The Indian Premier League juggernaut is set for its 17th iteration, amidst the general election atmosphere in the country and with the T20 World Cup on the horizon. With the schedule announced for the first 21 games, it is uncertain whether the league will be played in it’s entirely in the country, but what is certain is the fact that IPL 2024 is set for a significant season in the history of the league. This could be the season the league bids adieu to the last of its ‘icon players’ from 2008. This could very well be the farewell season for a few of the bona-fide legends of the league. This will be the season when the loyalty of fans will be tested like never before when Hardik Pandya walks out to the middle as the Mumbai Indians skipper; this will also be the season of new beginnings – a chance for crown prince Shubman Gill to start his legacy at Gujarat Titans, a second lease of life for the maverick Rishabh Pant. This will be the season when the history-maker at the IPL 2024 auction, winner of two ICC trophies last year Pat Cummins is entrusted to bring the IPL title to SRH.
For Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Kishan and a host of other uber-talented ‘fringe players’, IPL 2024 will be the audition ground for T20 World Cup selection.
MS Dhoni: The swansong
Dhoni has set the ball rolling for the fans to be hooked on to another season of the T20 extravaganza. He stepped down from CSK captaincy a day before the opener, handing over the reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad. Dhoni was the last remaining player, who had led a team in the inaugural season of IPL way back in 2008 – a new era of IPL has well and truly begun. It will be a big test for the young Gaikwad and for the CSK fan base as well.
Follow all the action from IPL 2024, including the IPL 2024 Schedule and IPL 2024 Points Table. Also, check Players vying for IPL 2024 Orange Cap and IPL 2024 Purple Cap
IPL 2023 had looked, and felt like the great man’s swansong season and the title win in the most dramatic of fashions was the perfect script; but Dhoni being Dhoni, did not take away the limelight from his team; but it seems certain that IPL 2024 would be his last.
Return of Rishabh Pant
While fans will be invested in MSD’s last hurrah, there won’t be any dearth of fans rooting for another wicketkeeper batter as sets himself for a stunning return that 14 months back looked out of the question. Rishabh Pant is the story of IPL 2024 that will be played over and over again as the season progresses – not least because his return is a shot in the arm for Delhi Capitals, but in the larger scheme of things, having missed the WTC final and the 2023 World Cup, India need their maverick for T20 World Cup and IPL 2024 provides the perfect platform for him and the Indian management to gauge where Pant stands after recovering from the horrific accident.
MI’s Test of Loyalty
A test it will be for a returning Hardik Pandya as well, but of a different kind. MI fans who have never known a captain other than Rohit Sharma in the last decade and for Pandya – who led Gujarat Titans to the title in its inaugural season and to the final last year – the wait of expectations to deliver and to regain the faith of the ardent MI fans will be huge. For Rohit, well it is not as if the Indian T20I captain does not have enough reasons to prove himself in the IPL, but he would know how business works, nothing personal.
The RCB Title Drought
Not to forget Virat Kohli’s RCB, or rather Faf du Plessis’ Bengaluru outfit who will be buoyed by their women’s team WPL success, but all eyes would be on Kohli. It is a return of sorts for him as well. After taking a leave of absence and skipping the Test series against England, Kohli would be raring to go and with the additional incentive – like Rohit – of making a strong case for the T20 World Cup selection and ending RCB’s trophy drought.
Record-setting Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc
It is just baffling to realise that both Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc combined command a price tag of 45.25 crore. Starc played in the IPL in 2025. He is 34 now, yet KKR splurged an astronomical 24.75 crore for the pacer in a bid to claim their third title. Optics would suggest that KKR went for everything for Starc only because they could, they had the money left and they splurged. But on the contrary, SRH’s buy of Cummins and his hefty price tag of 20.50 crore meant every penny for the 2016 Champions. They have been playing revolving chairs with their captains over the last few years and even though Aiden Markram – the franchise’s SA20 winning captain – looked deadest to lead the IPL franchise as well, SRH were tempted to go for the skipper who has won two ICC trophies within one year. Will Cummins be able to change SRH’s fortunes? Only time will tell.
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