Kohli eyes elusive IPL title as 13-year-old Vaibhav set for historic debut
Despite his illustrious career, the former India captain has never won the IPL, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finishing as runners-up in 2009, 2011, and 2016.
Virat Kohli will once again set out in search of his first Indian Premier League title as the tournament kicks off this weekend, with a 13-year-old on the verge of making history.
The high-octane T20 competition will see 10 teams battle it out over 70 league matches in just eight weeks before the top four contest the playoffs, culminating in the final at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on 25 May.
Now 36, Kohli retired from T20 internationals last year but silenced his critics by helping India lift the Champions Trophy earlier this month. However, despite his illustrious career, the former India captain has never won the IPL, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finishing as runners-up in 2009, 2011, and 2016.
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"It's pretty much come down to just the pure joy, enjoyment, competitive streak and love for the game. And as long as that is there, I will continue to play," Kohli said this week, addressing speculation about his future.
"As of now, everything is fine. I still love playing the game."
Some fans are hopeful that Kohli's long association with the number 18—his shirt number, as well as this being his and the league's 18th season—could bring him luck.
After a lean patch, Kohli scored 219 runs in five Champions Trophy matches at an average of 54.50 and remains RCB's talisman. This season, he will play under a new captain, Rajat Patidar, who replaces Faf du Plessis.
RCB will open their campaign against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Kolkata, three-time winners of the tournament, will be led by Ajinkya Rahane, who takes over the captaincy from Shreyas Iyer. Elsewhere, Punjab Kings, another side yet to win an IPL title, made headlines by securing Iyer for a staggering $3.17 million at auction.
Rajasthan Royals, led by wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, will travel to Sunrisers Hyderabad for their first match on Sunday—a game that could witness history being made.
Vaibhav set to become IPL's youngest-ever player
The Royals made waves at the auction by signing 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi for $130,500, with the explosive young batsman in line to become the youngest-ever player to feature in the IPL.
"Vaibhav looks very confident. He was hitting sixes out of the ground," Samson told streaming platform JioHotstar after watching a practice session this week.
"People were already talking about his power-hitting. It's all about understanding his strengths, backing him and being there for him like an older brother."
This season, the Royals will be mentored by former India coach Rahul Dravid and have also secured England fast bowler Jofra Archer for $1.48 million.
Australia captain Pat Cummins will again lead Sunrisers Hyderabad, who finished runners-up to Kolkata last year. He will be joined by compatriots Travis Head and Adam Zampa, while the Sunrisers have strengthened their seam attack with England's Brydon Carse and Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malinga.
Lucknow Super Giants made the biggest signing of the auction, spending a league-record $3.21 million to acquire wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant. Their first match will be against Delhi Capitals on Monday.
Dhoni to play on at 43 as Gaikwad takes over Chennai captaincy
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings' legendary captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, now 43, will continue to feature in the IPL. However, this season, the five-time champions will be led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, raising speculation that the 2011 World Cup-winning captain may finally retire at the end of the tournament.
Mumbai Indians, also five-time winners, have retained Hardik Pandya as captain despite widespread fan backlash following his appointment over the popular Rohit Sharma last season. Mumbai finished bottom of the table in 2024, and Pandya will miss their opening game due to a one-match suspension for a slow over-rate in the previous campaign.
Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has generated billions in revenue, establishing the Board of Control for Cricket in India as one of the wealthiest governing bodies in global sport.
