Introduction
The days of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni stepping out for the toss in the Indian Premier League (IPL) are now a thing of the past. As the highly anticipated 18th edition of the tournament approaches, a new generation of captains will take center stage, marking a fresh chapter in the history of the blockbuster T20 league.
IPL 2025 Captain List
On Friday, March 14, Axar Patel was appointed as the captain of Delhi Capitals, finalizing the list of all ten skippers for IPL 2025. Notably, Pat Cummins is the only overseas captain this season, while the remaining nine are all Indian players.
One of the most surprising appointments was Rajat Patidar, who will lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Patidar, known for his batting exploits, replaces Faf du Plessis and carries the responsibility of guiding RCB in pursuit of their elusive first title.
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have turned to the experienced Ajinkya Rahane, with Venkatesh Iyer as his deputy. This decision comes after Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to their third IPL title in 2024, moved to Punjab Kings as their new captain. Rishabh Pant will make a much-anticipated return as the leader of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), marking another major leadership shift.
The IPL 2025 season is set to commence on March 22 and conclude with the grand finale on May 25. The tournament will feature 74 matches across 13 venues, including 12 double-header days. Afternoon matches will kick off at 3:30 PM IST, while evening games will start at 7:30 PM IST.
The opening match will see Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, which will also host Qualifier 2 and the final. The first double-header of the season is scheduled for March 23, with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) facing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the afternoon, followed by a blockbuster clash between five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Following the league stage, the Playoffs will be hosted in Hyderabad and Kolkata. Hyderabad will stage Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator on May 20 and 21, respectively, before the action shifts to Kolkata for Qualifier 2 on May 23.
Full List of IPL 2025 Captains:
- Kolkata Knight Riders – Ajinkya Rahane
- Sunrisers Hyderabad – Pat Cummins
- Rajasthan Royals – Sanju Samson
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Rajat Patidar
- Chennai Super Kings – Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Delhi Capitals – Axar Patel
- Lucknow Super Giants – Rishabh Pant
- Punjab Kings – Shreyas Iyer
- Gujarat Titans – Shubman Gill
- Mumbai Indians – Hardik Pandya
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IPL 2025: Schedule
IPL 2025 Schedule & Match Format
The tournament will kick off on March 22, 2025, and conclude with the grand final