Former India cricketer Rohan Gavaskar has given his bold verdict on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 title winners. Gavaskar, who experienced the IPL firsthand with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2009, predicts that Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will end up winning the eighteenth season of the IPL, which is set to get underway from March 22. This bold declaration places RCB, a team still seeking its maiden IPL title, at the forefront of Gavaskar's expectations. RCB will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign with a clash against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season opener at the Eden Gardens stadium.
RCB, one of the three franchises to have participated in every IPL season without winning a single title, continue its pursuit of the coveted trophy. Despite consistently competing, their journey has been marked by near misses. Last season, the team secured a playoff berth by finishing fourth in the points table. However, their campaign concluded with a loss to the Rajasthan Royals in the eliminator match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, further fueling their desire for championship success.
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RCB, aiming to surpass their 2016 final appearance, is set to embark on their IPL 2025 journey under the leadership of Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar. Their campaign will commence on March 22nd against the reigning champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, in a highly anticipated clash at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
During a recent discussion with Cricbuzz ahead of IPL 2025, Rohan Gavaskar was prompted to offer his prediction for the 2025 champions. Without hesitation, he confidently named RCB as the team he expects to lift the trophy.
“RCB are going to win the title this year," Gavaskar told Cricbuzz.
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Gavaskar not only predicted the IPL 2025 champions but also gave his choice for the top four teams of the IPL 2025. They are Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, and Mumbai Indians. He further extended his predictions to individual accolades, forecasting the season's leading performers.
For the Orange Cap, awarded to the highest run-scorer, Gavaskar favors Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma, whose aggressive batting in IPL 2024 caught considerable attention. In the Purple Cap category, for the most wickets, he supports Jasprit Bumrah of Mumbai Indians. Gavaskar emphasised Bumrah's exceptional talent, noting his magnificent performance throughout his IPL career, despite the looming possibility of him missing the start of the next season due to injury.
Moreover, Gavaskar identified Heinrich Klaasen and Travis Head, both from Sunrisers Hyderabad, as prime contenders for the Most Valuable Player award, highlighting the significant impact he expects these international players to have.
“It’s either going to be Heinrich Klaasen or Travis Head," Gavaskar concluded.