Why Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli Face-Off Will Happen Only Once in IPL 2025 League Stage
The IPL 2025 season, set to begin on March 22, has already stirred excitement among fans. This edition promises to bring thrilling cricket action, but one significant change is the rare encounter between two of the tournament’s biggest stars: Rohit Sharma of Mumbai Indians (MI) and Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Fans eagerly await this clash, but unlike previous seasons, the two teams will only face each other once in the league stage of IPL 2025. Here’s why.
IPL 2025 Schedule and Group Structure
The IPL 2025 season will begin with a high-profile match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and RCB at Eden Gardens on March 22. The tournament will see 10 teams divided into two groups. Group 1 consists of KKR, RCB, Rajasthan Royals (RR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Punjab Kings (PBKS). Meanwhile, Group 2 includes SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals (DC), Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
According to the IPL’s new structure, teams within the same group will play each other twice. However, teams from different groups will only meet once during the league stage. This format, introduced after the IPL expanded to 10 teams in 2022, aims to keep the total number of matches at 74, ensuring that the tournament remains manageable and thrilling without becoming overly long.
The Clash Between Mumbai Indians and RCB
In IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore are placed in different groups—MI in Group 2 and RCB in Group 1. As a result, the two teams will only square off once during the league stage, specifically on April 7, 2025, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This highly anticipated clash will bring together the two iconic leaders, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have always been at the center of IPL’s fiercest rivalries.
The reduced frequency of this face-off is a consequence of the modified group system. While fans are accustomed to seeing these two teams play each other twice in previous seasons, this year’s format limits their meetings to a single encounter.
IPL 2025 Format Explained
The decision to reduce the number of meetings between teams in the group stage is based on the IPL’s desire to keep the tournament’s match count to 74. With the inclusion of 10 teams, the format has evolved, where each team will play five teams twice and four teams only once. This change has sparked some debate among fans, but it also helps balance the scheduling and excitement of the tournament.
Key Details of IPL 2025
The 18th edition of IPL will take place across 13 venues, with 12 double-header days scheduled. Afternoon games will begin at 3:30 PM IST, and evening games will kick off at 7:30 PM IST. The season’s grand finale will be held at Eden Gardens on May 25, 2025.
As for the highly anticipated opening weekend, fans can look forward to the first double-header of the season. On March 23, SRH will face Rajasthan Royals in an afternoon match in Hyderabad, followed by a thrilling encounter between two IPL titans—CSK and MI—at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Venues and Home Matches
As per the new venue arrangement, three teams will play at two venues each. Delhi Capitals will split their home games between Visakhapatnam and New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Rajasthan Royals will play at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur and Guwahati’s new stadium. Punjab Kings, too, will split their home matches between New Chandigarh’s New PCA Stadium and Dharamsala.
Conclusion
In summary, the reduced frequency of the Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli face-off in IPL 2025 is part of the new group structure, which limits teams from different groups to just one match against each other. Although this format may disappoint some fans, it ensures a fresh and dynamic competition, with more variety and unpredictability in the matchups. The IPL 2025 season is sure to deliver exciting cricket, and the rivalry between MI and RCB will remain one of the highlights despite the limited encounters.
