March 22, 2025: Former Indian cricketer Sarandeep Singh recently shared his insights on the much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, particularly discussing the major squad changes in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the two sides set to clash in the season opener.
Reflecting on RCB’s persistent issue of inconsistency in retaining players, Sarandeep drew comparisons with the more successful franchises like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. He emphasized how RCB’s decision to release Mohammed Siraj and Faf du Plessis, both of whom had been performing decently in recent seasons, had raised eyebrows.
“RCB let go of Faf du Plessis, who was scoring runs for them. The problem with RCB is their inconsistency in retaining players. When someone stays with the team for two years and plays international cricket, you should back them instead of letting them go. They should have kept Mohammed Siraj because that’s how you build a team—like a family,” Sarandeep said.
He further mentioned the importance of stability, highlighting how Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, both of whom have won multiple IPL titles, tend to back players for the long term, rather than changing their squad frequently. Despite the criticisms, Sarandeep acknowledged RCB’s new acquisitions, including Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, which he believes will make for an exciting combination.
“These are big buys, and Bhuvneshwar, in particular, is a match-winning bowler. This year, the combination of Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood will be exciting to watch,” he added.
On the other hand, Sarandeep also commented on KKR’s major squad changes. The decision to release key players such as Shreyas Iyer, Phil Salt, and Mitchell Starc, who had all played vital roles in KKR’s title-winning campaign last year, has raised questions about how these absences will impact the team. Sarandeep pointed out that with Iyer no longer a part of the squad, and Ajinkya Rahane taking over the captaincy, KKR will need to find new dynamics to fill the gaps left by these departures.
“There will be a difference with Iyer not being there. Ajinkya Rahane is the new captain, but they have not retained last year’s leader. They also let go of Mitchell Starc and Phil Salt. Salt was brilliant at the top with Sunil Narine. Now, KKR must find a new opener, or maybe Ajinkya Rahane will open and Salt will be playing against his former team. It will be interesting to see how he performs against them,” he said.
Turning to the future of Indian cricket, Sarandeep mentioned two current IPL captains who he believes have the potential to lead the Indian national team in the future: Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. He highlighted that both captains will be under the spotlight this IPL, especially with Iyer leading Punjab Kings and Pant captaining Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
“Shreyas Iyer is already part of the Indian setup and comes from winning the Champions Trophy. He will be leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) this year. Then, there is Rishabh Pant, captaining Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Both have the potential to lead India in the future. This IPL will be a big platform for them to showcase their leadership skills,” Sarandeep remarked.
In addition to discussing the captains, Sarandeep also turned the spotlight on emerging talent from Delhi. Highlighting players who have impressed in the Delhi Premier League (DPL), he mentioned the likes of Priyansh Arya, Prince Yadav, Vansh Bedi, and Digvesh Rathi, who have all earned IPL contracts this season. Sarandeep predicted that these players could be the next big names in Indian cricket.
As for the teams that are likely to make it to the playoffs in IPL 2025, Sarandeep surprised many by selecting Mumbai Indians, RCB, Punjab Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad as his top four.
“My four teams for the IPL 2025 playoffs will be Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad,” he concluded.
With his expert analysis and predictions, Sarandeep Singh has certainly given IPL fans plenty to look forward to as the 2025 season kicks off.