in 2024, they unearthed Mayank Yadav, who bagged seven wickets in four games at a sub-7 economy in the most bat-dominated edition ever. Post the mega-auctions however, they had a completely different look to their side, loaded with even more power-hitters but thin on bowling. Add to that the injury woes; Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav – their two fast-bowling retentions – were both unavailable at the start of the competition, the latter’s first introduction this year coming well into the second half. At the start of IPL 2025, LSG’s seam attack had the least experience and T20 wickets among the 10 squads. Their first starting XI suggested that their best chance was to bat their opponents out of the game, as SRH did in their run to the final last year. It worked at the start with four wins from the first six games, thanks to Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh. However, both have had a dip in form since, and the bowling shortcomings have been further exposed. Combined T20 stats for seam attacks pre IPL 2025 (by squads) Squad Wickets Ave Econ SR MI 1402 24.12 7.9 18.3 PBKS 1119 24.34 8.36 17.4 RCB 1057 23.7 7.96 17.8 SRH 1043 25.33 8.25 18.4 KKR 1038 24.65 8.44 17.5 CSK 1034 25.84 8.53 18.1 GT 1013 26.5 8.2 19.3 RR 804 23.14 7.8 17.8 DC 755 24.83 8.26 18 LSG 649 25.13 8.47 17.8 Shardul Thakur was only officially announced as a replacement for Mohsin Khan after the competition started, while Mitchell Marsh hasn’t been cleared to bowl. Removing their respective T20 wickets tally from before the competition further shrinks that wickets column to less than half – 295 – which is roughly one-fifth of what MI had (1402). Before the start of the ongoing edition, MI and SRH seam attacks had a combined IPL wickets tally of 436 each, while LSG (excluding Shardul, Marsh and Mohsin’s numbers), had just 96. Rishabh Pant’s lack of trust in quicks showed in the side’s season opener in Visakhapatnam. While Delhi Capitals had three frontline seam bowlers, LSG had Shardul and an uncapped Prince Yadav. As DC recovered brilliantly from 65/5 in a 210 run-chase, Pant opted for Shahbaz Ahmed in the 20th over ahead of Shardul, and it nearly fetched them two points if not for a missed stumping. They had a fine outing against a power-packed SRH unit in their next, but it has all been downhill since. After 54 matches, LSG have been the most expensive fast bowling unit with an economy of 10.64, their average of 38.03 only better than RR (52.07). There have been three instances of two quicks conceding 50-plus runs in an innings this season, LSG account for two of them. In the first, KKR seemed on course in their 239-run chase at the Eden Gardens, until Digvesh Rathi’s intervention. In the second, against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Sunday, they conceded 236/5 after opting to bowl, and Arshdeep Singh’s triple strikes with the new ball in the chase all but sealed it for the hosts. Rathi’s versatility across phases and otherwise has somewhat made up for LSG’s fast-bowling struggles. LSG have used more overs of spin than any other team in the powerplay and have been the most expensive bowling side in the phase with an economy of 10.46. That number would’ve been even worse if not for Rathi; their quicks have gone at 10.67 in the first six overs, compared to spinners’ 8.57. In the death overs, their LSG pacers have conceded runs at 11.36, the second-worst after RR (11.74). A measure of how integral fast-bowling has been to the teams’ overall success in IPL 2025, they have averaged 23.16 in wins compared to 45.55 in defeats (excluding the tied finish in Delhi). Of the 12 four-plus wicket hauls by quicks, only Hardik Pandya’s 5/36 in Lucknow has resulted in defeat, a game wherein Rathi returned 1/21 in four overs while the three LSG seamers went at 10.5. MI, RCB and GT have had the best averages and economy rates respectively for fast bowling, and they currently take up three of the top four spots in the points table. Notably, LSG’s only win in their last five games was brought about by Avesh’s brilliance at death, who bagged 3/11 across the 18th and 20th overs to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in Jaipur. As the playoffs race stiffens, LSG have been majorly hit by their top-order’s dipping returns, not to mention Pant’s own struggles. And yet, despite a top-order collapse in Dharamsala, they managed 199/7 thanks to Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad. An improved show in their weakest suit could just be what they need to set their campaign up and running again.

Is GT’s top-three the best ever in an IPL season?

officialsquarexsportsMay 3, 2025May 3, 202506 mins

For IPL 2025 alone, there is no real challenger for the best top-three on show. 51 matches into the season, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler win that battle hands down. Their unparalleled supremacy though makes one wonder: Is it the best ever in an IPL edition? Gill, Sudharsan and Buttler currently take three of the top-four spots for most runs in IPL 2025, with the second-placed Suryakumar Yadav having played an innings more. The trio has contributed a staggering three-fourths (75.9%) of the team runs excluding extras, and all have been near-equal partners-in-crime: Sudharsan (26.6%), Buttler (24.8%) and Gill (24.5%). There hasn’t been a single game wherein at least one of them hasn’t gone past 50. Of all the team-wise top-order aggregates in the 18-year IPL history – 156 of them – only two boast a combined 50-plus average: GT (57.56 in 2025) and RCB (51.26 in 2016). Orange cap leaderboard for IPL 2025 (after match 51) Player Inns Runs Ave SR 50 HS Sai Sudharsan 10 504 50.4 154.12 5 82 Suryakumar Yadav 11 475 67.85 172.72 3 68* Jos Buttler 10 470 78.33 169.06 5 97* Shubman Gill 10 465 51.66 162.02 5 90 Virat Kohli 10 443 63.28 138.87 6 73* Highest top-order averages in an IPL edition (by teams) Team Year Mat Runs Avg SR Bnd% Dot% GT 2025 10 1439 57.56 161.32 22.53 26.2 RCB 2016 16 2102 51.26 156.74 21.17 29.9 SRH 2019 15 1726 46.64 143.71 18.23 31.8 SRH 2017 14 1559 43.3 136.15 17.64 34.1 GT 2023 17 1916 42.57 145.26 19.33 31.2 The other four entries in the above table make for an interesting analysis. Firstly, of all the 156, just two feature only three players used, PBKS in 2025 being the other (Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer). RCB in 2016 used five players in the top-three, with Virat Kohli contributing 46.3% of the top-order’s aggregate, followed by AB de Villiers (32.5%). Chris Gayle (10 times), KL Rahul (6 times) and Shane Watson (once) were the other players in RCB’s top-three that year, with Gayle enduring one of his most underwhelming campaigns, averaging 22.70 with seven single-digit scores. Similarly, David Warner was the clear leader for SRH in 2017 and 2019, winning the Orange Cap on both occasions. GT’s second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2023 was Wriddhiman Saha (371), managing less than half of what Gill did (890). Gill’s 890 accounted for 46.5% of GT’s top-order runs that year, and 30.6% of the whole team aggregate. CSK had each of Michael Hussey, Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina crossing 400 in their victorious 2011 campaign, but lower down, S Badrinath (396) and MS Dhoni (392) were not far behind. The PBKS top-order in 2025 leads the strike-rate parameter (180.05), closely followed by SRH and KKR in 2024: 180.05 and 174.12 respectively. The slam-bang approach upfront augurs well for PBKS with incredible batting depth: Marco Jansen and Azmatullah Omarzai were marked as No. 8 and No.9 in their most recent outing in Chennai. SRH and KKR’s 2024 numbers were largely dominated by openers. This takes us back to how equally damaging each of Gill, Sudharsan and Buttler have been in 2025: all contrasting in their styles. While they top on averages, GT top-order also finds itself at sixth in terms of strike-rate among those 156 entries at an impressive (161.32). They have the lowest dot-ball percentage of all (26.2%), implying the highest frequency of scoring shots. GT average a whopping 95.66 runs per wicket in the powerplay in IPL 2025, the highest for any team in an IPL edition ever, followed by 93.66 for CSK in their title win in 2023. It is worth noting that of the six wickets they have lost in the powerplay in 10 games so far, one has come via a runout. They have the second-lowest boundary percentage (22.77%) in the phase among all teams in IPL 2025, but that method serves as a prequel to the madness. The 2022 winners have scored at 63.71 runs per wicket at 9.91 between Overs 7-15 in IPL 2025. Both those counts are highest ever by a team in any IPL edition. A reminder that 2024 remains the most run-filled edition still, with an average first innings score of 190, compared to this year’s 184. Highest average runs/wicket in Overs 1-6 in an IPL edition Team Year Mat Wkts Avg RR Dot% Bnd% GT 2025 10 6 95.66 9.56 29.8 22.77 CSK 2023 15 9 93.66 9.36 35 22.46 SRH 2019 15 10 83.7 9.3 37.5 22.73 RCB 2023 14 12 64.75 9.25 34.9 23.8 SRH 2017 14 11 62 8.11 39.1 19.16 Highest run-rate in Overs 7-15 in an IPL edition Team Year Mat RR Wkts Avg Dot% Bnd% GT 2025 10 9.91 14 63.71 22.7 21.25 KKR 2024 14 9.77 28 41.96 28 20.55 LSG 2025 10 9.47 25 34.12 29 19.96 MI 2025 11 9.29 23 39.13 29.2 20.79 RCB 2024 15 9.26 40 30.95 25.9 17.06

RCB vs CSK: Now a game of flipped identities

officialsquarexsportsMay 3, 2025010 mins

A year is a long time in the IPL. This time last season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were scraping the bottom, three wins from 10 and clinging to miracle maths. When asked if focus had shifted to 2025, Mo Bobat, their Director of Cricket, said it wouldn’t until the numbers ruled them out. RCB then pulled off one of the league’s great turnarounds and ironically, their final push into the playoffs came at Chennai Super Kings’ expense. In 2025, the narrative has changed. RCB, once synonymous with chaos, are a team of clarity, control and well-defined roles. They’ve spent most of their long break before the run-in admiring the view from the top of the table. In the same time, CSK were knocked out of playoffs contention, undone by a campaign that has been a blur of chopped combinations, creaking form, injuries and mismatched intent. Not even the maths can save them this time. But it’s not just the standings that have flipped, it’s the identities too. RCB have power in their batting ranks, a working bowling formula, an unflappable captain and also a home win set up by a spin choke. They’ve even revived a player cast out as a misfit – Devdutt Padikkal – a trait their opponents once made an art form. Meanwhile, CSK, long the league’s gold standard for stability, have chopped and changed more than anyone, chasing rhythm that never arrived. It’s a strange reversal: CSK are sounding like old RCB by referencing ‘next season’ while RCB are behaving like high-functioning CSK teams of yore. Saturday, then, feels like a push for something greater. RCB, composed and climbing, are now chasing a top-two finish, a shorter road to the elusive trophy. Doing the league double over their neighbours, something they’ve never achieved, and going up to 16 points would be a firm first step on that path. CSK arrive as the shadow of their old selves, but even shadows stretch long under the right light. Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre and the next wave bring flickers of tomorrow. At a ground where fortunes flip and identities blur, this could still be a statement night beyond the Kohli-Dhoni narratives. For RCB, the journey is suddenly about finishing like old CSK. And for CSK, perhaps it begins with learning how to start again. When: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings, Match 52, IPL 2025, May 3, 19:30 IST Where: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru What to expect: There’s a forecast for light rain, but it’s only likely to briefly interrupt proceedings. That, if anything, gives teams more reason to chase. RCB did defend a total the last time around, but in all fairness, Rajasthan Royals should have chased down that score of 205. Head to head: RCB 12-21 CSK. The history is heavily skewed in favour of CSK but RCB have won the last two encounters, including a thrilling clash at this venue 12 months ago Team News: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Injuries/Availability: Phil Salt missed the Delhi game with a fever. Padikkal said Salt was in touch with the medical team and hoped to have him “back soon,” but it’s unclear if Saturday will come too soon. RCB’s optional training session on match eve was heavily interrupted by rain, though Jacob Bethell managed a brief session facing under-armed balls from a member of the support staff between the downpours. Tactics & Matchups: CSK average the least (14.5) and have lost the most wickets to short balls (12) in the PowerPlay this season. This is Josh Hazlewood’s natural length and one that has worked very well at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB’s quicks took 3 for 12 from 19 short-pitched deliveries in the reverse fixture at Chepauk. Probable XII: Phil Salt/Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma Chennai Super Kings Injuries/Availability: No injury concerns apart from those that have already been ruled out of the tournament. Tactics & Matchups: RCB’s spinners have been a key barometer of success, taking 18 wickets at 8.06 economy in wins, just one wicket at 9.26 in losses. Rajasthan Royals learned the hard way last week by showing too little intent against Krunal and Suyash. CSK will want to avoid the same trap. The addition of Brevis lends muscle to the middle, and three left-handers – Dube, Curran, and Jadeja – offer match-up value. But their spin strike rates this season of 101.33, 114.47 and 115.38 respectively hint at a lack of intent or fluency that RCB’s tweakers could again exploit. Probable XI: Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni (c&wk), Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj Did you know? – MS Dhoni averages 81.5 and has a strike-rate of 181.11 from 13 IPL games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium – Jitesh Sharma is one of only five Indian batters to have a 150-plus strike-rate with a cut-off of 100 T20 innings (Suryakumar Yadav, Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhishek Sharma are the others – Since 2024, there have been only four 200+ scores in Bengaluru, two of them came in that 287-262 game between RCB and SRH. What they said: “The last couple of years, I didn’t have too much preparation leading into IPLs and that probably had an effect on my batting as well. So it’s good that this year, I got that opportunity and really worked on it. Yeah, it does help when you have some clarity on what your role is. But at the same time, you have to go out and execute that. And for that, there’s a lot of hard work that goes in.” – Devdutt Padikkal “I think it’s just the way we’ve played in general. We’ve made too many mistakes with bat and ball and in the field for that matter. So it doesn’t matter if we’re playing at Chepauk or away, I still think the results probably would have gone that way.” – Michael Hussey

‘We don’t buy superstars, we make superstars’

officialsquarexsportsMay 2, 2025May 2, 2025010 mins

Over the years, Rajasthan Royals have been renowned to be a side that promotes and nurtures young talent. After winning the inaugural IPL season in 2008, RR hasn’t seen much success as a team, with their 2022 runners-up finish being the next best campaign for the franchise. Their 100-run defeat to MI on Thursday (May 1) officially knocked the Royals out of IPL 2025, which meant another season gone without a playoffs berth. Amidst all this, the one thing that keeps RR going is their constant endeavour to propel talented young players to the forefront, the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi being the latest in the list. The Royals have received a lot of flak with their retention choices in recent times – Jos Buttler and Trent Boult being the notable names that RR let go – but fielding coach Dishant Yagnik doesn’t feel that the team has much concerns in the ongoing cycle and beyond. “Whenever a new player has entered our side over the years, they weren’t stars already,” Yagnik explained during the post-match press conference. “They became stars at our franchise. The current bunch, we’re confident that they will become stars, we’ll make them stars. We don’t buy superstars, we make superstars, that’s our tagline. “For example, take Vaibhav Suryavanshi, everyone was happy and emotional for him the way he batted. So, in the coming years, guys like him will become stars. “Time has come for us to look beyond such things (regretting not retaining players like Buttler). When we don’t have them, we have to forget and move on. Now we have Vaibhav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson is our captain. We’ll go ahead with this side and we’ll prove our winning ability with this side.” Reflecting on the 2025 season, Yagnik lamented the Royals’ inability to execute their plans in crunch moments. It cost them dearly in three successive run chases and in hindsight, those were six valuable points gone down the drain. Against Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants, the equation was single digits going into the final over of the chase – a cakewalk by modern T20 standards. Yet, the DC game went into a Super Over where RR further lost the plot in plans and executions to come up short. Against LSG, the choke saga continued as the batters failed to close the game out. If it was Mitchell Starc in the first contest, it was Avesh Khan in the next game as RR’s campaign hit a roadblock. Against RCB, the equation had come down to 17 needed off 12 balls, another easy situation to be in but the Royals once again found ways to lose, eventually falling short by 11 runs. Yagnik admitted that his side could have done a lot better in those three fixtures. “If you look at most of the games, we were often close to winning those matches. In those crunch moments where execution is crucial, we probably fell short in close games and that’s how two points went away from us. As you know, we were dominating in those three games (against DC, LSG and RCB) but there was a shortage in execution during crunch moments. It happens in cricket.” Another aspect where RR lacked severely is in the fielding department. They were guilty of putting down too many catches, many of which proved critical in the overall context of the game. Against MI, there was more evidence of this as Suryakumar Yadav got multiple reprieves that he cashed in on with aplomb. Yagnik chose to look at this season’s errors as an anomaly and felt that fielding form does fluctuate in the sport. “I’ve been the fielding coach for eight years now. From 2018 to 2023 if you check the data, we were always in the top three (in terms of fielding). Once in a while, such a season comes when you miss a lot of catches in back-to-back games. It happens with all franchises. “In cricket, taking and missing catches are part and parcel of the game. Even today, three catches were missed. What matters is your level of preparation.” Yagnik was all praise for MI’s batting effort after the five-time champions had posted a huge total of 217 on a surface that wasn’t exactly a belter. To be fair, RR’s bowlers did execute their plans for most parts but were undone by some outstanding batting from the visitors. If Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma set up the platform with their respective fifties, the work was carried forward by Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya as MI ended up with a daunting total on the board. Reflecting on his side’s bowling, Yagnik didn’t prefer to be too critical and instead, credited MI for putting up a fantastic show. “If someone’s skill proves to be a handful for your bowling plans, like Rohit’s skill set, Surya’s skill set. They batted well and hit sixes off really good balls. So, you have to credit Mumbai Indians’ batters for the way they batted, In the last game, GT conceded that Vaibhav played classy shots. Similarly, you need to credit MI for their batting.” On a night when dew didn’t show up, Royals’ decision to bowl at the toss looked like a blunder in hindsight. On a slow surface, batting didn’t get easier in the second half, as was the expectation from the home side. Given RR’s emphatic chase against GT, it wasn’t surprising to see them opt to bowl but the results backfired for them. Yagnik also defended RR’s decision to chase, citing the logical reasoning behind the move. “If you look at the previous games played at this venue, batting has always been easier to bat in the second innings. There is always the expectation of dew. With the weather being a bit overcast then (at the time of the toss), there was also the possibility of getting some swing early. So, keeping all these technical points in mind, we bowled first.”

Mumbai Indians humiliate Rajasthan Royals to go top of the table

officialsquarexsportsMay 2, 2025011 mins

Mumbai Indians flexed their big batting muscles to amass 217 for 2 and then knocked Rajasthan Royals out of playoffs contention with a 100-run statement victory in Jaipur. MI brought the oft-used cliche of ‘peaking at the right time’ to life as they added a sixth successive W to their incredible run that has catapulted them to the top of the table while enhancing their NRR. This was also the 17th time they scored a 200-plus total batting first in the IPL, and the 17th time they defended it successfully. Where the game was won? In a decimation of this magnitude, MI were levels above RR in every single phase of the game, with the hosts barely lasting apart from the last pair with the bat. The stark difference was still visible in the wickets column of the two PowerPlays. MI survived a shaky start to set themselves up for a flourish throughout while RR crumbled spectacularly under the mountain of runs staring at them. The PowerPlay difference Parameters MI RR Score 58/0 62/5 Run-rate 9.66 10.33 4s/6s 8/2 7/3 Mumbai Indians PowerPlay: Watchful start, carefree finish Phase score – 58/0 [RR: 9.66, 4s/6s: 8/2] Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton navigated MI’s PowerPlay of two contrasting halves. The opening three overs were marked by caution and tentativeness as strong winds swept across the ground, aiding sharp lateral movement for Jofra Archer and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Rohit narrowly survived a close LBW appeal, saved by a late and uncertain review that revealed the ball had pitched just outside leg stump. MI managed only 16 runs in those first three overs. Then, the momentum shifted. Rickelton sparked the turnaround with a wristy flick for six over deep square leg off Farooqi, followed by a confident pull off a short delivery. Rohit followed suit, producing one of the shots of the match – stepping outside leg stump to cut a 147 kmph Archer delivery between backward point and short third man for four. Rickelton added a four and a six to make it an 18-run fifth over. The pair capped off the PowerPlay in style with three successive boundaries off Maheesh Theekshana, bringing up just the second 50-plus opening partnership for MI this season. Middle-overs: The batting juggernaut rolls on Phase score – 88/2 [RR: 9.77, 4s/6s: 12/1] The carnage spilled deep into the middle overs as Rohit and Rickelton took the attack to two former MI bowlers – Kumar Kartikeya and Akash Madhwal, who were forced inclusions for the ill Wanindu Hasaranga and the injured Sandeep Sharma. Even their dismissals, both against the run of play to Theekshana and Riyan Parag, did little to slow MI’s momentum. Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya seamlessly picked up where the openers left off, sustaining a scoring rate close to 10 an over. When Farooqi returned for his third over, the new pair punished him with three boundaries. Madhwal offered some brief relief, conceding just seven runs in the over leading into the death. Death-overs: MI up the brutality Phase score – 71/0 [RR: 14.20, 4s/6s: 6/4] Flicks, pulls, and audacious ramps were all on full display as Suryakumar and Hardik elevated the brutality in the death overs. The duo dismantled everything in their path, with only a single sub-double-digit over. Theekshana bore the brunt in the 16th, starting with a fierce drive from Hardik that struck his hand and raced away for four. The Sri Lankan recovered well through the over, but a final-ball full toss was dispatched over fine leg by Suryakumar for six. Archer began the 17th with sharp yorkers and pinpoint full lengths, but as MI’s finishers have shown throughout the tournament, the margin for error is razor-thin. A slight variation – a slower, short-of-length ball, was enough for Suryakumar to muscle it over fine leg. Farooqi’s return in the 18th saw Hardik explode, smashing him down the ground and to both sides of the wicket in a 21-run over. Archer returned with renewed intensity, cranking up the pace and restricting the pair to just eight runs in the 19th despite an early boundary. Madhwal almost followed suit in the final over, landing three accurate yorkers for just two runs. But Hardik latched onto a low full toss for four, and Suryakumar sealed the carnage with a straight six. Both finished on an identical 48* (23). Rajasthan Royals PowerPlay: Early collapse and derailment in chase Phase score – 62/5 [RR: 10.33, 4s/6s: 7/3] RR’s newest centurion Vaibhav Suryavanshi fell for a second-ball duck when he mistimed a shot to Will Jacks at mid-on, giving Deepak Chahar his eighth PowerPlay wicket of the season. With the pressure to score quickly early on, RR took risks that didn’t pay off. Yashasvi Jaiswal first fell in the second over while attempting to take on Trent Boult. A brief flicker of resistance came from Nitish Rana and Riyan Parag, but that too was short-lived. Boult had Rana caught by Tilak Varma at deep square leg, and Jasprit Bumrah followed up with a double-wicket over, removing Parag and Shimron Hetmyer with short deliveries. RR slumped to 62 for 5 at the end of six overs, becoming the first team this season to lose half their side inside the PowerPlay. Middle-overs: More of the same as RR continue to spiral Phase score – 51/4 [RR: 5.66, 4s/6s: 3/3] MI chose to be relentless in all phases with both bat and ball as Hardik dismissed impact substitute Shubham Dubey in the eighth over. MI’s impact sub – Karn Sharma – then walked in to dismiss Dhruv Jurel in his first over – the ninth – to leave RR down to 76 for 7. Karn then tried to trigger a swift finish with the wickets of Theekshana and Kartikeya in an over to push the hosts down to 91 for 9. Archer threw his bat around briefly to drag his side past the 100-run mark, but that’s as far as the consolation went for the home team. Death overs: Boult…