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.
Both DC and LSG have 10 points and a win will keep them safely perched in the higher echelons of the points table ahead of the jostlers.
The squad also features Karun Nair, who returns to the national set up after a long gap of eight years.
DC skipper Axar Patel said four wins in four matches had given the team a huge boost in morale.
Although Kohli and Krunal made the chase look simple, it was anything but, especially on a pitch that offered some help for the bowlers.
India's spinners were the key architects of the bowling performance. Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) were the standout performers, while Jadeja (1/30) and Axar Patel (0/29 in 8 overs) kept the pressure on with their economical spells.
India captain Rohit Sharma moved up two places to third in the latest ICC ODI batter rankings following his stellar performance in the Champions Trophy final, while teammate Shubman Gill held on to the top spot.
It was a headache to decide between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav as third spinner: Rohit Sharma
Kuldeep Yadav has taken 27 wickets from 14 matches this year, the highest by an Indian bowler in ODIs.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bid for a maiden home victory this IPL season will depend on their batters' ability to handle the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Glenn Maxwell when they face the Punjab Kings on Friday.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy final played between India and New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji check out who could be the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2025 before the final.
In a format often dominated by innovation and brute force, Gujarat Titans' Subhman Gill and Sai Sudharsan once again reminded the fans that proper cricketing shots still thrive in the hustle of modern T20 cricket.
New Zealand great Stephen Fleming feels Kuldeep Yadav can provide that 'extra bit of wicket-taking flair' in the Super 8 stage.
Punjab Kings will look to renew their bid for a play-off berth with another commanding performance in Jaipur on Sunday against Rajasthan Royals, who have failed to rise above mediocrity despite possessing the resources this season.
Veteran England pacer James Anderson has revealed that Kuldeep Yadav had a hunch about being his 700th Test wicket when the two came face to face during the fifth and final Test against India in Dharamsala.
Images from the IPL match between Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals in Lucknow on Friday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2025 after Game 68.
Fresh from their morale-boosting win over LSG, and bolstered by the return of India wicketkeeper-batter K L Rahul, Delhi Capitals will look to build on the momentum when they take on formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL match in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Before the Champions Trophy final, a look at the 'Team Behind the Team'.
Mark Chapman has taken his place in the field.
Punjab cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal was told he is left with only NRI Affairs portfolio as the administrative reforms department he was holding for the past nearly 21 months did not exist, according to a government notification.
'Just backed my execution, running with a clear plan. Sometimes it comes off, a bit of luck goes a long way.'
'Make it a habit that this is how it's going to be under my captaincy.'
Images from the IPL 2025 match between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
What stands out for Kuldeep 2.0 is his aggressive approach.
Shaken by the abrupt suspension of their previous match due to the India-Pakistan conflict, a struggling Delhi Capitals will look to regroup and address bowling concerns when they face table-toppers Gujarat Titans in a reverse-leg IPL clash in Delhi on Sunday to keep their play-off hopes alive.
A seemingly invincible India will be eager to sharpen their game against spin and give a run to second-line players ahead of the semi-final when they take on New Zealand in their last group match of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday.
Delhi Capitals have never won the IPL despite featuring top talent over the years. Under Axar Patel's leadership, they will hope IPL 2025 finally ends their title drought.
Struggling CSK look to turn around fortunes against PBKS
Even shadow Purple Cup winner Prasidh couldn't escape Vaibhav's onslaught on Monday night!
Both were equally good balls: Kuldeep Yadav on prized wickets of Babar Azam and Jos Buttler
Former India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi is the frontrunner to become the spin bowling coach at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence.
Raina also laid emphasis on how Kuldeep Yadav could be a lynchpin in India's success.
India spinner Kuldeep Yadav believes that he was able to create confusion in the minds of Pakistan's batters because they went for high-risk sweep shots despite failing to read his hand during the marquee World Cup clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant's woeful form with the bat and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer's sublime touch have made Sunday's mid-table clash an engrossing contest -- one that could decisively shape the fortunes of either side as the IPL enters its business end.
Kuldeep Yadav expects the bowlers to have a tough time at Mumbai's batting-friendly Wankhede Stadium.
Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel would like to quickly forget the underwhelming performances of his side in home conditions and get their stuttering campaign back on track when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are teetering on the edge of elimination, in the IPL match in Hyderabad on Monday.
Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill, both in strong form after their Champions Trophy triumph with India, look to lead their respective teams, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans, to IPL glory in the 2025 season.
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