After a brief pause in the IPL 2025 season, the action resumed today with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) returning to the field for their first match since their previous fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out.
The excitement is high as RCB takes on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Lucknow. While SRH has already been eliminated from the playoff race, RCB remains in contention and is battling hard for a spot in the top two of the points table.
In a surprising development, Jitesh Sharma is leading RCB as the stand-in captain due to an injury to Rajat Patidar. The team won the toss and opted to bowl first. As Jitesh stepped up for the toss, the crowd greeted him with thunderous applause.
Interestingly, Jitesh reminisced about how he had earlier captained Punjab Kings against SRH, and now finds himself doing it once again—but this time in RCB colors. He also mentioned that Rajat Patidar would play as the impact substitute, while Mayank Agarwal comes in as a replacement for the injured Devdutt Padikkal.
On the SRH side, skipper Pat Cummins spoke briefly about his increasing workload, especially with the upcoming World Test Championship final on the horizon. He humorously noted that he’s been catching up with Mohammed Shami to share some of the workload pressure. Cummins’ candidness gave a light moment amidst the tense build-up to the match.
SRH will see some changes in their lineup, with three players returning to the squad. Abhinav Manohar and Jaydev Unadkat have been included to strengthen their options. Most notably, Travis Head has recovered after a bout with COVID-19 and will be making his return to the playing XI, adding depth to the Sunrisers’ batting lineup.
🚨 Toss 🚨@RCBTweets won the toss and elected to bowl against @SunRisers in Lucknow.
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 23, 2025
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With one team looking to finish strong despite being out of the playoffs, and the other fighting for a top-two finish, today’s clash between RCB and SRH promises high-intensity action. Both sides have fresh energy and key players returning, and fans will be eagerly watching to see how this encounter unfolds.