IPL is a franchise cricket league founded by BCCI (the Board of Control for Cricket in India) in 2008. The concept of the cricket league was to provide speedy cricket and entertainment to cricket lovers of India. Indian Premier League has become the most popular global cricket league beyond Big Bash League (A franchise cricket league of Australia). It usually takes place during the summer for 2 months, between March and May every year. For 2025, IPL scheduled from 22 March to 25 May.
In 2014, Indian Premier League ranked 6th in average attendance among all global sports leagues. In 2010, it became the first sporting league that was live on YouTube. Seeing the success of Indian Premier League, Indian Soccer League, Pro Kabaddi League and other leagues started in India. In 2022, the brand value of Tata IPL was estimated at ₹90,038 crore (US$11 billion). As per BCCI resources, Indian Premier League 2015 contributed Rs. 1150 crore (US$140 million) to India’s GDP.
What is the IPL (Indian Premier League)?
IPL stands for Indian Premier League, a cricket league born in India and became a global event. Initially, the league included 8 teams, but later 2 more IPL teams were added. It features state or city-based franchise teams. In total, there are 17 seasons of Tata IPL that took place till 2024.
Indian Premier League is a T20 league where each team has to play 20 overs. To reach the PlayOffs, a team has to win at least 9 out of 14 matches. For Finals, 4 teams quest in Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2 and Eliminator matches, respectively. The winner in the finals gets 20 crore and the runners-up receive 12.5 crores. KKR was the IPL winners in 2024 and also at no. 1 position in IPL point table followed by SRH.
Some Key Facts of Indian Premier League
Indian Premier League has become an international event now, and there are multiple things that happened over the years. Here are 10 key facts about the Indian Premier League, you would love to know.
- SRH is the first team of this league in its history that chased more than 160 runs within 10 overs and scored 100+ runs twice in the powerplay.
- KKR was the first team to qualify for playoffs in 2024.
- Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the first player to take 150 catches in Indian Premier League history.
- R. Jadeja has won the most number of “Man of Match” awards for CSK since the first edition of this league.
- Phil Salt broke Saurav Ganguly’s 14-year-old IPL records of scoring the highest runs in a single season at Eden Gardens.
- KKR defeated Mumbai Indians in the Wankhede stadium after 12 years.
- CSK became the third team, after KKR and MI, who won 15 matches at home.
- Virat Kohli is the first player to play 250 matches for a single team. He did it for RCB.
- Highest partnership in Indian Premier League is of 229 runs scored by AB Deviliers and Virat Kohli for RCB against Gujarat Lions in 2016
- Yuzawendra Chahal bowled the most expensive spell of his Indian Premier League career- 62/0.
Beginning of Tata IPL
The 2008 IPL was the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League, established by the Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI). The first season of this T20 league commenced on 18 April 2008 and the final match was played on June 1, 2008. The league commenced with a double round-robin league stage, in which each of the IPL teams (8) played one match at home and an away match against every other team. These matches were followed by 2 semi-finals and a final match.
Rajasthan Royals won the title under the leadership of Shane Warne by defeating CSK by 3 wickets in the final and topped the IPL point table. Shane Watson was adjudged “Player of the Series”. Shaun Marsh (KXIP) scored the most runs in that season i.e. 616. Sohail Tanveer (RR) took the most wickets i.e. 22 wickets in that season. The total number of matches played in its first season 2008 was 59 including the final and semi-finals.
Tata Indian Premier League Over the Years
Over the years, the Indian Premier League has seen multiple things. MI and CSK are two IPL teams that won 5 titles each, followed by KKR which has won 3 times, and Gujrat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals won 1 time each. The Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were banned for two years i.e. 2016 and 2017.
Gujrat Titans and Lucknow SuperGiants debuted in the Tata IPL in 2022, where Gujrat Titans won the title under the leadership of Hardik Pandya. It was the first time in its history when any debutant team won the title. It was 2016 when two new teams were introduced to replace CSK and RR and they were Gujrat Lions and Pune SuperGiants.
In 2016 only the Maharashtra water crisis affected the matches scheduled in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. Those matches were shifted to Dr. YS Rajashekhra Reddy ACA- VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam.
IPL Controversy
There could be countless controversies that happened over the years in the Indian Premier League. The first one was the Lalit Modi case, where Lalit Modi was accused of financial irregularities that damaged the reputation of the league. Another was the Harbhajan-Sreesanth slapgate, where Harbhajan Singh, popularly known as “Turbanator” slapped S. Sreesanth at the end of a match.
Rohit Sharma, the five-time champion leader of MI accused Star Sports of breaching his franchise. He was upset after his private conversation was recorded and leaked on social media. In 2013, CSK and RR were alleged for spot-fixing and both teams were banned for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Contribution of IPL in T20 Cricket India
Indian Premier League has contributed a lot to T20 cricket in India by promoting T20 cricket and making it more popular in India. The fast-paced nature of this t20 league has influenced the new generation players of India and their approach has become fearless. This has allowed India to become a strong force in global cricket.
Commercialization of cricket is another contribution of this league in Indian cricket. This league has been a game-changer as it has created a platform for players to earn lucrative money. Since the arrival of Indian Premier League, T20 cricket has become a more fan-oriented game in India.
Women IPL is another contribution of the BCCI to India’s cricket. Bringing women’s cricket league is a remarkable step towards strengthening women’s cricket. It was inaugurated in 2023 when Mumbai Indians won the title. Womens IPL is BCCI’s commitment towards a cricket genre which needs an upliftment. As successful as it is going, we may see more teams and players joining Womens IPL soon.
Indian Premier League Teams
There are a total 10 teams in the Indian Premier League. Here is the list of all teams with their owners name, and Home Grounds:
| TEAM NAME | OWNERS | OWNERS COMPANY | HOME GROUND | CITY & STATE |
| Mumbai Indians | Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani | Reliance Industries | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Royal Challengers Banglore | United Spirits Limited (Diageo) | United Spirits Limited | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bangalore, Karnataka |
| Chennai Super Kings | N. Srinivasan | India Cements | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kalanithi Maran | Sun TV Network | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium | Hyderabad, Telangana |
| Delhi Capitals | Sajjan Jindal and Parth Jindal | JSW Group and GMR Group | Arun Jaitley Stadium | New Delhi, Delhi |
| Punjab Kings | Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta, and Karan Paul | Multiple individual owners | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium | Mullanpur, Punjab |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, and Jay Mehta | Red Chillies Entertainment | Eden Gardens | Kolkata, West Bengal |
| Rajasthan Royals | Manoj Badale, Lachlan Murdoch, and others | The Royals Sports Group | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
| Gujrat Titans | CVC Capital Partners | CVC Capital Partners | Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Lucknow SuperGiants | Sanjiv Goenka | RPSG Group | BRSABV Ekana Stadium | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
IPL Auction
Auction has been an integral part of the Indian Premier League. Top buys in 2024 were Mitchell Starc (KKR) for around 25 crores, whereas Pat Cummins, his teammate was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs. 20.5 crores. Daryll Mitchell, the Kiwi all-rounder got sold for Rs. 14 crores to Chennai Super Kings.
Auction is a bidding process for buying players from different franchises in this league. Every uncapped player has a base price of Rs 20 lakhs or 30 lakhs. It occurred every year since this t20 league was established. IPL auction 2025 is scheduled in the coming months, so we need to wait to see who will be the top buys. However, the IPL auction 2025 will be a mega-auction. As per the new IPL auction Date for 2025 are November 24 and 25 and will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
IPL Free Live Streaming Apps
JIOHotstar is an IPL live streaming app that allows you for the live streaming of matches. The free mobile app offers various features, including:
- 4K viewing- You can watch live matches in 4K.
- Multiple feeds: Watch the live action from multiple feeds
- Play-along- Play along with your favourite team’s matches on Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan
- Premium stickers- Express your emotions with hundreds of expressions and memes in your mother tongue.
Watch free live IPL on JioCinema, a mobile app where you cannot only experience a live IPL match in 4K, but also view live IPL score. You can also see live IPL score on other cricketing apps.
IPL 2025 Schedule
Upcoming Indian Premier League 2025 will be another season of high-voltage action, and special for many reasons. Firstly, who will captain MI? Is 2025 MS Dhon’s last season? Will KKR continue its winning streak?
Retention Policy and Player Retention: The retention or RTM policy for the mega-auction of 2025 season has been announced by the Indian Premier League management team. Now, with a purse of 120 crores and a few new rules added, franchises are strategizing which players to be part of the team for the next season. Retention List IPL 2025 includes overall 46 players by all 10 teams.
Scheduling Conflicts with Other T20 Leagues:
The expansion of T20 leagues globally has created a logistical nightmare- scheduling these tourneys to avert clashes for participating in multiple leagues.
Winners till now
Here is a table of Indian Premier League winners till now:
| YEAR | WINNER | RUNNER UP | FINAL MATCH VENUE | CAPTAIN |
| 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Chennai | Shreyas Iyer |
| 2023 | Chennai Super Kings | Gujarat Titans | Ahmedabad | MS Dhoni |
| 2022 | Gujarat Titans | Rajasthan Royals | Ahmedabad | Hardik Pandya |
| 2021 | Chennai Super Kings | Kolkata Knight Riders | Dubai | MS Dhoni |
| 2020 | Mumbai Indians | Delhi Capitals | Dubai | Rohit Sharma |
| 2019 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Hyderabad | Rohit Sharma |
| 2018 | Chennai Super Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Mumbai | MS Dhoni |
| 2017 | Mumbai Indians | Rising Pune Supergiants | Hyderabad | Rohit Sharma |
| 2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Bangalore | David Warner |
| 2015 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Kolkata | Rohit Sharma |
| 2014 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Kings XI Punjab | Bangalore | Gautam Gambhir |
| 2013 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Kolkata | Rohit Sharma |
| 2012 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Chennai Super Kings | Chennai | Gautam Gambhir |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Chennai | MS Dhoni |
| 2010 | Chennai Super Kings | Mumbai Indians | Mumbai | MS Dhoni |
| 2009 | Deccan Chargers | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Johhanesburg | Adam Gilchrist |
| 2008 | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Mumbai | Shane Warne |
Prize Money
Here is the list of Indian Premier League prize money:
- Champion 2024- Rs. 20 crores and a winner trophy
- Runners up- Rs. 13 crores
- Third Place- Rs. 7 crores
- Fourth Place- Rs. 6.5 crores
- Orange Cap- Rs. 15 lakhs
- Purple Cap- Rs. 15 lakhs
- Emerging player of the season- Rs. 20 lakhs
- Most valuable player of the season- Rs. 12 lakhs
FAQs (Frequently Asked Question)
Q. 1: What is the new rule of the IPL 2025?
Ans. If any player enters the auction, who later withdraws before the commencement of the tournament, will be banned for two years.
Q. 2: Who is the top batter of the IPL?
Ans. Virat Kohli is the top batter of the IPL with more than 8000 runs.
Q. 3: Who is the Orange Cap holder for the IPL 2024?
Ans. Virat Kohli is the Orange Cap holder of the IPL 2024.
Q. 4: Who is the new coach of Mumbai Indians?
Ans. Mahela Jayawardene returns as the new coach of Mumbai Indians in place of Mark Boucher.
Q. 5: What is the lowest score of IPL?
Ans. The lowest score of the IPL is 49 runs scored by RCB against KKR.
Q. 6: Who is Mr. IPL?
Ans. Suresh Raina, the former CSK left-hander is acclaimed as the Mr. IPL.
Q. 7: What is the highest score in the IPL history?
Ans. 287/3 scored by Sunrisers Hyderabad is the highest score in the IPL history.
Conclusion
Indian Premier League is one of the world’s biggest cricket leagues. It is played by 10 teams where 70 matches are conducted to get the winner of the season. Indian Premier League has lived 17 seasons and is continuing to enter in the 18 i.e. IPL 2025. There have been many rules implemented to make the league more entertaining.
You can keep checking Indian Premier League’s official website for IPL venue and IPL ticket price as well as IPL timetable for 2025 season.