IPL 2025 began a month ago. There are reams of statistics and analyses of the tournament that make you feel as if Einstein and your maths teacher are in the commentary box. But sporting magic is sometimes beyond facts and figures. Here are five moments or themes that made an impact because they were fun or informative.
MS Dhoni’s run out of Abdul Samad
Imagine LeBron James picking up a loose ball in his own half and then casually lobbing it across the length of one and a half basketball courts into the basket. Dhoni pulled off something similar when CSK faced LSG on April 14. In the last over of the LSG innings, Matheesha Pathirana arrowed one down the leg side. Samad attempted to run a quick bye. Dhoni collected the ball far behind the stumps to his left, then threw underarm with his right at the non-striker’s end. The ball arched into the stumps with Samad short of the crease. Just when the deification of MSD was getting excessive, he came up with the coolest dismissal of the tournament.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s debut
It’s a big deal that a 14-year-old is good enough to play in the IPL. It’s an even bigger deal that he smashes the first ball he ever faces in the IPL for a six. What a way to make an introduction. The RR recruit’s high backlift was reminiscent of Brian Lara. The brutality with which he hit the ball brought to mind Adam Gilchrist. The teary eyes after getting out showed a Tendulkar-like hunger to be at the wicket all day. “Suryavanshi” translates to ‘House of the Sun’. And Vaibhav certainly was a fiery bright star on his debut.
Saliva
In cricket’s brashest tournament, something traditional and elemental is again playing a defining role – saliva. After the COVID-induced ban on drool, bowlers have been allowed to shine the ball with their oral secretions again this year. The effect has been significant. Fast bowlers can now generate reverse swing, rebalancing somewhat a game that had become so batter-biased that Kagiso Rabada recommended renaming it “batting” from “cricket.” Now, when batters crow, “Mere paas mota bat hai, Powerplay hai, short boundaries hai, tumhare paas kya hai?” bowlers can reply, Shashi Kapoor style, “Mere paas saliva hai.”
Pickle juice
The vinegary potion continues to grow in popularity for its ability to alleviate muscle cramps and provide electrolytes. The Indian women’s hockey team often knocked back pickle juice on their way to the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics. Athletes across sports rely on it so their muscles don’t seize up. The concoction is armed with not just salt and vinegar but also zinc, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin E. At IPL 2025, when DC’s Karun Nair started cramping during his innings of 89 against MI, pickle juice is what he reached for. Sour is sweet sometimes.
Notebook celebration
Bowler celebrations have been reined in due to a strict, at times school principal like Code of Conduct in cricket. Glancing through the rulebook, you almost hear the strains of “If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding!” from ‘Another Brick in the Wall’. But then comes a player with some “tude” who does his thing regardless. LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi’s notebook celebrations may be grating to some. In fact, he has already copped two fines. But they have certainly spiced up the tournament.
