Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid acknowledged concerns about the team's death bowling performance in the ongoing IPL but expressed confidence in their ability to improve execution in upcoming matches.
Here's a look at the biggest disappointments of IPL 2025 -- the players who've cost crores but delivered crumbs.
India's young guns are fearless and mentally hardened by the IPL exposure. But true mettle will be tested when adversity strikes -- and this time, there will be no Kohli to stir up the crowd, no Rohit to deliver a captaincy masterstroke, and no Ashwin to conjure wickets out of nowhere.
India captain Rohit Sharma had previously acknowledged Axar's recent fatherhood as a reason for his unavailability for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Mohammed Siraj's sensational catch to dismiss Shakib Al Hasan off Ravichandran Ashwin's bowling stunned everyone watching at the Green Park stadium.
The players from both teams waited for nearly two hours at the ground before the steady drizzle forced them to return to their team hotel.
Together, Harshit Rana's early strikes, Sunil Narine's clinical dismantling, and Varun Chakravarthy's suffocating spell reduced CSK to just 103 for 9-their lowest-ever total at home.
Rajat Patidar starred for RCB with a quickfire half-century, while Phil Salt and Tim David provided the fireworks.
Bishen Singh Bedi has praised Ravichandran Ashwin for his consistent showing in the three matches but came down hard on the other bowlers.
A struggling Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be aiming to break their losing streak when they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday. CSK are currently ninth in the standings with one win and four losses, while KKR are in sixth position with two wins and three defeats. The home team will be hoping to turn around their fortunes at Chepauk, which has not been as advantageous this season as it has been in the past. CSK will need to adapt to the changed conditions and rely on their spinners to perform well at a venue where they have traditionally dominated. Meanwhile, KKR will be looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to the Lucknow Super Giants and secure a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
On previous tours Down Under, India have twice played opening Tests in November. India lost both those Tests, both at the Gabba in Brisbane.
"Expect nail-biting finishes, unforgettable sixes, and the kind of drama that keeps you glued to your seat.
Punjab Kings produced a disciplined bowling performance to outsmart Chennai Super Kings and return to winning ways at Mullanpur, Chandigarh, on Tuesday, April 8 2025.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday
Rajasthan Royals opened their account in IPL 2025 with a six-run win over five-time champions Chennai Super Kings at the Barsapara cricket stadium, Guwahati on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said in a tournament like IPL, losing a few games on the bounce can make comebacks a bit tough.
With Mahendra Singh Dhoni being the same player and no one to "bell the cat", CSK are in unusual mess with a mis-firing top-order where the skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has had to give up his opening slot.
There are some speculations over some rejigging in the A+ category following the retirement of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja from T20 Internationals.
Chennai Super Kings have never experienced a worse phase in the Indian Premier League and their faltering batters will have to deliver to arrest their steep slide in a must-win game against an upbeat Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Monday.
'He is +10 in the field, also bowls well and bats in pressure situations as well.'
Ravichandran Ashwin has picked up a record 420 wickets in 71 Tests played in Asia -- the most by an Indian bowler.
India included two debutants -- Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy -- while leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
On Day 5 of the 3rd Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, Bumrah shook up Australia's top order early after lunch to carve his name in the annals of Indian cricket history.
Ravichandran Ashwin's tactical foresight proved spot on as mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy dismissed the dangerous Travis Head early in India's Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia.
All eyes will be on Captain Shubman Gill and Coach Gautam Gambhir to lead the Indian Test team into a bold new era.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday
At IPL 2025, expect nothing short of electric cricket from Thala Dhoni and his band of machas.
While Sachin Tendulkar's 2013 farewell became a national pilgrimage, a vibrant celebration befitting a cricketing deity, the exits of many other Indian icons this century have been quieter journeys into the twilight.
Following his match-winning spell and century against Bangladesh in the first Test, Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on idolising legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh during his junior-age cricket days and replicating his bowling action during matches.
Chennai Super Kings' IPL 2025 campaign looks set for a bitter and heartbreaking end.
The Royals batting looks decent but there is the issue of consistency and lack of depth that could be telling as the tournament wears on.
A clinical Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed a completely disoriented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Chennai on Friday.
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed his concerns with his team's struggles in the Powerplay.
Baffled by Chennai Super Kings's tactics in their clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson said he does not understand why Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to bat lower down the order.
Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin chipped away at the wickets to leave New Zealand reeling on 171/9 in their second innings at stumps on Day 2.
Jasprit Bumrah bettered spin stalwart Ravichandran Ashwin's all-time rating-point record by an Indian in the latest ICC rankings.
Ravichandran Ashwin's wife Prithi Narayanan penned a heartfelt tribute for her husband following his recent retirement from international cricket, saying "it is time to set the burden of being you down" and embrace life beyond the game.
Spin great Ravichandran Ashwin says New Zealand, despite the absence of the long-serving pace duo of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who have quit playing the 50-over format, will pose a challenge to India.
Since making his Test debut in 2018, Bumrah has made 36 Test appearances and has 159 wickets to his name.
Former Australia wicketkeeper and captain Tim Paine doesn't regret sledging Ravichandran Ashwin during the third Test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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