Virat Kohli, who has given up the RCB captaincy, was retained along with Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and young pace bowler Mohammed Siraj.
A high-stakes match between cross-city rivals Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Chennai on Friday will usher in IPL 2024, but, beyond the grandeur around it, the two protagonists will have to find early answers to some deep questions as they attempt to enter a rarefied territory.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke believes Virat Kohli, who considers Test cricket as the pinnacle, could come out of retirement if India suffer a heavy defeat in the upcoming five-Test series in England.
New 'Captain Cool' in Town: Shreyas Iyer could be the leader India needs
M S Dhoni may bat at No.7 or No. 8, which will allow him to showcase his big-hitting prowess at the back end of the innings, says former international Robin Uthappa.
On a night packed with drama, milestones, and momentum swings, five batters rose above the rest to set Eden Gardens alight.
Gujarat Titans senior batter Jos Buttler admitted he was "embarrassed" after dropping Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Phil Salt during their IPL match. However, Buttler made amends by smashing 73 not out off 39 balls, leading his team to an eight-wicket victory. Buttler's knock was marked by creativity and aggression as GT chased down the target of 170 in 17.5 overs.
'...We are very happy that he is leading Punjab kings & happier we could get him in the auction as he was our first & only choice for captaincy...'
In all, Axar has led in 24 matches across all formats, winning 12, losing 10 and two matches ended in a draw.
Royal Challengers Bangalore head coach Sanjay Bangar believes the inclusion of the experienced Faf du Plessis has added 'real strength' to their batting department.
Can't afford any slip-up, need to start winning games: RR coach Dravid
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season is set to begin on March 22 with a clash between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. This venue will also host the final match of the season on May 25. Dharamsala and Guwahati will host a couple of IPL matches this year, with Dharamsala serving as the second home venue for Punjab Kings and Guwahati hosting Rajasthan Royals matches in addition to their regular home venue, Jaipur.
'I absolutely love it and the moment I wore it, I felt something special'
Kohli's decision to quit RCB captaincy came after he had made up his mind to step down as India's T20 skipper, following the 2021 T20 World Cup
The 8-wicket loss to KKR was their biggest defeat margin in terms of balls remaining (59 balls), surpassing the loss against Mumbai Indians (46 balls) in Sharjah in 2020.
Royal Challengers Bangalore would look to build on the momentum when they take on a struggling Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League match in Dubai on Wednesday.
The CSK captain's vintage finishing act powered his side to a five wicket win, snapping a five match losing streak.
'Shubman Gill is a great thinker and player, but man management will be key to his leadership success.'
The cricketing fraternity on Monday paid glowing tributes to India's batting talisman Virat Kohli on his retirement from the longest format after an illustrious 14-year-career.
Rohit was declared captain of India's yet-to-be-named T20 World Cup squad in February this year by BCCI secretary Jay Shah at an event in Ahmedabad, a good two months after he was replaced by Pandya as MI skipper.
Dinesh Karthik may have spent his career in M S Dhoni's shadow, but his contributions to Indian cricket, especially in the IPL, deserve a legacy all his own, asserts Sudhir Bisht.
Faf du Plessis will take the baton from RCB's longest standing captain, Virat Kohli who took charge ahead of IPL 2013.
Virat Kohli looks "stress free" without the burden of captaincy weighing him down, a dangerous sign for the opposition teams in IPL 2022, said his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Glenn Maxwell.
'RCB will make decision regarding captaincy after mega auction'
Both RCB and PBKS will have new captains at the helm in Faf du Plessis and Mayank Agarwal respectively
'His legacy as captain in IPL cricket would be one that didn't win.'
Virat Kohli has announced that he will be stepping down from Royal Challengers Bangalore captaincy after IPL 2021.
Jason Holder could well turn out to be one of the most expensive buys at this edition of IPL
RCB skipper Faf du Plessis was a key member of the Dhoni-led four-time IPL champions since 2012.
The four-wicket defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL Eliminator match on Monday ended Virat Kohli's tenure as the Royal Challengers Bangalore's skipper but he said he will continue to play for the franchise till the end of his career.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri said Virat Kohli took a 'smart decision' by giving up captaincy from all forms of cricket, paving the way to express himself better in IPL 2022.
Under Dhoni's leadership, CSK has registered a record 121 wins in 204 matches in the IPL.
'...whether he is a top player or not, it doesn't matter.' 'If I go by a player's name I won't be able to bowl at my best.' 'For me he is just a batter, and my only focus is where I need to land the ball.'
Rahul Tewatia (43 not out) and David Miller (39 not out) did the job for GT after the table toppers were struggling at 95 for four in the 13th over.
De Villiers backed India and Mumbai Indians' batter Suryakumar Yadav, who has witnessed a sudden dip in form, advising him to focus on what has worked in the past.
Playing in their opening match of the Women's Premier League, the Delhi Capitals began their season on a positive note as they handed Royal Challengers Bangalore a big defeat at the Brabourne Stadium.
The former RCB and India skipper asserted that it is very difficult for people to understand what a cricketer thinks while taking such decisions.
When two Indian cricket greats come together to watch a match, you know the proceedings in the middle are interesting.
With defending champions Chennai Super Kings slated to take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL season-opener this year, former batter Abhinav Mukund feels Chepauk is 'no longer a fortress' for the five-time winners.
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