NEW rules and new captains will be in focus but the razzmatazz will be pretty much the same when the 18th Indian Premier League kicks off here on Saturday with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders taking on perennial underachievers Royal Challengers Bengaluru amid a looming threat of rain. There is plenty to look forward in the league. Among the most prominent rule changes is the lifting of saliva ban. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, bowlers will be allowed to use it to shine the ball. The BCCI lifted the ban after receiving a majority consensus from IPL captains in a landmark decision taken at the captains’ meeting in Mumbai. The International Cricket Council had made the saliva ban permanent in 2022, but the IPL operates under its own regulations and the latest move could set a precedent for the global game.

 

The 18th season will also witness tactical innovations, including a major change to counter dew’s impact. The second innings of evening matches will see a fresh ball introduced from the 11th over, provided the on-field umpires deem the dew factor significant as the trend of high-scoring games is likely to continue. Additionally, the Decision Review System has been expanded to include height wides and off-side wides, ensuring a fairer adjudication of deliveries. Captain’s corner As many as seven teams will start IPL 2025 under new leadership, although some of them will be a stop-gap arrangement due to varied reasons.

 

The most surprising of them all is Rajat Patidar, who is yet to play a T20I for India, leading the RCB team that features mega-star Virat Kohli. Axar Patel takes charge of Delhi Capitals to lead, among others, his Team India senior KL Rahul, who would be aiming to shake off the disappointment of a turbulent stint with Lucknow Super Giants in 2024. Shreyas Iyer, fresh off leading KKR to glory in 2024, will don the captain’s armband for Punjab Kings with Ajinkya Rahane replacing him in the Kolkata team. Rajasthan Royals will start the season with Riyan Parag as interim captain for the first three matches due to Sanju Samson’s recovery from a finger injury taking longer than expected. Mumbai Indians will be led by Suryakumar Yadav in their away opener against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, as Hardik Pandya serves a suspension for an over-rate violation from last season. Match preview

 

The season opener at Eden Gardens revives an iconic rivalry. Seventeen years ago, Brendon McCullum’s blistering 158 in the inaugural IPL match set the tone for the league’s legacy. But much water has flown under the nearby Hooghly since then as KKR have won three titles, while RCB is still in search of the elusive crown. This time, KKR, often known to slump after a championship win, will look to defy history under Rahane’s leadership. Focus will be on Varun Chakravarthy, the architect of India’s Champions Trophy victory, when he takes on Kohli, who has worked intensely against spin in the nets. Meanwhile, Sunil Narine, still a force at 36, will look to complement Chakravarthy while also firing at the top to compensate for Phil Salt’s departure to RCB. For RCB, the firepower of Salt and Kohli at the top, complemented by finishers like Jitesh Sharma and Liam Livingstone, looks formidable. However, their bowling, weakened by the absence of Mohammed Siraj (now with Gujarat Titans), will lean on veterans Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood to make an impact on Eden’s spin-friendly conditions.