IPL 2025 Pulse - Week #4

April 17

Super Over drama in Delhi

IPL 2025 had its first Super Over of the season with DC beating RR in Delhi. It wasn't the modern high-scoring game but with over 375 runs scored in the initial 40 overs, there were runs aplenty but the bowlers also had their say in the contest. Abishek Porel and KL Rahul played the steadying hand for DC but it were the cameos from Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs that pushed the total to respectability. RR, though had the game in control through Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana but DC kept coming back and a Mitchell Starc masterclass at the death forced the game into Super Over territory. RR's batters were equally to blame and the Super Over saw more drama. With five needed off the last three balls, Stubbs whacked a six to give DC a thrilling win.

Stubbs' dramatic redemption arc

It was another routine day at the office for Tristan Stubbs when DC batted as the South African produced a quick came to give the innings a neat finish. However, Stubbs put down a regulation catch of Nitish Rana who then went bonkers against the bowling, notably the spinners. It seemed like a match-defining moment but as luck would have it, Stubbs had the opportunity to redeem himself, in dramatic fashion. With 5 needed off the final three balls of the Super over, DC's overseas finisher guessed correctly to send Sandeep Sharma's slower short ball over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

The legend of Mitchell Starc

At his prime, Mitchell Starc was about fast, searing yorkers with a but of reverse whenever available. The two new balls in ODIs and the general lack of reverse swing in T20s did see his white-ball game dip over the years although he still stood up in key moments. With the saliva rule and ball change option in IPL 2025, there has been more leeway for bowlers and Starc leveraged that for a mind-boggling death over spell against RR in Delhi. RR needed just nine off the 20th over to win the game but Starc fired in yorker after yorker and inflicted a choke that created a Super Over out of nowhere.

Time running out for JFM

He stole the thunder in IPL 2024 but since that season ended, life has been hard for Jake Fraser-McGurk in T20 cricket. He has struggled across all forms of the game, notably in the BBL and T20Is, and IPL 2025 has compounded his misery. Teams have managed to sort him outand the young opener's repetitive mode of dismissals show that it is time for retrospection. So far, DC have stood by him and it also helps when the team is on a winning run. That said, how many more games will Fraser-McGurk get as the long rope?

Desperate times for MI, SRH

We are fast approaching that phase of the tournament where every result have a lot more significance than usual. Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to clash today in Mumbai in a crucial fixture. It will also be a different return to the Wankhede for Ishan Kishan who donned MI colours previously. What are the key talking points for this game? Check out the match preview.

April 16

Bowlers' day out!

Only a few days ago, Punjab Kings had failed to defend 245, they put up a terrific display with the ball against Kolkata Knight Riders to defend the lowest-ever total in IPL - 111. Yuzvendra Chahal led the way with the ball, picking four wickets as KKR collapsed from 62 for 2 to 79 for 8, before being bowled out for 95. If you ever needed any evidence of why balance between bat and ball makes for a more exciting game of cricket than a mere six-hitting fest, it was evidenced in this clash. Here's Roshan Gede, with all the numbers and records from the contest.

The batting was poor... not the pitch

Even as both teams struggled to post decent totals, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, while speaking of the performance of his batters, highlighted that the issue wasn't really with the pitch, but with a lack of game awareness. He stressed on the fact that even a T20 contest can be, and should be played in different gears depending on the match situation and conditions, something that his side failed to implement against Punjab Kings.

Beware!

The BCCI has cautioned the owners, players, coaches, support staff, and even commentators that a businessman with dubious credentials in Hyderabad is actively seeking to trap individuals involved in the league. Masquerading as a fan, he has allegedly been spotted at the team hotels and in the matches, making efforts to befriend players and staff, and inviting potential targets to private parties.

What's in store?

Delhi Capitals' four-match winning streak may have come to an end, but they would hope the momentum isn't lost. Even in the game against Mumbai Indians, they were on track to chase down the track before the effects of the second new balls flipped the course of the contest. Mohit Sharma admitted to the impact of the second new ball in restoring the balance between bat and ball this season. But against Rajasthan Royals, the opportunity is open to move to the top of the points table. Moreover, much like most teams struggling at their primary home venue, DC would want to get rid of those ghosts early.

April 15

That winning feeling again

Stop the press (if there's still one running) because CSK have finally hit Ctrl+Z on their five-match losing streak with a five-wicket win over LSG. Keeping in line with Lucknow's "you first" policy, Dhoni invited Pant's team to bat first, restricted them to 166/7 on a sluggish pitch and then smashed 26* off 11 in a winning cause. But as Lucknow's hospitality would have it, it needed a lot of blunders from LSG.

People got dropped?

Yes. Devon Conway and R Ashwin. Shaik Rasheed, the 20-year-old batter who came in as one of the replacements, smashed 27 off 19, including 6 fours.

"Why are they giving me the award?"

MS wasn't alone in questioning the Player of the Match award, but we all love a Dhoni chase, don't we? The Ekana crowd, decked out in yellow like it was a CSK home game, lost their collective minds. And just like that, Thala became the oldest Player of the Match winner in IPL history. Ageing? Sure. Retiring? Maybe never. MS-DOS still boots up.

Pant left to defend captaincy calls

The ball was replaced after the 16th over and just when you thought Bishnoi, back in form and loving the pitch, would be unleashed again, Pant stuck to pace like one of Fevicol ads. Ironically, it worked in CSK's favour: a harder ball that was easier to hit and suddenly what looked like a grind turned into a joyride. Dhoni was smiling, because that's what you do when you're in Lucknow. "We discussed it with a lot of players and just couldn't let him bowl, Pant said of Bishnoi after the loss. Bishnoi was like the "captain knows better" but surely his fingers must be twitching even during that press conference.

Is Pant struggling against spin?

The simple answer is yes. In T20s since 2024, he has been striking spin at 113.13. And those struggles were at show in this match, when he had to walk in early and didn't have Pooran to devour spin at the other end. Pant faced 15 deliveries from Noor Ahmad and played out 10 dots (the most by a batter against a bowler in an IPL innings since 2024), four singles and a brace. The last four of those dots came in a row in the 17th over of the innings. Furthermore, of the 373 instances in IPL history wherein a Player vs Player matchup has featured at least 15 deliveries within a game, only one has had a lower strike-rate!

Injury blow for PBKS

Lockie Ferguson's injury is set to keep him out of at least a major part of this edition. "Ferguson is out indefinitely, and us getting him back by the end of the tournament is a very low percentage. I think he's done a real decent injury to himself," said Punjab Kings' fast bowling coach James Hopes a day ahead of their clash against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mullanpur.

Who is Smaran, injured Zampa's replacement at SRH?

Smaran is a 21-year-old left-handed batter from Karnataka, who's joined the SRH setup at his base price of INR 30 lakh. He has played seven first-class games in which he has scored over 500 runs at an average of 64.50, including a double century against Punjab. He has also played 10 List A games since his debut in 2024, scoring 433 runs at an average of 72.16, with two hundreds, while he has scored 170 runs in six T20 matches at a strike rate of 170.

What's on today?

PBKS v KKR. It's Shreyas Iyer against KKR. It would be interesting to see him bat against KKR's spinners in Mullanpur, who have the best average (20.62) and the best economy (6.73) among all teams in this IPL. BTW, there would be no Lockie Ferguson for PBKS, so how they fill that void would be something to keep an eye on.

April 14

It's now 4/5 for DC...

Delhi Capitals' unbeaten run in IPL 2025 has come to an end, with Mumbai Indians staging a late fightback to bundle out the hosts for 192 in the chase of 206. It was DC's first home game in Delhi, and it's not been an auspicious start. Nonetheless, there were some positive signs, none more obvious than the way Karun Nair took the attack to Jasprit Bumrah. Karun, who has returned to play an IPL game for the first time in three years, had mentioned ahead of the season that' his desire to play for India again is still burning, and he gave good evidence of that.

... but 4/4 for RCB

The Rajat Patidar-led RCB have continued to dominate away from home. Earlier on Sunday, they raced away to a comfortable 9-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. Despite an extremely below-par performance on the field, they managed to restrict the hosts to 173 for 5, a total they chased down with 15 balls to spare. It was Phil Salt again leading the chase, with another dominating performance in the PowerPlay, which helped RCB secure their fourth straight win away from home.

The spin choke

Even on the small ground of Kotla, spin has played quite a role in recent years. On Sunday night, the MI spin-twins, Karn Sharma and Mitchell Santner, eventually guided them to a come-from-behind win. Roshan Gede has you covered with how the spin choke worked, in the latest edition of Data Shorts.

What's in store?

The hope of CSK ending their worst-ever run in IPL - of five straight defeats.

They are coming up against Lucknow Super Giants in their bid to end this streak. However, concerns are plenty, especially in the batting department. To put into perspective, CSK have hit 32 sixes this season, only one more than Nicholas Pooran's tally. But Stephen Fleming isn't fretting about the big hits. He is hoping for improvement in other aspects.

They have roped in Mumbai's 17-year-old opener Ayush Mhatre as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad, but it remains to be seen if he will find any game time.

April 13

SRH had a good day with the bat... This means, some records tumbled

- Abhishek Sharma at Hyderabad is the highest individual score by an Indian batter in an IPL innings (141)

- 10 sixes hit by Abhishek Sharma is the most sixes by an SRH batter in an IPL innings.

Despite the loss, there were some records for Punjab Kings as well on Saturday night...

- Their total of 245 was Punjab Kings' highest first innings score.

For detailed numbers, check out this elaborate piece by Shashikant Singh. If you like to consume your data in short, Deepu Narayanan has you covered as he explains how on a batting paradise, SRH pacers used their death bowling variations early to reap minor rewards.

But who is leading the carnage?

Abhishek Sharma's assault last night may have faded the memory of how good Nicholas Pooran was earlier in the day, as Lucknow Super Giants thumped Gujarat Titans. It wasn't a one-off show. The West Indian has been the best batter so far this IPL season. Prakash Govindasreenivasan has you covered. He explains what works for the hard-hitting southpaw and how his potential has been unlocked with LSG.

GT's double blow

It's not just the on-field loss against LSG which would hurt Shubman Gill & Co. They have also lost the services of one of their overseas picks. Glenn Phillips, the star of New Zealand's Champions Trophy campaign recently, has left the IPL without getting a chance to feature in a single game. He has suffered a groin injury and won't take any further part this season for Gujarat Titans.

What's in store today?

RCB are back on the road, and they wouldn't be complaining. They are coming up against Rajasthan Royals, who have just started to find some rhythm, in Jaipur. Despite recent wins, they have been far from their best and with uncertainty over Wanindu Hasaranga's availability, there are more concerns to deal with.

However, before that clash, Delhi Capitals are set to meet Mumbai Indians at home. With MI struggling to fire as a unit even after the return of Jasprit Bumrah, there is every reason to believe for Axar Patel's team to believe that they can make it five wins in five games.

April 12

CSK lose another...

It was set to be a happy affair. "Thalla," as Ravi Shastri reminded everyone at the toss, was returning as the captain and it was meant to be a celebration. Instead, what played out was a horror show. A score of 18/2 after five overs, Deepak Hooda as impact player (meaning Pathirana was out of the equation) and limping score of 103/9, which KKR chased in 10.1 overs to inflict CSK's third home defeat in a row.

Some stats to chew

This was the biggest defeat margin for CSK in terms of balls remaining in IPL.

For the first time, CSK have lost five consecutive games in their IPL history, and this is also the first time CSK have lost three games in a row at Chepauk in a season.

103/9 by CSK was the second lowest total by any team at Chepauk after RCB's 70 all-out against CSK in 2019

Six CSK wickets fell to spin; it's the most for them in an IPL innings.

Hussey still hopeful!

Batting coach Michael Hussey is still hopeful of his side bagging a playoff spot. "We are certainly not putting the white flag up just yet," Hussey said after CSK's massive loss to KKR. "You only have to get in to scrape into that fourth place. And a big, long tournament like the IPL, it is about momentum.

KKR get the powerplay right

KKR entered Friday's game with the worst PowerPlay average (56.20) and just five new-ball wickets. Their pacers pitched full only twice, with Arora sticking to a good length (7m). Further, on a grippy Chepauk pitch with two left-handers opening, Moeen Ali replaced Johnson and took the new ball. He struck early, dismissed Conway, and bowled the season's first maiden over by a spinner. It was also the first time KKR bowled multiple PowerPlay spin overs in IPL 2025. Moeen's spell: 2-1-4-1.

Hussey's test: stick or slip?

Five losses in a row. Chepauk fortress in tatters. CSK's season may be slipping but loyalty? That's being scored now. "We are going to find out who our true supporters are, the ones that really stick with us!" said Hussey at the press conference.

Narine into the act

Figures of 4-0-13-3, including the wickets of Tripathi, Jadeja and Dhoni. And then explosion with the bat, something nobody saw coming on a sticky Chepauk turner. 44 runs, 18 balls. No wonder, he was named Player of the Match. But he felt it still wasn't the perfect match for him. "Next time hopefully I can get a catch as well," he reckoned, referring to the dropped catch of Vijay Shankar.

What's on today?

LSG aim to distance themselves from mid-table traffic as GT would look to build on their impressive run of wins. SRH, on a sequence of losses, will seek revival against in-form PBKS. What sort of a pitch will Hyderabad serve? How will Digvesh Rathi fare against Sai Kishore, the two spinnovators?

April 11

4/4 for table toppers DC

The Delhi Capitals, the only unbeaten team in this year's IPL, extended their winning run by handing RCB a 6-wicket drubbing. On an atypical Chinnaswamy surface, RCB's dashing start failed to materialize into a big score. They ended up with 163 and even had DC in trouble at 58/4. But a rescue act from KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs saw the visitors chase the target down without any further hiccups. Read more about all that transpired.

Son of the soil wins the crowd over

The M. Chinnaswamy stadium might be RCB's home but KL Rahul arrived and showed why it's more his home than theirs. With his side in dire straits, Rahul batted masterfully en route to an unbeaten 93 off 53 that not just resurrected his team but also won over the RCB faithfuls leaving them chanting "Rahul! Rahul! Rahul" by the time it was all over. Rahul was able to assess the 'home' conditions that RCB have been struggling with this season. Through his masterful display, he has left some cues for the Rajat Patidar-led side.

DC douse Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood, powerplay savant and a man who's been instrumental to RCB's success so far, curiously was bowled for just one over in the powerplay. He was taken apart by DC's batters and had a rare off-day with his figures reading 0/40 off 3 overs.

The spin difference

On a wicket that was stopping and holding a little, DC's wrist-spinners were the difference between the two sides. Between them, Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam shared figures of 4/35 to cripple RCB through the middle overs.

Captain Cool back at the helm

Yep, you heard that right - MS Dhoni has been handed the reins again. With Ruturaj Gaikwad being ruled out for the rest of the season, CSK have turned to their doyen and will hope that he weaves his magic once more to turnaround what's so far been a disastrous campaign.

Battered fortress braces for another assault

The Knight Riders are here hoping to be the third entourage to plunder the Chepauk fortress this season. CSK find themselves in an unenviable position having lost four of their five games and desperately need the fort to hold this time around. Read more about everything that's in store for tonight's clash.