Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting predicted Australia as "slight favourites" over India to win the ICC World Test Championship final 2023 against India, which will start from June 7 onwards at The Oval. In an event ahead of the WTC final between India and Australia at The Oval, Ponting said that his side is a slight favourite to win the title clash. He said that conditions at The Oval are more suited to Australia as compared to India. The Aussie great also said that the lack of cricket played by Australia in recent times and the heavy dosage of competitive cricket in IPL 2023 to Indian players could also decide the match's outcome.

Read Also: "Virat Kohli was a flop in England," The India Legend's bombastic comparison remark on Gill with Virat, Sachin

Ricky Ponting predicted the winner of the WTC Final 2023

"Australia are slight favourites. The conditions are more suited to Australia as compared to India. These two teams have beaten more opposition than they have lost. They deserved to finish first and second. Australia has not cricket as of late. On the other side, almost all Indian players have played extremely competitive cricket in IPL. One side comes into this match as fresh, while the other side is tired. A lot of such factors would affect the match," said Ponting.

The Aussie great feels that there is a possibility that Michael Neser will be not in the playing XI for the WTC Final. Pacer Scott Boland could be the one who will take the place of Hazlewood in the playing eleven.

"Neser has been playing well in County cricket as of late. Boland's records are unbelievable. In Australia, when there was nothing on the surface at all to help bowlers, Boland was our best bowler. I think he will take Hazlewood's place."

Neser has been in good form as he bagged 19 wickets in England's Country Championship for Glamorgan. He had also scored a century against Sussex. In seven matches for Australia in WTC 2021-23, Boland has taken 28 wickets at an average of 13.42 and an economy rate of 2.18. His best bowling figures are 6/7.

Ricky Ponting opened up about the greatness of Sachin Tendulkar

"When I was coming through that time Sachin was the leader of the pack. Jacques Kallis was great too," said Ponting.

Both Ponting and Sachin are all-time great batters. In 664 matches, Sachin has scored 34,357 runs at an average of 48.52, with 100 centuries and 164 fifties, and the best score of 248*. Ponting on the other hand sits below the Indian in third place with 27,483 runs at an average of 45.95 in 560 matches, with 71 centuries, 146 fifties, and the best score of 257.

Ponting said that the rivalry between India and Australia is "one of the great rivalries" in the sport.

India and Australia have faced off in 106 Tests. India has won 32 matches while Australia has got 44 wins. 29 matches have ended in a draw and one in a tie. After India's two-Test series wins in Australia over the last few years and their domination at home against the Aussies, the record has improved a lot. Out of 16 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia since 1996-97, India has won 10 series, while Australia has won five, with one ending in a draw.

Read Also: World Test Championship Final: Everything you need to know

WTC Final: Squads of India & Australia

India Squad:

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, and Ishan Kishan (wk)

Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, and Suryakumar Yadav

Australia squad:

Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (VC), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

Standby players: Mitch Marsh, and Matthew Renshaw

Every IPL season delivers its share of moments, but some stay in our minds longer. Remarkable sportsmanship, brilliant athleticism, and performances under pressure is what truly defined the season.

Get ready to dive into those bittersweet moments that IPL 2025 brought to us. From KL Rahul's "This is my ground" to Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet. Here are 10 best moments of IPL 2025.

1. Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet

A recent heartfelt moment occurred after the end of RR vs CSK's match that many will remember. The 14-year-old star, Vaibhav Suryavanshi approached MS Dhoni, and bent down to touch his feet during the post-match handshakes.

The clips of this heartwarming moment was widely shared across the internet, highlighting the impact and inspiration Dhoni continues to provide the next generation cricketers.

𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝 😊

This is what #TATAIPL is all about 💛🩷#CSKvRR | @ChennaiIPL | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/hI9oHcHav1

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 20, 2025

2. "This is my ground"- Kohli and Rahul's viral banter 

Beyond the scoreboard, IPL offers moments of pure fun. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli provided one such moment with their "This is my ground" banter.

It started with Rahul's playful Kantara-style gesture at Chinnaswamy Stadium after both the teams met in their first encounter in IPL 2025. Later, Kohli returned the favour in Delhi, mimicking Rahul's move after RCB won in their second encounter.

This lighthearted exchange showed the great bond between these rivals.

That “achha hua out ho gaya” from KL 🤣💙 pic.twitter.com/OGFB4AQ4Lx

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 28, 2025

Read Also: Best Celebrations of IPL 2025 so far: From Abhishek's papercut to Hasaranga's Pushpa move

3. Riyan Parag's historic 6 consecutive sixes against KKR!

Riyan Parag unleashed an incredible display of power-hitting against KKR, by smashing 6 consecutive sixes across 2 overs. He left the crowd and the bowlers (Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy) stunned with his brilliance.

The overs followed like:

• 13th over (bowler: Moeen Ali) - 1, 6, 6, 6, 6, WD, 6
• 14th over (bowler: Varun Chakravarthy)- 1WD, 6

 Parag became the first batter to do so in IPL history.

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4. Vaibhav Suryavanshi's debut six and century

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who became the youngest player to debut in IPL history, announced his presence by hitting his first ball in the IPL for a flat six! It intensifies in the later stage, when Rajasthan Royals faced GT, and this young boy scored 101 runs off 38 balls.

He not only became the youngest debutant, but also the youngest centurion in IPL history, and we're sure there's more to come in the future.

5. Punjab Kings defend lowest ever IPL total (vs KKR)

IPL 2025 gave us a huge surprise when Punjab Kings pulled off an unexpected victory against KKR by successfully defending 111 runs.

The match initially seemed like an easy win for KKR after the first inning, but the bowlers of PBKS, especially Yuzvendra Chahal (4/28) and Marco Jansen (3/17) completely turned things around!

PBKS bowled them out in 15.3 overs and sealed the victory. This became the lowest total ever defended in IPL.

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

6. Abhishek Sharma's papercut and record-breaking century

Abhishek Sharma won hearts with his record-breaking knock of 141 runs off just 55 balls against PBKS in IPL 2025. He pulled a small note out of his pocket after reaching his century, with the message "This one is for Orange Army."

This gesture went viral and people talked about his dedication after knowing the fact that he was carrying the note for several games!

He also became the highest scoring Indian batsman in an innings in IPL history with this knock.

𝘼 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚-𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙏𝙊𝙉 💯

A stunning maiden #TATAIPL century from Abhishek Sharma keeps #SRH on 🔝 in this chase 💪

Updates ▶ https://t.co/RTe7RlXDRq#TATAIPL | #SRHvPBKS | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/ANgdm1n86w

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 12, 2025

7. Kohli welcoming Bumrah with a 6!

In a highly charged match between RCB and MI, where Jasprit Bumrah returned to action for MI, making his comeback after injury layoff, an extraordinary drama took place. Virat Kohli welcomed Bumrah with a massive six on the very first ball bowled to him.

This instantly ignited the intensity of the game where we saw two legendary players going against each other.

8. MS Dhoni's vintage run-out vs LSG

MS Dhoni delivered a classic no-look flick run-out against Lucknow Super Giants in a match in IPL 2025. The LSG batter, Abdul Samad, was caught short by Dhoni's brilliance, where he swiftly and almost effortlessly flicked the ball to get him out.

This display of precision and speed with direct-hit was pure vintage Dhoni.

Watch the video at: Jiohotstar

Read Also: Most wins after 76 games as captain in IPL

9. Shreyas Iyer's selfless 97* (PBKS vs GT)

Shreyas Iyer scored a commendable 97* off 42 balls against GT in their first match of IPL 2025. What made his knock memorable was his decision to prioritise the team over individual milestone.

Despite being just 3 runs away from a century, Iyer consciously allowed his batting partner, Shashank Singh, to continue batting and hitting boundaries.

Eventually, Iyer remained at the non-striker's end, sacrificing his hundred and being just happy for the team.

10. The Salt-David relay catch!

A spectacular moment in IPL 2025 saw Phil Salt and Tim David execute a breathtaking relay catch against MI. Salt leaped to take the catch, flicking the ball mid-air for David before crossing the boundary line.

This catch was taken during a crucial stage at the game, which left the fans stunned by their perfect sync and teamwork.

𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 💥

Phil Salt & Tim David pulled off a game-changing blinder at the ropes! ❤️

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/Arsodkwgqg#TATAIPL | #MIvRCB | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/gJxRuQGEyV

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2025

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

Other memorable moments of IPL 2025

• First Hat-trick of IPL 2025: Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 wickets in a single over, including a hat-trick against CSK.
• Super over in IPL after 4 years: The first and only tied match of IPL 2025 till now, between RR and DC, which was an absolute roller-coaster.
• Rinku Singh's match-winning fielding: Rinku Singh executed a quick pickup and one-bounce throw in the last over against RR, which bagged KKR a crucial 1-run victory.
• Yash Dayal in last overs for RCB: Yash Dayal has consistently showcased his power to restrict the run flow in high pressure matches in the last overs for RCB.

Breaking records is what IPL is all about and Virat Kohli's record of 973 runs in IPL 2016 is unmatched for 9 years. IPL 2025 can be the record-breaking year, as GT's opening pair is having an incredible season with the bat, shuffling the orange cap with every match.

As we are heading towards the end of the tournament, it will be a major thing to keep an eye on.

Can Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan break Kohli's record of most IPL runs in a single season? Or maybe it is truly unbreakable.

How big is Virat Kohli's 973-run record?

Virat Kohli set the batting standards up in IPL 2016 that everyone talks about till date. He scored 973 runs in 16 matches with an 80+ average.

He scored 4 centuries and 7 half-centuries for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, bagging the Orange cap in that season.

This is the phenomenal record of most runs in a single IPL season that no one could break since 2016.

Read Also: Most Runs in IPL History: Virat Kohli leading the charts

Shubman Gill aims for the TOP

The only player who ever came to Kohli's record is Shubman Gill, with his 890-run season in IPL 2023. He is having another successful one in IPL 2025 and has already surpassed the 600-run mark.

The way Gill is firing this season for Gujarat Titans, he might just break the record and get in top. He scored 601 runs in 12 matches with 6 half-centuries to his name so far.

Calculating the remaining target for Shubham Gill 

With potentially 5 innings left (2 league matches + playoffs), the race is heating up. This is subject to GT to lose Qualifier 1 and get an extra innings to go play for the IPL title.

• Required: 974-601 = 373 runs more (to break Kohli's record)
• Required Avg for next 5 innings: 74.6 runs per inning
• Required Avg if they get 4 innings to play: 93.25 runs per inning

Read Also: Most Fifty Plus Scores in IPL by an Opener Since Gill's Debut

Sai Sudharsan's rising form

Sai Sudharsan is currently the leading run-scorer in the race for Orange Cap in IPL 2025. He scored 617 runs in 12 matches, with 1 century and 5 fifties to his name.

This rising star has remarkable potential to with the kind of explosive form he has right now.

Calculating the remaining target for Sai Sudharsan

As for GT, Sudharsan also gets the same number of innings as Gill. It is either 2 league matches and 2 playoff matches, or a loss in Qualifier 1 to get an extra innings, making it 5 innings in total.

• Required: 974-617 = 357 runs more (to break Kohli's record)
• Required Avg for next 5 innings: 71.4 runs per inning
• Required Avg if they get 4 innings to play: 89.25 runs per inning

Read Also: Highest individual scores by players in IPL playoffs

A look at IPL 2025 Top 5 run-scorers

Virat Kohli stands at the top 5 race for orange cap in IPL 2025. The battle will be intense to see if someone finally breaks the mountain of runs.

Or will the king himself come closest to surpassing his own legacy?

Some legendary Indian cricketers left their impact beyond the scorecards and records, which earned them an everlasting tribute. Their legacies live on the stadiums where they created their cricketing magic.

Curious to know the ones who had their contributions honored with their names on a stadium stand or pavilion? Scroll down to discover the 16 Indian Cricketers with stands named after them at a stadium.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

The God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, has 2 stands named after him. He was also honoured with a gate named after him at the Sydney Cricket Ground, unveiled on his 50th birthday.

• Sachin Tendulkar Pavilion: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
• Sachin Tendulkar Stand: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE 

2. Virat Kohli 

Virat Kohli was honored for his outstanding achievements and contributions to Indian cricket with a pavilion named after him in his home city, Delhi.

• Virat Kohli Pavilion: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi 

Read Also: Top 5 Records of Virat Kohli that might never be broken

3. MS Dhoni

Honoring the hometown hero, MS Dhoni Pavilion was named as a tribute to his legendary captaincy and achievements.

• MS Dhoni Pavilion: JSCA International Stadium, Ranchi

4. Rohit Sharma 

Acknowledging Rohit Sharma's elegant batting and leadership for India, the stand named after him at the Wankhede is a recent addition, inaugurated in 2025.

• Rohit Sharma Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 

5. Sourav Ganguly 

Sourav Ganguly stand, unveiled in 2017, is a tribute to dada, not only for his influential captaincy, but also for his contributions as the former president of CAB and BCCI.

• Sourav Ganguly Stand: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

6. Sunil Gavaskar 

The pavilion named after Sunil Gavaskar stands as a lasting tribute for the cricketing legend.

• Sunil Gavaskar Pavilion: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

7. Yuvraj Singh 

The world cup hero and local boy of Punjab, Yuvraj Singh, was honored with a joint ceremony where two stands were named after him and his teammate, Harbhajan Singh.

• Yuvraj Singh Stand: PCA I.S. Bindra Stadium, Punjab

8. Harbhajan Singh 

The legendary spin master and Punjab's homeboy, Harbhajan Singh, received this everlasting tribute when a stand was named after him in 2022.

• Harbhajan Singh Stand: PCA I.S. Bindra Stadium, Punjab

Read Also: 'MS Dhoni cried that night,' Harbhajan Singh shared the CSK captain's rare emotional moment

9. VVS Laxman 

Known for his elegant batting style, VVS Laxman was given the tribute with a pavilion named after him at his hometown (Hyderabad).

• VVS Laxman Pavilion: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad 

10. Mohammad Azharuddin 

The former captain of Indian team, Mohammad Azharuddin, was honored with a stand at his beloved ground in his homecity, Hyderabad.

• Mohammad Azharuddin Stand: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad 

11. Jhulan Goswami

In 2023, Eden Gardens celebrated and honored the legendary pride of Bengal, Jhulan Goswami. Her name stands as the only woman on this list to achieve this milestone.

• Jhulan Goswami Stand: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Read Also: From Chakdah to Lords: Adios, Jhulan Goswami

12. Gautam Gambhir

From crucial role in World Cup victories for India, to his role as the head coach, Gautam Gambhir truly deserves the stand named after him in his home ground.

• Gautam Gambhir Stand: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

13. Dilip Vengsarkar 

Wankhede holds the name of many spectacular players and Dilip Vengsarkar is one of them. It celebrates he golden moments in cricket.

• Dilip Vengsarkar Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

14. Vijay Merchant 

Yet another elegant player to have a stand named after them at the Wankhede. Vijay Merchant's quality contributions are highly appreciated.

• Vijay Merchant Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 

15. Ajit Wadekar

The former Indian captain and influential figure, Ajit Wadekar, holds a prestigious stand named after him, alongside Sharad Pawar.

• Ajit Wadekar Stand: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 

16. Virender Sehwag

While we discuss stands or pavilions, it is worth noting that the gate no. 2 at Arun Jaitley Stadium was named after the legendary cricketer, Virender Sehwag, as a tribute.

• Virended Sehwag GATE: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi 

Cricket has always been a bridge across cultures, a phenomenon that connects players with fans from all around the world. Situations often force people to migrate from one country to the other. There have been instances when cricketers were born in different nations but ultimately played for a different country.

Let's take a look at the cricket facts of cricketers who didn't play for their country.

Also Read: "Wear whites for Virat": RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute

Cricket Facts | Cricketers who didn't play for their country

5. Glenn Phillips (South Africa-born)

New Zealand cricket all-rounder Glenn Philips moved from East London, South Africa to New Zealand at the age of five. He pursued his education in New Zealand, where he began his cricket journey. Having made his domestic debut with Auckland, he signed with Otago to play alongside his brother, Dale Phillips, in 2022. Interestingly, he made his international debut against South Africa, the country where he was born.

4. Ish Sodhi (India-born)

Inderbir Singh 'Ish' Sodhi was born in Ludhiana, India, on October 31, 1992, and spent his early years in New Zealand. He made his New Zealand debut as a leg-spinner in 2013, and since then, he has been a reliable performer in limited-overs forms, contributing significantly to the country's T20 World Cup campaigns.

3. Devon Conway (South Africa-born)

After playing for Gauteng and the Highveld Lions, Devon Conway moved to New Zealand in 2017 and made an immediate impact. He was the leading run-scorer in both the 2018-19 Plunket Shield (659) and 2018-19 Super Smash (363). Conway became eligible to play for New Zealand in August 2020 and has since become a key player for them across all formats. He averages 36.72 after 27 Tests and has also made 36 ODI and 50 T20I appearances.

2. Marnus Labuschagne (South Africa-born)

Marnus Labuschagne was born in Klerksdorp, in South Africa. His family moved to Australia when he was 10. Labuschagne made his Australia debut in Tests in 2018, after Steve Smith suffered an injury during the Ashes tour. Since then the prolific batter has emulated the batting prowess of his best friend and has not looked back. 

Speaking of his impressive international cricket career for Australia, Marnus Labuschagne has played 57 Tests, scoring 4396 runs with 11 centuries, and played 63 ODIs, scoring 1869 runs with two centuries. He has also played one T20I match.

Also Read: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

1. Ben Stokes (New Zealand-born)

Ben Stokes was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in June 1991. His family moved to Cumbria when Stokes was 12 years old after his father was appointed head coach at Workington Town Rugby League Club.

Stokes has played for England in all three formats. Stokes is regarded as one of England's greatest all-rounders in the history of the sport. In domestic cricket, he represents Durham and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues around the world. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup.

RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute? Yes! Fans are planning a special "wear white" initiative and asking the crowd to show up in whites for the upcoming RCB vs KKR match at Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 17, 2025.

As the IPL is set to resume tomorrow, and we will witness Virat Kohli play his first match after his announcement of test retirement, fans are organising a heartfelt tribute for the King!

The viral spread of white wave

A fan-driven moment is going viral recently where they call the crowd to wear white for a collective tribute to Virat Kohli after his test retirement.

Whether you have a test jersey or not, all they ask for is wearing anything white instead of the jerseys of IPL franchises.

Discussions on Reddit

The white tribute takes shape on reddit as fans try to reach out as much as possible.

Fans pledge to wear white in Instagram comments

Fans leave heartfelt messages on comments section of official Royal Challengers Bengaluru Instagram page.

Hashtags like #WearWhiteForVirat, #KohliTestTribute, and #KohliTestFarewell are the ones people are using to make this a trend before the upcoming IPL 2025 match.

Content Creators spreading the word

Many content creators have joined hands to support this initiative and they are getting huge responses.

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Harsha Bhogle reacts on Twitter 

Hey @RCBTweets fans, are you planning to turn up in white for the game on the 17th? Remember seeing a post suggesting that. It will be incredible and a sight for the ages if true and if you can pull it off.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 15, 2025

The comments section in response to the initiative is getting flooded with comments like "Count me in," and "Wearing white with pride!" 

Many are tagging their acquaintance with messages like "@[friends username] Let's do it!"

Will you show up on May 17 at Chinnaswamy Stadium in whites too?