As the Indian Premier League (IPL) turns 18, fans reflect on the league's evolution and its impact on cricket. To celebrate its birthday, let's take a look at the top scorers and wicket-takers in IPL history. Virat Kohli leads the list with 8,252 runs, followed by Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, David Warner, and Suresh Raina. In the bowling department, Yuzvendra Chahal, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ravichandran Ashwin top the charts with their impressive wicket-taking abilities. These players have not only proven their worth on the field, but have also contributed to making the IPL a global phenomenon.
After five successive losses, Chennai Super Kings finally get a win in IPL 2025 as they defeat the hosts Lucknow by chasing down a total of 166 in the final over. The opener Khaleel Ahmed sets the tone for the game by taking early wickets which restricts Lucknow's start. Despite dropping R Ashwin and relying on the spin duo of Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj, it is Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni's partnership that ultimately leads to Chennai's victory. Dube scores the winning boundary off the third ball of the final over, highlighting his impact in the match.
Former England batsman Nick Knight has criticized Chennai Super Kings' decision to break up the successful opening partnership of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway in the IPL 2025 season. Knight suggests that both Gaikwad and Conway should be in their top order and Shivam Dube should be given a higher batting position to take advantage of his spin-hitting skills. Knight also questions the decision to send Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of CSK icon MS Dhoni in their most recent game.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the central contracts for men's cricket in the near future, but questions remain over the eligibility of retired T20 stars for the top A+ grade. As Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja are no longer active in T20 internationals, their status for the elite contract is under debate. Meanwhile, Axar Patel's vice-captaincy for the T20I series against England could potentially earn him a promotion from Grade B to A, while the exclusion of retired player Ravichandran Ashwin is also expected.
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has made a remarkable comeback to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for IPL 2025, picking up 182 wickets in 214 matches. During the Chennai Super Kings' clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Ashwin surpassed Sunil Narine to become the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL. Despite their loss, RCB also made history by defeating CSK for the first time at the Yellow Army's home ground of Chepauk Stadium since 2008.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has advised England's Harry Brook to watch out for Varun Chakravarthy's googlies, even in bad light. Ashwin pointed out that Brook had failed to read the googlies in the previous two T20 matches due to this oversight. This comes after Brook had made a "smog" excuse for his dismissal in the first T20I against Chakravarthy. Ashwin's valuable tip could prove useful for Brook in the remainder of the series.
Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah made history by becoming the 5th Indian cricketer to win the ICC Cricketer of the Year award, joining cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, and Ravichandran Ashwin. In an outstanding year, Bumrah played a total of 21 international matches and dismissed 86 batters. His exceptional performance in the T20 World Cup 2024, where he was named Player of the Tournament, played a significant role in India's victory.
Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised the abilities of Phil Salt, claiming that he could be the most valuable T20 batter in the world. He also mentioned Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell as players to keep an eye on for England in the upcoming T20I series against India. Ashwin highlighted their past performances and potential to excel in white-ball cricket.
Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin recently caused a stir on social media after his comments on the Hindi language during a graduation ceremony in Tamil Nadu. While addressing the audience, Ashwin stated that Hindi is not the national language but an official language of India, leading to a nationwide debate. This issue highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the promotion and recognition of Hindi as a unifying language in a diverse nation like India.
The decision of Rohit Sharma being 'rested' for the fifth Test in Sydney has led to uproar in the Indian cricket community. At 37 years old, this may be the end of Sharma's Test career. The retirements of Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja from T20Is and the mid-series retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin have sparked a transition phase in Indian cricket. Reports state that there was a communication breakdown between the skipper and the head coach, leading to Sharma's exclusion.