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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know News India Times (March 28, 2026 - April 3, 2026) April 3, 2026 18 Sports Vintage Kohli, Teenager Sooryavanshi Headline New IPL Season T he 19th edition of the Indian Premier League gets underway in Bengaluru on Saturday, a touch lighter on overseas firepower but buoyed by a con- firmation of its robust financial health this week. A high-profile consortium has acquired Royal Challengers Bengaluru for an eye-watering $1.78 billion, while another is splashing $1.6 billion to take control of Rajasthan Royals – reminders of the enduring pull of the world’s richest T20 league. That financial muscle, coupled with the league’s administrative clout, ensures the 10-team competition proceeds with its usual pomp even as the Pakistan Super League across the border opens behind closed doors, citing a fuel shortage linked to the conflict in the Middle East. On the field, the season begins with a notable first: 10 homegrown captains will lead their sides at the toss. Sunrisers Hyderabad are the outliers, with Ishan Kishan set to hand the reins to Pat Cummins once the Australia captain is fit later in the tournament. Cummins’ compatriots Josh Hazlewood (Bengaluru) and Mitchell Starc (Delhi) will also miss early matches as they work back to full fitness, while Rajasthan’s England all-rounder Sam Curran has been ruled out entirely. Bengaluru, having finally shed their “nearly men” tag last year, open their title defence against Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the mood is likely to be subdued. The joy of last season’s breakthrough turned to tragedy when 11 people were killed in a stampede outside the ground, and uncertainty lingered before RCB received clearance to host home fixtures at the venue. Virat Kohli’s presence, however, should lift the mood. No longer captain but still the beating heart of Ben- galuru at 37, the India great remains box office beyond franchise lines. NEW STAR Now based in London and active internationally only in 50-over cricket, Kohli is a rarer sight for home fans, who will again throng the stands to watch him in the twilight of his career. Eyes will also be on a new star in Indian cricket. Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who turns 15 this week, lit up his debut season with a 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans last year. The left-hander was also the architect of India’s suc- cessful campaign at the Under-19World Cup this year. Expectations will naturally follow as he walks out along- side fellow Rajasthan opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Conditions are expected to be unforgiving for bowlers once more. Pundits predict 200-plus totals could become the rule on batting-friendly pitches, especially with the Impact Rule – allowing teams to swap a bowler with a batter – in play. Mumbai Indians will be gunning for a record sixth title, while Gujarat Titans, led by India’s test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, will be eyeing a second crown. -Reuters PHOTO:REUTERS/ABHIJIT ADDYA Cricket – Indian Premier League – IPL – Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India – March 22, 2025 Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli reacts. By Amlan Chakraborty Cricket-IPL 2026: Dates, Format, Fixtures And Team Details T he Indian Premier League is a franchise-based Twenty20 cricket tournament organised by the Indian board (BCCI). First held in 2008, it quickly became the most lucrative cricket tournament in the world. Here is what you need to know about the 19th edition of the competition which starts next month: WHEN IS THE IPL HAPPENING? – The 19th edition of the IPL runs from March 28 to May 31. WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE IPL? – The 10 participating teams play in a double round-robin format in which they play each other twice, once away and once at home. – The top four teams in a unified points table qualify for the playoffs. The top two teams play each other in ‘Quali- fier 1’ with the winners reaching the final. – The teams placed third and fourth compete in an ‘Eliminator’ with the win- ners progressing to ‘Qualifier 2’ to face the losers of ‘Qualifier 1’ for a place in the final. WHERE IS THE IPL TAKING PLACE? – The IPL is held in the home cities of the franchises based across India. However, some teams may choose to split their home games between two or more cities. – The 70 league matches of the 2026 edition will be played across 13 venues. – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the home ground of defending champions Royal Challengers Ben- galuru, will host the opening game. – The other venues are –Wankhede Stadium in Mum- bai, Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mul- lanpur, Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, Eden Gardens in Kol- kata, MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmed- abad, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur and Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. IPL 2026 CAPTAINS, COACHES AND BEST PERFORMANCE The following are the captains and coaches of the 10 teams, who will play in the competition through a league stage and the playoffs. • Chennai Super Kings Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad Coach: Stephen Fleming Best performance: Champions (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) • Delhi Capitals Captain: Axar Patel Coach: Hemang Badani Best Performance: Runners-up (2020) • Gujarat Titans Captain: Shubman Gill Coach: Ashish Nehra Best performance: Champions (2022) • Kolkata Knight Riders Captain: Ajinkya Rahane Coach: Abhishek Nayar Best performance: Champions (2012, 2014, 2024) • Lucknow Super Giants Captain: Rishabh Pant Coach: Justin Langer Best performance: Playoffs (2022, 2023) • Mumbai Indians Captain: Hardik Pandya Coach: Mahela Jayawardene Best performance: Champions (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020) • Punjab Kings Captain: Shreyas Iyer Coach: Ricky Ponting Best performance: Runners-up (2014 and 2025) • Rajasthan Royals Captain: Riyan Parag Coach: Kumar Sangakkara Best performance: Champions (2008) • Royal Challengers Bengaluru Captain: Rajat Patidar Coach: Andy Flower Best performance: Champions (2025) • Sunrisers Hyderabad Captain: Ishan Kishan/ Pat Cummins Coach: Daniel Vettori Best performance: Champions (2016) IPL 2026 FIXTURES – 70 MATCHES Matches will start at either 1930 IST (1400 GMT) or at 1530 IST (1000 GMT). -Reuters PHOTO:REUTERS/AMIT DAVE/FILE PHOTO Cricket – Indian Premier League – IPL – Final – Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Punjab Kings – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, India – June 4, 2025 Royal Challengers Bengaluru players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Indian Premier League