The timing seems right that the 18th season of the Indian Premier League assumes greater responsibility and makes more decisive moves for the journey ahead.
A few years back, the IPL looked at itself as a standalone event, springing into existence for two months and then waiting for the next year to roll around.
But over the past few seasons, it became clear that the appetite of the league – by far the most lucrative in cricket – can’t be restricted to a couple of months and needs more room to stretch its growing legs.
So the IPL’s stakeholders began setting up bases across the globe, placing the brand in different markets, all with the purpose of feeding back into the system, thus resulting in a cycle of cricket and IPL that can carry on all year round.
But it all leads back to the main event, which starts in Kolkata on Saturday. As reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders begin their title defence at Eden Gardens against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, we take a look at some of the main talking points.
IPL’s global footprint
The IPL is no longer confined to Indi. The franchises have now taken up real estate in various territories, with teams in the Caribbean Premier League, South Africa T20, International League T20 in the UAE and Major League Cricket in the US. More significantly, IPL team owners have acquired stakes at varying levels in teams in The Hundred competition in England, further strengthening the hold – which is already seen as a problem by many – the tournament has over world cricket.
It all leads back to the IPL though, with the links serving as a continuous loop of players and management that can, in theory, hop from one system to the other. Kieron Pollard played for MI Emirates in the ILT20 in January and will now coach Mumbai Indians in the IPL. The system also allows players to switch between current and previous franchises: former Chennai Super Kings mainstay Faf du Plessis captains Joburg Super Kings in the SAT20 but is vice-captain of Delhi Capitals in the IPL this year.
Then there is the case of South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch who pulled out of next month's Pakistan Super League and signed up for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. According to reports, the pacer made the call due to the vast global network of the Mumbai franchise that opens up multiple avenues.
The system is still maturing and will benefit mainly the overseas players and coaching staff, as India’s players are still barred from branching out. Still, the league is bound to benefit from the experience the franchises have acquired at other tournaments and systems, and apply that knowledge in the IPL.
And the players, if good enough, can hope to impress the management to get high-paying contracts pretty much all throughout the year.
New leaders
One point that IPL teams have agreed upon is the importance of having a local captain. Unless your name is Pat Cummins. After the mega auction late last year, some sides went in a completely new direction in terms of leadership. The biggest one was defending champions Kolkata, who let go of their winning captain Shreyas Iyer and were left scrambling for a decent replacement up until a few weeks ago. They made a strange selection in Ajinkya Rahane, who is not a proven T20 leader at any level.
Iyer, however, landed a big contract and leadership role in Punjab, which is just reward for brilliant contributions in white-ball tournaments for the national team. He is the most in-form local white-ball player in the tournament and will look to reinforce his credentials as a leader, having also captained admirably at Delhi.
Another player who got rewarded for continued excellence in white-ball cricket is all-rounder Axar Patel, who was promoted to captaincy at Delhi. He may not have a lot of experience as a leader, but is one of the few players adept at all formats, so should have his pulse on the game.
Rishabh Pant, the most expensive player in IPL history, has a point to prove as he leads Lucknow, having lost his footing in the national white-ball team and with questions being raised about his effectiveness in T20s.
Then there is the hot mess at Mumbai Indians where Hardik Pandya leads three national team captains – Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah. All these four names are expected to be jostling for national leadership roles.
Something for the bowlers?
Will this be the season when we witness 300 being scored? Last year, teams, especially Hyderabad, threatened to breach that mark more than once, regularly posting scores around and above 250.
Scores of 200 were the norm at many venues, which makes for great viewing but not necessarily a good contest.
Last year, pitches in Lucknow, Bengaluru and Chennai had a little bit in them to level the playing field, but overall it was a batter's tournament.
The recent Champions Trophy matches in Dubai showed that difficult pitches can make for some amazing cricket. If the league wants bowlers to remain relevant, the pitches have to have some life. And that will also separate the power hitters from the blind sloggers.
Preparations for 2026
The IPL this season will be seen by many players as a testing ground for the main battle further down the road – the 2026 T20 World Cup in India.
Obviously, players focus on the task at hand while on the field, but many will be taking mental notes alongside as all data collected now will serve their national sides well next year.
Also, since competition is the highest for spots in T20 national teams, a good season here is guaranteed to secure the position of players, at least in the preliminary squad.
Another area of focus will be pitches and ground conditions. The nature of surfaces, level of dew in the evening will all be major factors not only for this IPL but for the main prize early next year.
