With less than two days left for the start of IPL 2025, experts have made their predictions, as far as the playoffs race is concerned. Former cricketer likes of Virender Sehwag, Michael Vaughan, Adam Gilchrist, among others revealed their top 4 for the upcoming season, while speaking to Cricbuzz. However, not a single former cricketer, barring former India all-rounder Rohan Gavaskar, picked Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to finish in the top four this season. Former India batter Sehwag, apart from RCB, also predicted Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to finish outside the four playoff places.
Veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle also backed RCB to finish in the top 4. Eight out of the 10 experts backed SunRisers Hyderabad to reach the final, making them the most common choice.
Here are the top 4 predictions made by experts:
Virender Sehwag: MI, SRH, PBKS & LSG
Adam Gilchrist: PBKS, MI, SRH & GT
Rohan Gavaskar: RCB, SRH, DC & MI
Harsha Bhogle: SRH, MI, KKR & RCB
Shaun Pollack: MI, CSK, SRH & PBKS
Manoj Tiwary: SRH, PBKS, GT & KKR
Simon Doull: CSK, KKR, SRH & PBKS
Michael Vaughan: GT, MI, KKR & PBKS
Mpumelelo Mbangwa: SRH, GT, KKR & LSG
Ahead of the opening match between RCB and KKR on Saturday, the BCCI has made some significant changes in the rules for the IPL.
These rule changes were decided during the IPL 2025 captains’ meeting in Mumbai on Thursday, as reported by news agency PTI.
Captains in the Indian Premier League will not be banned for over-rate offences and instead will be docked demerit points.
The move comes after Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant, captaining Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals respectively, were handed a one match ban for the team’s third over-rate offence in the 2024 edition.
Hardik will be serving that ban in the 2025 edition by missing the first game against CSK.
The BCCI also lifted the ban on use of saliva on the ball after a majority of captains agreed to its proposal, making it the first major cricket competition to do away with the restriction that was a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had banned the age-old practice of applying saliva to shine the ball as a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which health practitioners advocated strict hygiene protocols and physical distancing.
Now that the ban is revoked in the IPL, the ICC too might review its stance on the subject.
Also, the Impact Player rule will continue in the IPL, despite reports suggesting that it might be revoked.
(With PTI Inputs)
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