Suryakumar Yadav will take up the captaincy duties in the first match of the Mumbai Indians in the absence of full-time captain Hardik Pandya, as we told you in the afternoon session of the IPL digest on Wednesday, 19 March 2025. (Full Coverage | More Cricket News)
Now, here are the top developments and IPL trends shaping the narrative ahead of the opening match of the 18th edition of the IPL:
With Impact Player Rule, Only A Complete All-Rounder Can Play In Team: Pandya
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya stated on Wednesday that, with the contentious Impact Player rule being extended for three more years, a cricketer must be a genuine all-rounder to secure a place in the starting eleven.
This rule allows teams to replace a player from their playing XI at a later stage in the match, enabling them to bring in a batting or bowling specialist as needed based on the match situation.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to extend this rule until at least the 2027 edition, despite objections from prominent Indian players, including Rohit Sharma. Sharma expressed concerns that the Impact Player strategy is hindering the development of Indian all-rounders, as teams often substitute them with an additional batter or bowler during games.
KKR's New Mentor DJ Bravo Sings 'Champion-Champion'
Dwayne Bravo, one of the most decorated players in T20 cricket, has recently been appointed as the Mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). During an event on Wednesday in Kolkata, he entertained his teammates and performed his famous song, "Champion-champion."
Bravo expressed his intention to instil a "champion mentality" within KKR as they prepare for the upcoming Indian Premier League season. He takes over the role from Gautam Gambhir, who led the franchise to its third title last year. Bravo is determined to build on KKR's recent successes and help the team remain a formidable force in the league.
As one of the format's most accomplished all-rounders, Bravo is no stranger to victory. With 631 wickets and a record 17 T20 franchise titles to his name, he understands what it takes to win.
"I’d like to bring in the champion mentality. I believe in winning," said the former West Indies T20 World Cup winner during the 'Knights Unplugged 2.0' event. "My records speak for themselves, but at the end of the day, it라이브 바카라 about the next generation of cricketers and helping them become champions in their own way. KKR is a team that is hugely respected worldwide. When I was playing, facing a couple of their players used to be a nightmare. I’m happy to be part of this setup now."
Punjab Kings Practice Session
In a practice match held at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh on Wednesday, Team B batted first and scored a total of 205 runs in 20 overs, thanks to Shreyas Iyer's impressive innings of 85 runs off 41 balls. In response, Team A's opening pair, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, had a strong start, scoring 72 and 66 runs, respectively.
However, Team A finished with 198 runs, falling short of the target by 7 runs. Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh was notable for his performance, conceding only 22 runs in 4 overs while taking two wickets.
BCCI Contemplates Lifting Saliva Ban In IPL
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering lifting the ban on using saliva to shine the ball in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which starts on March 22.
This proposal has been discussed internally and will be presented to the captains of all IPL teams in a meeting in Mumbai on Thursday. The ICC banned saliva use as a COVID-19 precaution, making the ban permanent in 2022, and the IPL followed suit.
A senior BCCI official stated, "We believe there is no harm in lifting the ban in the IPL now that the COVID threat has diminished. While it has a bigger impact in red-ball cricket, it could still help bowlers in white-ball formats."
If the ban is lifted in the IPL, it may prompt the ICC to reconsider its rules. Recently, Indian pacer Mohammed Shami and former players like Vernon Philander and Tim Southee expressed the need to reintroduce saliva in the game.
DRS To Be Extended To Height And Off-Side Wides
The IPL is set to approve the use of the Decision Review System (DRS) for height wides and wides that occur outside the off-stump.
Hawkeye and ball tracking technology will be utilized to determine whether a delivery qualifies as a height wide or a wide outside the off-stump. If the on-field umpire calls a ball wide due to its height, the team will be allowed to request a review through the DRS. If the team believes that the ball was not high enough to be considered a wide, they can challenge the umpire's decision.
Want To Keep Batting And Captaincy Apart: Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill believes that a successful captain should keep his batting and leadership roles separate, as combining the two can be detrimental to the team's performance.
Gill took over as captain of the Gujarat Titans from Hardik Pandya last season, but his start was less than ideal, with the team finishing in a disappointing eighth place after reaching the finals in both 2022 and 2023.
"The more you can separate captaincy from batting, the better it is. In my experience, when I go out to bat, it's best for me to focus solely on my batting. The decisions I make as a batter are the ones that benefit me most," Gill said during a pre-season media conference on Wednesday.
