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.
BREAKING: N Srinivasan returns to CSK as Chairman in advisory role
Former BCCI President N Srinivasan is making a comeback to the realm of sports administration as the chairman of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), primarily in an advisory role.
80-year-old Srinivasan was appointed the president of the franchise in the CSK board meeting a few weeks ago. Although he will play an advisory role, his presence will strengthen the strategic direction of the team.
At this age, N Srinivasan will not be able to travel much. That is why his role will mainly be that of an advisor. The team's CEO Kasi Viswanthan clarified that CSK will remain in constant touch with him and will seek his guidance in important decisions. His strategic thinking and administrative skills will help set a new direction for the team.
"See, it's a great boon for CSK and he's been the best administrator for us and I'm very happy that he's come back into CSK. He'll be in an advisory role only because he doesn't travel much, but we'll be in contact with him.
"Both of us are in Chennai only. So he's in day-to-day contact with us," said Viswanathan.
Will also oversee global leagues
Chennai Super Kings is not limited to IPL only. It also has stakes in South Africa's SA20 League and America's Major Cricket League (MLC). N Srinivasan will oversee CSK's properties in both these leagues.
The CEO said Srinivasan will be in charge of all global properties and his guidance will further strengthen the international identity of the franchise. "He will be in charge everything (all CSK properties)" said the CEO.
CSK is already one of the most successful and popular franchises in the IPL. MS Dhoni's captaincy and stable administration have made it a brand.
Now Srinivasan's return will not only give the team strategic strength but will also strengthen the image of the franchise at the global level. His deep understanding and long experience in cricket administration is expected to make CSK's future even brighter.
Rahul Dravid has decided to part ways with Rajasthan Royals as a head coach ahead of the 2026 IPL season, after turning down a "broader position" within the franchise. Rajasthan Royals announce this on Saturday.
The Indian team won the T20 World Cup last year under the coaching of Rahul Dravid. After this, his contract ended. After leaving the post of head coach of the Indian team, Dravid joined Rajasthan Royals as a head coach ahead of IPL 2025. However, the performance of the RR team was quite disappointing. Now, after just one season, Dravid has decided to part ways with the team.
Rajasthan Royals posted on social media X and informed about Dravid's resignation. The franchise wrote, "Rahul has been central to the Royals' journey for many years. His leadership has influenced a generation of players, instilled strong values within the squad, and left an indelible mark on the culture of the franchise,"
"As part of the franchise structural review, Rahul had been offered a broader position at the franchise but has chosen not to take this. The Rajasthan Royals, its players, millions of fans worldwide extend heartfelt thanks to Rahul for his remarkable service to the franchise," the statement added.
The franchise said that Rahul Dravid was offered some other position instead of the head coach. He refused this and resigned.
RR won only 4 matches in 2025
Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid was part of Rajasthan Royals as a player from 2011 to 2015. He then returned to the franchise last year. The Royals' 2025 campaign was disappointing. The team won only 4 matches in 14 matches. Rajasthan Royals finished 9th in the table with 8 points. The franchise has not won any title since the first season of IPL.
Interestingly, the Royals announcement comes amidst rumours that skipper Sanju Samson also wants to leave the franchise. If Samson also leaves the side, it will leave the Royals in a tricky position a few months before the mini auction.
The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 is to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka and a total of 8 teams are to participate in it. But even before the tournament starts, a big change has been made in its schedule.
After the stampede in Bengaluru, the ICC has now decided to shift the matches to be held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to the ground in Navi Mumbai, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.
Matches cancelled in Bengaluru due to RCB stampede case
After 17 years of long wait, RCB team finally won the IPL 2025 title. After this, RCB players gathered at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate the victory. There was a huge crowd to see them and after this many fans lost their lives due to a stampede.
Then the Karnataka government formed a commission, which declared the Bengaluru ground unsafe for big events. Now after this, the ICC has decided not to hold matches on the Bengaluru ground.
Matches will be held at Navi Mumbai ground
The match between India and Sri Lanka was to be held on 30 September at Bengaluru ground, which will now be played at Guwahati ground. The match between England and South Africa was also scheduled to be held on 3 October, which will now be held in Guwahati. The match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on 20 October was to be played at Colombo ground, which will now be played at Navi Mumbai ground.
On the other hand, Navi Mumbai has got two more matches to be played in Bengaluru. These include India vs New Zealand (23 October) and India vs Bangladesh (26 October). There is also a strong possibility that the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final will be held either in Navi Mumbai or Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Jay Shah expressed satisfaction about the new venue
"Navi Mumbai has emerged as a genuine home for women’s cricket in recent years. The support it has received during international fixtures and the Women’s Premier League has been remarkable, creating an atmosphere that elevates the players and inspires fans. I am certain that the same energy will define the big matches of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as it returns to India after 12 years," Jay Shah said in an ICC release.
“We stand at a pivotal moment in the journey of the women’s game. This World Cup has the potential to be remembered as one of those defining milestones that shaped the sport’s future, not only in India but across the cricketing world.
“While unforeseen circumstances required us to adjust the schedule and replace a venue, we are pleased to now have a line-up of five world-class venues that will showcase the very best of the women’s game. The stage is set, and I am confident this tournament will capture imaginations and inspire a new generation of fans.”
Bengal Players in IPL 2025 – Full List & Performance
From Mohammed Shami to the rising talents, discover the full list of Bengal players in IPL 2025 and track down their performance. Let's see how exciting their season have been.
Bengal has a deep-rooted passion for cricket, and the IPL offers a great opportunity to have their local talents compete at the highest level. Several players from Bengal were a part of the exciting IPL 2025 season.
Whether through match-winning spells, consistent contribution, or vital innings, their presence was always prominent in the season. Check out the full list and performance of Bengal Players in IPL 2025 along with their on-field impact.
1. Mohammed Shami (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Mohammed Shami in action for SRH during a match in IPL 2025. Image | Sports Tak
Mohammed Shami has been a long-standing and key figure in Bengal's domestic cricketing landscape. After being ruled out of the previous IPL season (2024) due to an ankle injury, he made a comeback this year as Sunrisers Hyderabad's key pick and second-highest buy for ₹10 crore.
Shami had a somewhat mixed IPL 2025 season and struggled with consistency and his lengths. After his stellar Purple Cap-winning season in 2023, his 2025 campaign saw him take 6 wickets in 9 matches, with an economy of 11.25.
However, Shami continued to prove his excellence by becoming the only bowler in IPL history to claim a first-ball wicket 4 times. He achieved the fourth one by dismissing Shaik Rasheed in the SRH vs CSK match in the 2025 season.
Abishek Porel celebrating his half century in a match in IPL 2025. Image | NDTV
Born in Chandannagar, West Bengal, Abishek Porel is a true local and a proud representative of the state. He was retained for ₹4 crore by Delhi Capitals, where he continued to showcase his brilliance as a wicket-keeper batter.
He began this season with a good pace and proved to be vital by accelerating the run flow when needed. He scored 301 runs in 13 matches, which makes him the second-highest scorer for DC this season.
While his form and the team's overall performance had a slight dip towards the latter part of the tournament, his contributions as a top-order batter were undeniable. He proved that he can adapt to different batting positions and do well.
Mukesh Kumar celebrates a wicket in IPL 2025. Image | TOI
Mukesh Kumar is another example of an incredible pacer who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket and has done exceptionally well in the stage of IPL. Following his brilliant 2024 season for DC, he was retained this year for ₹8 crore via RTM (Right to Match).
He proved to be a reliable performer, delivering effective spells in death overs and under pressure. His ability to use variations and bowl yorkers with accuracy made him a key part of the team's bowling unit.
He delivered a standout performance in IPL 2025 against LSG with his 4-wicket haul and great spell, which earned him the POTM award after their victory.
Akash Deep celebrates a wicket for LSG in IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
Hailing from Bihar, Akash Deep moved to Bengal to pursue cricket and performed well in the domestic field, then later making it to the India 'A' team. In IPL 2025, he was secured by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹8 crore and played 6 matches.
Akash missed some initial games due to a back injury, and later bounced back to showcase a glimpse of his quality and experience as a fast-medium bowler.
There wasn't any particular "game-changing" performance or moment for him this season, but his contributions were a part of LSG's overall bowling efforts.
Akash IPL 2025 stats:
Matches
Balls
Wickets
BBM
Ave
Econ
6
114
3
2/55
76.33
12.05
5. Shahbaz Ahmed (Lucknow Super Giants)
Shahbaz Ahmed in LSG dressing room post-match. Image | Instagram
A keu all-rounder for Bengal's state team, Shahbaz Ahmed was bought for ₹2.4 crore in the mega auction by Lucknow Super Giants. He played a supporting role in IPL 2025 and provided depth in their squad.
He played only 3 matches, where he came out to bat for a single innings and took 1 wicket in the entire season. While the 2025 season did not see any noteworthy performance, his presence in the squad was enough to back then up and bring flexibility as an all-rounder option.
A single social media activity has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world ahead of IPL 2026 auction. A recent 'hint' from Sanju Samson's manager has intensified the possibility of his transfer to Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals in the next season.
Fans are wondering whether this would come true and change the landscape for both the teams in the future, or is it just another false call.
There's been a mixed bag of positive and upsetting reactions in the past 24 hours, but the real question still stands: Will Sanju Samson join CSK for IPL 2026? Check out how Manager's hint fuels mega transfer rumours.
"Time to Move": Samson's recent viral Instagram post
On June 7, Sanju Samson posted a photo on Instagram that begin the rumors. The image featured him alongside his wife, crossing a prominent yellow line on the road. He captioned the post: "Time to MOVE..!!"
This visual cue, combined with the caption and the fact that a Tamil song ('Mun Andhi' from 7 Aum Arivu) was also part of the post, immediately sparked discussion. The comments section was quickly flooded with fans linking the "yellow" color and the "move" message to the Chennai Super Kings.
Comments like "He is definitely moving to CSK" and "Welcome to CSK 💛" can be seen all over the post.
Manager's IPL 2026 hint that sparked Sanju Samson transfer rumours
Sanju Samson's manager's profile (left) and the post he liked on Instagram (right). Image | One Cricket
The intense speculation regarding Sanju Samson moving to CSK for IPL 2026 intensified due to a subtle yet impactful social media action by his manager, Prashob Suvedan. He liked a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), which explicitly stated that Samson might be released fromRajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
This gets more interesting as the post also claimed CSK having already approached Samson regarding the move.
Therefore, the timing and nature of his manager's digital interaction ignited widespread speculation and put a layer of possibility about this matter.
— Sanju Samson Fans Page (@SanjuSamsonFP) June 16, 2025
🚨 Sanju Samson wants to join CSK, CSK wants Sanju Samson. Talks are on but it is not at all this simple.
RR doesn't want to trade Samson with any CSK's player, if Samson wants to join CSK then he will have to do it through auction. But then in Auction there is KKR who gonna… pic.twitter.com/Dy6mpX1Ke2
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