IPL 2025: RCB Rise, GT Grind, MI Flex, and PBKS Power Ahead as Playoff Picture Sharpens

Another week passes in IPL 2025, and things are finally starting to come together, giving us  a clearer picture of how the playoffs might shape up. Personally, I still believe the current  top four – Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans – will remain the top four, though the final order may vary. 

Let’s start with RCB. They’ve been particularly impressive, and for several reasons. First,  they’ve shown flexibility in their lineup, making changes where needed—even when those  changes were forced. With Phil Salt unavailable due to illness, Jacob Bethell stepped in  and looked right at home from the outset.  

RCB’s top order hasn’t really felt the impact of recent changes. While Salt’s absence due  to illness is notable, the team hasn’t been significantly hindered. If Salt returns to full  fitness, he’ll undoubtedly be in contention for a spot again—his contributions are too  valuable to ignore. But for now, it’s Bethell who holds that position, and he’s made it his  own. 

Then there’s Romario Shepherd, whose explosive performance in the last game— especially in tandem with Tim David—was a reminder of the sheer power and depth this  squad possesses. I’ve said it before: this team has incredible balance and depth. 

At this point in the tournament, when fatigue sets in, injuries become more common, and  players start carrying niggles, having dependable squad members like Bethell and  Shepherd who can step in and deliver instantly is a huge asset. It gives the team both  flexibility and momentum heading into the crucial final stages. 

I was really pleased to see Yash Dayal shine. A couple of years ago, I was commentating  when Rinku Singh clobbered him for five sixes—I remember thinking he might lose  confidence. But to watch him finish the game off this time, even under pressure, was  fantastic. Seeing him celebrate as he crossed the line felt like a huge personal milestone  and a massive boost for the team. 

There were a few nervy moments in the field—defense looked a touch shaky under that  final onslaught—but ultimately, winning tight contests is exactly the kind of habit you want  late in the tournament.

There’s no greater high than walking off knowing you could have lost yet finding a way  through. They look in terrific shape, and credit to Rajat Patidar—his captaincy has been  outstanding. Even without Josh Hazelwood in recent games, the Royal Challengers have  quality cover stepping up whenever needed. 

And then there’s Gujarat Titans. Their comprehensive win over Sunrisers Hyderabad  underlined just how dominant that top order remains. It’s remarkable that no bowling  attack has yet managed to unsettle those first three batters or prevent them from batting  through the final overs. Such consistency at the top not only sets up big totals but also  demoralises the opposition before the match really begins. 

Their level of consistency in a format notorious for its unpredictability is nothing short of  remarkable. Looking ahead, GT’s schedule isn’t going to get any easier: they face MI,  followed by matches against DC and LSG. Those next few fixtures will provide a stern test,  but with the depth and balance they’ve shown, I’m confident they’ve got all the bases  covered. 

Mohammed Siraj appears to be rediscovering his best form, and Prasidh Krishna has been  another reliable option. Their squad depth is evident with the addition of Gerald Coetzee,  whose extra pace and aggression bolster their bowling attack. 

The one area of concern remains Rashid Khan. He’s had flashes reminiscent of his prime  but, overall, hasn’t quite hit his usual heights. Shubman Gill’s leadership is blossoming.  GT’s slip-up against Rajasthan Royals highlighted his importance, as he was off the field  

with an injury during their bowling innings—a moment that underlined how much they rely  on his captaincy. His growth as a leader remains one of the tournament’s most promising  storylines. 

For me, MI have been the standout side in this competition. Right from the outset, I tipped  the Trent Boult–Mitch Santner combo as a potential game-changer, and Boult’s current  form has proven that theory spot on. The Boult–Bumrah axis has been firing on all  cylinders, offering both swing and precision. Santner might be on the sidelines at the  moment, but on turning tracks you can be sure he’ll slot back in for Jacks, giving the team  valuable tactical rotation. Add to that a top order that’s consistently putting runs on the  board, and you’ve got a side that looks exceptionally well balanced. Their bowling attack  looks well drilled, with captain Hardik Pandya leading from the front. 

As I mentioned in an earlier piece, Corbin Bosch has emerged as a handy option, bringing  extra pace and aggression when called upon. That ability to rotate the squad and rest key 

players while keeping the momentum going speaks volumes about their depth. Also, I feel,  Tilak Varma needs to make an impact now, but with the top order consistently performing,  his opportunities have been limited so far. 

That said, their run-in isn’t a walk in the park. They face the Titans and then Punjab Kings,  and finally Delhi Capitals. To maintain their strong position, Mumbai will need to be firing  on all cylinders right through to the end. MI will likely need to claim at least two of those  remaining fixtures, so there’s little room for error. 

Punjab Kings have been outstanding this season—one of the few teams that never let up at  the top of the order. While Priyansh Arya has eased off slightly, Prabhsimran Singh has  picked up the slack brilliantly, delivering one of the most eye-catching campaigns of his  career. He’s always had the talent, but this year, under astute management and inspired  captaincy, he’s truly flourished. And then there’s Arshdeep Singh—time and again, he  proves himself among the very best in the business. Their blend of fearless batting and  incisive bowling makes them a genuine force to be reckoned with. 

In my opinion, Arshdeep Singh should be considered for England tour as part of the Test  squad. His left-arm angle would be a huge asset on English pitches. Right now, he’s  pigeonholed as a white-ball specialist, but expanding his role could be captivating. He’s in  the prime of his career—enough pace to trouble batters, plus that nagging swing and seam  movement. More importantly, he brings a cricketing intellect that’s rare: the craft to  outthink opponents, deep understanding of batting minds, and the field awareness to  execute plans under pressure.  

Now talking about the teams on the slide, none have endured a tougher week than  Rajasthan Royals. Heading into another must-win against KKR, they again let a winnable  game slip through their fingers—part of what’s become a horror stretch of matches they  felt they should have won. 

Riyan Parag showed plenty of promise in the last outing—his intent and control were  clear—but tactical missteps cost dearly. Introducing Akash Madhwal into the attack,  rather than trusting Maheesh Theekshana and the spinners, allowed Andre Russell to take  the game away. And once momentum shifted, they never really recovered. 

SRH’s season has been one of the biggest surprises—unfortunately not for the right  reasons. With another defeat confirming their elimination, they’ve consistently  underperformed. A mid-season break has yielded little improvement; despite their senior 

stars occasionally showing glimpses of form, nobody has been able to deliver week in,  week out. 

Heinrich Klaasen has looked set to break out but hasn’t quite taken off, and they’ve sorely  missed the potential of Adam Zampa. I’ve felt Pat Cummins should open the bowling in  every match, yet he’s been underused, while Mohammad Shami has struggled to find his  rhythm and even skipped the last game. On the plus side, Aniket Verma has shown real  potential, but like so many others this year, he’s found consistency hard to come by. 

KKR have turned a corner this past week, and a few key tweaks have fueled their  resurgence. Most notably, they’ve given Angkrish Raghuvanshi a more prominent role by  promoting him to number four—an inspired move considering how he timed his innings  beautifully to steady the ship. Venkatesh Iyer’s lean patch made that change possible, and  it’s paid dividends. Andre Russell continues to be a match-winner, pacing his assault  perfectly when it matters most. 

Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy has also hit new heights, marshaling his troops with calm  authority. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy have been tidy and probing, building  pressure from one end. And I’d love to see Moeen Ali feature more often: even against  right-handed-heavy lineups, his experience and spin-batting balance would strengthen  

KKR’s middle order. All in all, the team looks more cohesive and dangerous than we’ve  seen in weeks. 

Delhi Capitals face a fascinating stretch ahead. They’ll be grateful for the solitary point  from the SRH washout, but their schedule doesn’t let up: Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans, and  Mumbai Indians loom large. To keep their hopes alive, they may well need to win all three  matches which is not an easy feat. 

Their early season form was inspiring as they won four on the trot but they could not  maintain the momentum. The return of Faf du Plessis has been a significant boost to them.  However, they still need more consistency in their batting; too often they’ve lacked  substantial, match-defining innings. I’d bat Tristan Stubbs higher up the order—his recent  form suggests he deserves a top-three slot. Vipraj Nigam has looked promising, but their  batting has been too inconsistent, with too few substantial innings or match-winning, big  scores. 

Ayush Mhatre’s arrival at just 17 years of age and has been a revelation—he looks like a  genuine prospect and someone to watch closely. Chennai also need to rethink how they  deploy Dewald Brevis; he’s currently coming in too low. His destructive strokeplay would 

be more potent in the powerplay than the slog overs. Similarly, Shivam Dube deserves a  more prominent batting spot—he’s too valuable to be peripheral. It’s clear the franchise is  already laying groundwork for next season, but by maximizing roles for players like Brevis  and Dube now, they could boost their effectiveness both this year and beyond. 

Lucknow’s season has been a rollercoaster—mostly dips rather than peaks. Rishabh Pant  has struggled far more than I anticipated; I expected him to find his feet by now, but that  form just hasn’t come. With the captain misfiring at the top, the entire batting unit looks  under pressure—and when your top order doesn’t fire, everything else unravels. Nicholas  Pooran’s slump has only compounded the problem, despite the impact he showed earlier  in the tournament. Add on sloppy fielding, and it’s hard to see them breaking into the  playoffs.