Aakash Chopra suggests bonus point system for upcoming IPL 2025

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has urged the IPL governing council and the BCCI to introduce a bonus point for the upcoming season of the tournament. Chopra wants the league to provide a bonus point to the winning team, which manages a huge win in the league phase.

Net Run Rate has been used by the IPL over the years and the team that has more points and a superior NRR makes it to the last four of the tournament. 

In 2024, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals all registered seven wins in the league phase but Royal Challengers Bengaluru qualified for the playoffs as they had an NRR of +0.459, which was better than the three aforementioned teams. 

SA20, South Africa’s premier T20 league, also used a bonus system recently. In the case of a bonus point, a team must finish with a net run rate 1.25 times higher than that of their opponent in that match. This incentivizes teams to not just win, but win in a commanding manner.

Chopra noted that NRR is a good way to measure which team has done better throughout the tournament but the exact advantage is not known till the very end.

“I have a suggestion for the #TataIPL this season. Have a bonus point if the margin of victory exceeds a certain threshold. While NRR is a proven way to know who’s done better over a period of time, the exact advantage doesn’t register till very late. Bonus points is an incentive that tangible…immediate and tbh, effective too. Kya bolti public??,” Chopra wrote on X.

IPL 2025 schedule was released by the Indian board on Sunday. The reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders will play the curtain raiser against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on March 22.