The famous and best T20 league in the world, the Indian Premier League(IPL) playoffs will start on 10th October 2021. The schedule, fixtures, and venues for the playoffs of IPL 2021 have been decided by the IPL governing council after the end of the group stage matches. Dubai is hosting the first Qualifier and the final, while the other knockout rounds will be held in Sharjah.

Meanwhile, the IPL playoffs will mark the end of IPL 2021. Moreover, this is only the third time that the tournament is to be held outside of India(second leg and playoffs in 2021). The playoffs matches are set to take from 10th October to 15th October 2021 with DC, CSK, RCB, and KKR the top 4 teams in the points table.

Also Read: Every squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021

Delhi Capitals are the table toppers of this season with 22 points in 14 matches. Moreover, they were the runner-ups of the last edition. MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings comebacks from their last year's failure as they finished second in the group stage. RCB finished at third and Kolkata completed their playoffs run after finishing in the 4th spot.

Now let's look at the final points table after the league stage matches.

IPL 2021 Points Table after the league stage matches :

Read Also: T20 World Cup 2021: Venues that will host the matches in detail

IPL Playoffs: Qualifier 1 : Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings

Date and Time: 10th October 2021 at 7:30 pm (IST)

Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai.

Team News: DC vs CSK

Delhi Capitals :

Delhi Capitals is currently the best team of IPL 2021 as they finished as the topper of this season. Meanwhile, they are one of the most deserving teams to be the champion of this season. Although, they finish as a runner-up in the last edition against Mumbai Indians.

Chennai Super Kings :

Chennai Super Kings are known for their comebacks as they comebacks strongly after being left out from the race of playoffs last season. However, CSK has already won 3 IPL titles (2010,2011,2018) so far. So, Chennai is another contender for the title of this season.

Expectations:

As both of the teams are as strong as they play in the league stage matches. So, it will be very difficult to say who will cross the line and qualify for the finals. However, the other team will get the chance to play in qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator.

Read Also: ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 fixture and schedule

IPL Playoffs: Eliminator : Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Date and Time: 11th October 2021 at 7:30 pm (IST)

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.

Team news: RCB vs KKR

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Royal Challengers Bangalore plays brilliantly throughout the whole tournament as they were in momentum till the first leg of the league stages. Although, they started well in the second leg but loses rhythm at the end. But, they will definitely be a contender for this season because they have plenty of options in their xi.

Kolkata Knight Riders :

Kolkata Knight Riders played brilliantly after losing back-to-back matches in the first leg of IPL 2021. In the first leg, KKR has secured only 2 wins in their 7 matches. However, they comebacks brilliantly in the second leg as they won 5 matches in their remaining 7 games. As they defeated their oldest rivalry Mumbai Indians to book the fourth and final spot of the playoffs.

Moreover, they are definitely a contender for becoming the champions of this season. Meanwhile, they had already won the title twice under captain Gautam Gambhir in 2012 and 2014.

Expectations:

Both the teams are capable to snatch it from the other as this will be a knockout game. However, Kolkata will be at an advantage as they are in great form in this UAE leg of IPL 2021. Whoever wins in this Eliminator, will play with the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2 on 13th October 2021.

IPL Playoffs: Qualifier 2 : Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator

Date and Time: 13th October 2021 at 7:30 pm (IST)

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2021: Sunil Gavaskar thinks this player can replace Hardik Pandya

IPL Playoffs: Final : Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2

Date and Time: 15th October 2021 at 7:30 pm (IST)

Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai.

SportzPoint.com gives you all the details you need to know about the playoffs of IPL 2021. Meanwhile, here is the full schedule and fixtures of the IPL 2021 playoffs. Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, and Kolkata will face each other in the playoffs, and can you guess who will be the champions of 2021?

IPL Playoffs Schedule and Fixtures: DC, CSK, RCB and KKR

Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new Test captain of the Indian Men's Test Cricket team for the five-Test series starting in England from June 20. Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the vice-captain of the team.

Also Read: LIVE: Indian Test team announcement for England tour LIVE updates | Subhman Gill named captain; Nair, Sudharsan, Easwaran, Shardul in test squad

Gill will replace Rohit Sharma, who retired from the format in May due to poor form last season, especially in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

Gill's Test career

Gill has played 32 Tests for India so far. He made his Test debut in the MCG Test on India's 2020-21 Australia tour. He has so far scored 1893 runs at an average of 35.05. There is a big difference between his average at home (42.03) and outside (27.53). The upcoming series will be Gill's first full tour.

He has also played two WTC Finals there in 2021 and 2023, and also played the fifth Test on the 2021 tour after it was postponed due to COVID-19.

India will start WTC 2025-27 cycle with five-Test series

India will start the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a five-Test series against England. They are scheduled to play the first Test at Headingley (from June 20), the second Test at Edgbaston (from July 2), the third Test at Lord's (from July 10), the fourth Test at Old Trafford (from July 23) and the final Test at The Oval (from July 31).

Every Captain of Indian Men's Test Cricket Team

Since their first Test in 1932, India have witnessed 36 Test captains across 589 matches. CK Nayudu led India in their maiden Test match in 1932 against England. However, it was only 20 years later that India tasted their first Test victory under the captaincy of Vijay Hazare against England on February 10, 1952 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Only five Indian captains – Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – have managed to notch up at least 10 Test victories. Kohli remains as India’s most successful Test captain, winning 40 of the 68 Tests he led in with a 58.82 success rate. Leading in 60 games between 2008-14, Dhoni is the second-most successful Test skipper for the country, winning 27 matches.

The true defining moments of IPL happens in the playoffs stage. A batsman's ability to deal pressure and get going is tested in these high-stakes environment.

As we are about to enter the playoffs of IPL 2025, let's take a look at the 5 batters with the most runs in IPL playoffs history. Some impressive unmatched numbers are ready to unfold. Check them out.

5. Shane Watson | 389 Runs

The Australian legend, Shane Watson's impact on IPL playoffs and crucial matches holds the 5th position for the 5 batters with the most runs in IPL playoffs history.

Watson made his debut in IPL 2008 and played until 2020, scoring a total of 389 runs in 12 playoff matches. He was in the winning squad of Rajasthan Royals in 2008, and won the title with CSK in 2018. He also represented RCB during his IPL career.

Watson scored a century and 3 fifties in his IPL playoffs journey, with a strike rate above 150.

Read Also: 5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

Shane Watson stats in IPL playoffs

4. Faf du Plessis | 390 runs

The South African cricketer, Faf du Plessis, has a strong playoffs record with the bat, having scored 390 runs in 15 playoff matches in IPL. His ability to adapt and play power-packed cricket has been crucial for the teams.

He won 2 titles with Chennai Super Kings in 2018 and 2021, and played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in other playoff matches.

Faf du Plessis stats in IPL playoffs

3. Shubham Gill | 474 Runs

The youngest name on this elite list, Shubman Gill, has rapidly grown to be a key player in IPL playoffs. He scored a total of 474 runs in just 10 playoff matches, playing for KKR and GT.

Gill's standout performance came with a record breaking 129 runs in the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2023 for Gujarat Titans. He also lifted the trophy with the franchise in 2022.

The numbers are about to increase, as GT has made it to the playoffs of IPL 2025, and we are yet to see some Gill magic in the upcoming playoffs scene.

Read Also: Can Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan break Kohli's record of most IPL runs in a single season?

Shubham Gill status in IPL playoffs

2. MS Dhoni | 523 Runs

A list like this is incomplete without the playoffs King himself, so here he is! MS Dhoni holds the second position with 523 runs in 28 playoff matches, which is the highest no. of matches among others in here.

Dhoni is a key player for the team who led CSK to win the IPL title 5 times, and also led RPSG into the finals in IPL 2017. His ability to finish matches will be forever treasured in all kinds of playing format.

MS Dhoni stats in IPL playoffs

1. Suresh Raina | 714 Runs

The former Indian cricketer, Suresh Raina, holds the 1st rank in the list for 5 batters with the most runs in IPL playoffs history. He scored 714 runs in 24 playoffs matches, played for CSK and GL.

It's been 6 years since Raina played his last playoff match (in 2019), and his numbers are still far from being broken in the current IPL years.

He also won the title 4 times with CSK, playing a crucial role in their playoff games with a strike rate above 155.

Read Also: Which team has qualified for IPL playoffs most times?

Suresh Raina stats in IPL playoffs

The 2025 IPL season has delivered a brutal reality check for Rishabh Pant. After being picked up by LSG for 27 crore, he turned out to be the most expensive flop of this season.

Can a player sustain an international career after such disappointing performance? Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025?

Let's dive into the cold facts.

The disappointing IPL 2025 numbers 

Rishabh Pant was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants as the most expensive player in IPL history for ₹27 crore, which proved to be totally not worth it. He only managed to score 151 runs in 13 matches with an average of 13.73 and a strike rate barely crossing 107.

He is the lowest scorer among all the LSG batters in IPL 2025. Apart from batting performance, he also failed as a captain. The team only won 6 matches out of 13 and lost their playoffs berth under Pant's captaincy.

Pant's questionable descision-making, poor shot selections, and a complete lack of form did not justify the big price tag ahead in the auction.

Read Also: Expensive flops? Rishabh Pant and Venkatesh Iyer's IPL 2025 disappointments

Rishabh Pant stats in IPL 2025

• vs DC: 0 runs (6 balls)
• vs SRH: 15 runs (15 balls)
• vs PBKS: 2 runs (5 balls)
• vs MI: 2 runs (6 balls)
• vs KKR: 0 runs (0 balls)
• vs GT: 21 runs (18 balls)
• vs CSK: 63 runs (49 balls)
• vs RR: 3 runs (9 balls)
• vs DC: 0 runs (0 balls)
• vs MI: 4 runs (2 balls)
• vs PBKS: 18 runs (17 balls)
• vs SRH: 7 runs (6 balls)
• vs GT: 16* runs (6 balls)

The T20I context: India's current pool and future outlook

Rishabh Pant's position is now critically questionable as India's T20 squad selection prioritizes consistency in batting, high strike rates, and adaptable wicket-keeping.

The current pool of contenders are highly competitive and has the potential to outperform Pant.

Read Also: BCCI Central Contract 2025: Talking points from BCCI's contract announcement

The wicket-keeper batsman contenders

• KL Rahul: His current form in IPL 2025 is magnificent and he has consistently performed well for the team. Rahul's ability to anchor and accelerate has again brought him into T20I contention.
• Sanju Samson: Yet another prime contender with high experience and quality performance. He also holds the ability to blend well into the format.
• Dhruv Jurel: A promising young talent who also has the ability to make impactful finish for the team.
• Ishan Kishan: The pocket dynamo who started his IPL 2025 season with a phenomenal century, and gained his spot in BCCI's central contract (2025), is another strong contender.

Where Rishabh Pant fits (or doesn't fit):

Following the poor performance of Rishabh Pant, several known names have speculated about his mental state and his inability to deal pressure. The former Indian cricketer, Kris Srikkanth, also suggested that Pant should consider taking a break from his format.

Read Also: Most Player of the Match awards in T20I cricket history

The modern T20 format demands a lot of things that Pant is completely missing:

• Insufficient strike rate 
• Lack of clarity in shot-making
• Inability to convert build innings 
• Diminished reliability as wicketkeeper-batter
• No longer an unique left-handed power option 
• Difficulty handling run-rate pressure 

Pant is missing the "X-factor" that he once possessed. Therefore, unless his form significantly improves soon and makes a comeback, his T20 career is effectively over.

With the IPL 2025 playoffs just around the corner, the tension is reaching its peak. Over the years, the Indian Premier League has given fans plenty of memorable moments full of surprises at the fag end of the group stage. Generally, the fans have to wait till the last over of the group stage to know who will qualify for the IPL Playoffs.

Sometimes, it even goes to the final ball as well, to decide the fourth team to qualify.

From teams that regularly reach the playoffs to underdogs who’ve shocked everyone, the path to the final four has always been full of drama. 

Let's take a look at the IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2025.

Read Also | Most Wickets in IPL history

2008 | RR, KXIP, CSK, DD

2009 | DD, CSK, RCB, Deccan Chargers

2010 | MI, Deccan Chargers, CSK, RCB

Read Also | Most IPL Finals: Teams with most final appearances in IPL history

2011 | RCB, CSK, MI, KKR 

Read Also | IPL records: Most consecutive away wins in IPL history

2012 | DD, KKR, MI, CSK

2013 | CSK, MI, RR, SRH

2014 | KXIP, KKR, CSK, MI

2015 | CSK, MI, RCB, RR 

2016 | Gujarat Lions, RCB, SRH, KKR

2017 | MI, RPSG, SRH, KKR

2018 | SRH, CSK, KKR, RR

Read Also | SRH's poor performance and playoff hopes in IPL 2025: Can they rise?

2019 | MI, CSK, DC, SRH

2020 | MI, DC, SRH, RCB

2021 | DC, CSK, RCB, KKR

2022 | GT, RR, LSG, RCB

2023 | GT, LSG, CSK, MI

2024 | KKR, SRH, RR, RCB

2025 | GT, RCB, PBKS, MI

Achieving consistent playoffs mark is a big flex for IPL franchises. Some teams have made their way to the playoffs so many times that now it feels weird when they don't qualify.

We are very close to the playoffs of IPL 2025, and some teams have already booked their berth, adding a number to their playoff appearance.

So which team has qualified for IPL playoffs most times? It is time to find out.

Chennai Super Kings (12 times)

Chennai Super Kings stands as the IPL playoffs King, having qualified 12 times in their 16 seasons. This unmatched legacy grows even stronger with their title winning history.

CSK also holds the record of reaching the IPL finals most number of times (10 times), and winning 5 out of them, in the years 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023.

Read Also: Most IPL Finals: Teams with most final appearances in IPL history

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (10 times)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru reached the 10-time playoff qualification mark in IPL 2025. They were among the first three teams to qualify for the playoff this season, which made it their 10th qualification.

This side is yet to grab the title despite having qualified several times. It will be interesting to see if they can achieve that in this season itself.

Read Also: IPL Playoffs: Teams with most IPL Eliminator defeats

Mumbai Indians (10 times)

Mumbai Indians are another IPL powerhouse with exceptional playoffs record. They qualified for IPL playoffs 10 times and are also the five-time champions.

Their current position in IPL 2025 points table look pretty steady, and a win against DC would secure their spot in the playoffs, which obviously increases their count.

Can they make it to the playoffs for the 11th time? We will know soon.

Read Also: Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet: Here are 10 best moments of IPL 2025

Other teams with 5+ playoff qualification