Final destination

New Delhi: When the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League began on March 22, few would have imagined the final would be contested by two sides which have never won the title.

On Tuesday, at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, seasoned captain Shreyas Iyer, who has led Punjab Kings with flair, feel and fluency, will attempt to seal the deal for an inspired bunch. When he goes out for the toss at 7pm IST on June 3, Rajat Patidar, the boy-turned-man who has captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will hope to match seasoned Shreyas.

On the eve of the final, Patidar spoke of wanting to win the trophy for Virat Kohli. It’s understandable; since Kohli’s 18-year association with the Bengaluru side, RCB have never won the IPL trophy. Kohli has embraced RCB at large like a family. He has retired from T20 Internationals and Test cricket. Yet, when it comes to franchise cricket, he has a voracious appetite to perform and score runs. He was born for the big stage and still enjoys it.

IPL fans have seen many shades of Kohli in these 18 years. He would love to be part of the side which has given him so much love and respect. After all, one cannot forget Kohli may have given up captaincy, but on and off the field, he is still a leader/mentor. The good part, Kohli and the RCB think-tank have groomed Patidar well as a captain. He has learnt the tricks of the trade and would be eager to perform in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd.

For those who have associated Ahmedabad as a city which only loves business and locals dabbling with the bourses, the refurbished Narendra Modi Stadium has brought joy to cricket fans since 2021. That was when the Motera Stadium was refurbished and rechristened as the Narendra Modi Stadium. The weather has been kind, and rains on Sunday night delayed the contest between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians. Tuesday looks like a clear night.

The way Shreyas batted like a champion and plotted the path of his side into the IPL final was defining on Sunday. Shreyas was in blistering form and has tons of experience. Last year, he had led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in Chennai and now dreams of an encore.

Nothing is 100 per cent predictable in the IPL. If there were some pre-IPL predictions and crystal ball gazing, expectations were KKR, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants would do well. The 2025 edition of the IPL has been gruelling and two sides who will battle it for the trophy and rewards have done exceedingly well.

It may be tempting to say RCB start as favourites since they had knocked the stuffing out of Punjab Kings last week. That massive defeat was an aberration of sorts, since Punjab Kings have been consistent.