IPL 2025: First Five Matches Details (2025)

Introduction

Friends, I think the wait is over now. Indian Premier League (IPL), also known as IPL 18 and branded as TATA IPL 2025, is making a lot of noise among cricket enthusiasts. As we can say, it is a big festival for the cricket fans. The tournament is going to begin from 22 March to 25 May 2025, and ten teams will compete in 74 matches. The matches will be held across the 13 cities of India, and Eden Gardens, Kolkata will be the stadium where is first matches between  Kolkata Knight Riders and  Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be played.  

1. Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

The first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders who have won their third title in the last season after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.

Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Date: March 22, Public

Time: 7:30 PM

Predicted players for Kolkata Knight Riders:

Predicted players for Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Phil Salt – Wicketkeeper-Batsman (Right-handed)

Virat Kohli – Batsman (Right-handed)

Rajat Patidar (Captain) – Batsman (Right-handed)

Liam Livingstone – All-Rounder (Right-handed batsman, Right-arm leg-spinner/off-spinner)

Jacob Bethell – All-Rounder (Left-handed batsman, Left-arm orthodox spinner)

Jitesh Sharma – Wicketkeeper-Batsman (Right-handed)

Krunal Pandya – All-Rounder (Left-handed batsman, Left-arm orthodox spinner).

Bhuvneshwar Kumar – Bowler (Right-arm fast-medium)

Yash Dayal – Bowler (Left-arm fast-medium)

Josh Hazlewood – Bowler (Right-arm fast)

Suyash Sharma – Bowler (Right-arm leg-spinner)

Important Notes

• Why Predictions?: As of March 19, 2025, the KKR vs. RCB match is three days away. IPL teams announce their playing XI only at the toss, around 7:00 PM IST on March 22. These are informed predictions based on squad details, player form, and Eden Gardens’ conditions.
• Possible Changes: For KKR, if Nortje’s unavailable, Umran Malik (fast bowler) could slot in. For RCB, if Hazlewood’s rested, Rasikh Salam (fast-medium bowler) might play. A spin-heavy Eden pitch could see KKR’s Anukul Roy or RCB’s Tim David as surprise picks.
• Final Confirmation: Official XIs will be revealed at the toss, broadcast live from Eden Gardens on IPL channels.

2. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Vs Rajasthan Royals (RR)

In the second game, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will be played on March 23 at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. The game starts at 3:30 in the afternoon. Sanju will be the captain of the Rajasthan Royals. Sunrisers Hyderabad will do great with their new players!

Match Context

Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad

Date: March 23, 2025 (Sunday)

Time: 3:30 PM IS

Predicted Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – March 23, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for SRH:

1. Travis Head – Opening Batsman
2. Abhishek Sharma – Opening Batsman/All-rounder
3. Ishan Kishan – Wicketkeeper-Batsman
4. Heinrich Klaasen – Middle-order Batsman/Wicketkeeper
5. Nitish Kumar Reddy – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
6. Kamindu Mendis – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
7. Wiaan Mulder – All-rounder
8. Pat Cummins (Captain) – Fast Bowler
9. Mohammad Shami – Fast Bowler
10. Harshal Patel – Fast Bowler
11. Rahul Chahar – Spin Bowler

Predicted Playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) – March 23, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for RR:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal – Opening Batsman
2. Jos Buttler – Opening Batsman/Wicketkeeper
3. Sanju Samson (Captain) – Middle-order Batsman/Wicketkeeper
4. Riyan Parag – Middle-order Batsman
5. Shimron Hetmyer – Middle-order Batsman
6. Rovman Powell – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
7. Ravichandran Ashwin – Bowling All-rounder
8. Trent Boult – Fast Bowler
9. Avesh Khan – Fast Bowler
10. Yuzvendra Chahal – Spin Bowler
11. Sandeep Sharma – Fast Bowler

Important Notes

• Why Predictions?: As of today, March 19, 2025, the match is four days away, and IPL teams don’t release their playing XI until the toss (around 3:00 PM IST on March 23). These lists are educated guesses based on current squad details and past trends.
• Possible Changes: Injuries, form, or tactical shifts (e.g., adding an extra spinner if the pitch turns) could alter these lineups. For instance, if Jofra Archer is fit for RR, he might replace Avesh Khan, or SRH might swap Mulder for Adam Zampa for more spin.
• Final Confirmation: The exact 11 players will only be known at the toss, broadcast live on IPL’s official channels or updates from the stadium.
• Preview: SRH, led by Pat Cummins, will rely on their aggressive batting (Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen) and bolstered bowling (Shami, Cummins) to kick off their campaign strong. RR, under Sanju Samson, will bank on their top-order firepower (Buttler, Jaiswal) and spin duo (Chahal, Ashwin) to challenge SRH at their home ground.

3. Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will play a big match. These two teams are the biggest rivals in the IPL. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the captain of Chennai, and the team is strong. Mumbai’s team is very good, too. This match is always exciting, so it will be very special.

Place: M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Date: March 23, Sunday

Time: 7:30 PM  

Predicted Playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – March 23, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for CSK:  

• Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain) – Opening Batsman  
• Devon Conway – Opening Batsman/Wicketkeeper  
• Rachin Ravindra – Top-order Batsman/All-rounder  
• Rahul Tripathi – Middle-order Batsman  
• Shivam Dube – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder  
• Ravindra Jadeja – All-rounder  
• MS Dhoni – Middle-order Batsman/Wicketkeeper  
• Ravichandran Ashwin – Bowling All-rounder  
• Noor Ahmad – Spin Bowler  
• Khaleel Ahmed – Fast Bowler  
• Matheesha Pathirana – Fast Bowler

Predicted Playing for Mumbai Indians (MI) – March 23, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for MI:  

• Rohit Sharma – Opening Batsman  
• Ryan Rickelton – Opening Batsman/Wicketkeeper  
• Suryakumar Yadav – Top-order Batsman  
• Tilak Varma – Middle-order Batsman  
• Hardik Pandya (Captain) – All-rounder  
• Naman Dhir – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder  
• Will Jacks – Batting All-rounder  
• Deepak Chahar – Fast Bowler  
• Trent Boult – Fast Bowler  
• Karn Sharma – Spin Bowler  
• Jasprit Bumrah – Fast Bowler

Important Notes

• Why Predictions?: Today is March 19, 2025, and the match is four days away. IPL teams don’t share their playing XI until the toss (around 7:00 PM IST on March 23). These lists are smart guesses based on the latest squad information and how teams usually play.  
• Possible Changes: Injuries, player form, or game plans (like adding an extra spinner if the pitch helps spin) might change these teams. For example, if Jasprit Bumrah isn’t fit for MI, Corbin Bosch could step in, or CSK might pick Sam Curran over Noor Ahmad for more batting.  
• Final Confirmation: The real 11 players will be known only at the toss, shown live on IPL’s official channels or updates from the stadium.  
• Preview: CSK, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, will count on their solid batting (Gaikwad, Conway, Dhoni) and strong spin (Jadeja, Ashwin) to start well. MI, under Hardik Pandya, will trust their big hitters (Rohit, Suryakumar) and top bowlers (Bumrah, Boult) to take on CSK at their home ground.

4. Delhi Capitals vs. Lucknow Super Giants

This is the fourth match of the tournament. Two teams, Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), will play against each other. Delhi Capitals (DC): This team has some new players this season. They want to play well and win the match. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): This team also has strong players. They will try their best to win the match. Both teams will work hard to win. It will be exciting to watch!

Place: Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium, Visakhapatnam

Date: March 24, Monday

Time: 7:30 PM  

Predicted Player for Delhi Capitals (DC) – March 24, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for DC:

• KL Rahul (Captain) – Opening Batsman/Wicketkeeper
• Jake Fraser-McGurk – Opening Batsman
• Faf du Plessis – Top-order Batsman
• Abishek Porel – Middle-order Batsman/Wicketkeeper
• Tristan Stubbs – Middle-order Batsman
• Axar Patel – All-rounder
• Ashutosh Sharma – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
• Kuldeep Yadav – Spin Bowler
• Mukesh Kumar – Fast Bowler
• Mitchell Starc – Fast Bowler
• T Natarajan – Fast Bowler

Predicted Players for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – March 24, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for LSG:

• Aiden Markram – Opening Batsman
• Mitchell Marsh – Opening Batsman/All-rounder
• Nicholas Pooran – Top-order Batsman/Wicketkeeper
• Rishabh Pant (Captain) – Middle-order Batsman/Wicketkeeper
• David Miller – Middle-order Batsman
• Ayush Badoni – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
• Shahbaz Ahmed – All-rounder
• Avesh Khan – Fast Bowler
• Mayank Yadav – Fast Bowler
• Mohsin Khan – Fast Bowler
• Ravi Bishnoi – Spin Bowler

Important Notes

• Why Predictions?: As of March 19, 2025, the match is five days away, and IPL teams don’t reveal their playing XI until the toss on March 24 at around 7:00 PM IST. These lists are informed predictions based on current squad details, player form, and typical team combinations.
• Possible Changes: Injuries, pitch conditions, or tactical decisions could alter these lineups. For DC, if Mitchell Starc is unavailable, Dushmantha Chameera might replace him. For LSG, if Mayank Yadav’s fitness is a concern, Akash Deep could step in, or they might opt for an extra spinner like Manimaran Siddharth if the pitch favors spin.
• Final Confirmation: The official XI for both teams will be confirmed at the toss, broadcast live on IPL’s official channels or reported from the Dr. Y.S. hunting ground at Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

5. Gujarat Titans vs. Punjab Kings

This is the fifth match of the tournament. Two teams, the Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS), will play in this match. Gujarat Titans (GT): This team played very well last season. They will try to win again this year. Punjab Kings (PBKS): This team has a new captain. They want to play better and win this match. Both teams will try hard to win. It will be fun to watch who plays better.

Place: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Date: March 25, Tuesday

Time: 7:30 PM

Predicted Players for Gujarat Titans (GT) – March 25, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for GT:

• Shubman Gill (Captain) – Opening Batsman
• Jos Buttler – Opening Batsman/Wicketkeeper
• Sai Sudharsan – Top-order Batsman
• Glenn Phillips – Middle-order Batsman
• Shahrukh Khan – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
• Rahul Tewatia – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
• Washington Sundar – All-rounder
• Rashid Khan – Spin Bowler
• Kagiso Rabada – Fast Bowler
• Mohammed Siraj – Fast Bowler
• Prasidh Krishna – Fast Bowler

Predicted Players for Punjab Kings (PBKS) – March 25, 2025

These are the 11 players expected to take the field for PBKS:

• Prabhsimran Singh – Opening Batsman
• Josh Inglis – Opening Batsman/Wicketkeeper
• Shreyas Iyer (Captain) – Top-order Batsman
• Glenn Maxwell – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
• Marcus Stoinis – Middle-order Batsman/All-rounder
• Shashank Singh – Middle-order Batsman
• Marco Jansen – All-rounder
• Harpreet Brar – Spin Bowler
• Arshdeep Singh – Fast Bowler
• Yuzvendra Chahal – Spin Bowler
• Vijaykumar Vyshak – Fast Bowler

Important Notes

Final Confirmation: The official XI for both teams will be confirmed at the toss, broadcast live on IPL’s official channels or reported from the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.  

Why Predictions?: As of March 19, 2025, the match is six days away, and IPL teams don’t reveal their playing XI until the toss on March 25 at around 7:00 PM IST. These lists are informed predictions based on current squad details, player form, and typical team combinations.

Possible Changes: Injuries, pitch conditions, or tactical decisions could alter these lineups. For GT, if Kagiso Rabada is rested or unfit, Gerald Coetzee might step in. For PBKS, if Glenn Maxwell’s form dips, Nehal Wadhera could replace him, or they might swap Vijaykumar Vyshak for Nathan Ellis if extra pace is needed.

Conclusion

Get ready for IPL 2025 – it will be full of fun and excitement. The first match is between KKR and RCB, and the fifth match is between GT and PBKS. Every team will try to win their matches. Big players like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Sanju Samson will play their best.

Which team are you supporting?
Tell us in the comments, and get ready for IPL 2025

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