5 IPL teams that could be most affected if IPL 2025 restarts

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to restart in the upcoming days after being abruptly suspended due to the India vs Pakistan cross-border problems. Following the announcement of the ceasefire, the IPL Chairman, Arun Dhumal, stated that the committee will meet and decide on the date and the venue of the upcoming matches. The tournament was in an interesting position, but the suspension will have a lot of impact on the rhythm and the players' performance in the upcoming matches.

Moreover, there are 12 more games left in the tournament, so the date of the finals will be extended, which might be an issue with some of the franchises. There are a few players who have to return due to their international commitments coming their way in the future. Hence, in this article, we'll discuss the teams that might face some problems once the tournament restarts. 

Here are the five teams that could be impacted the most if IPL 2025 restarts:

1. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are having a dream season so far. They started with a win against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata, and since then, they haven't lost a single match at away venues. RCB might also become the first team to win all of their away matches if they win the next two. Currently, they are in the second position of the points table with eight wins in 11 matches. They were able to win most of their matches because of Josh Hazlewood's top-notch bowling in the IPL.

He was the backbone of the bowling attack and is the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. In 10 matches, the pacer has taken 18 wickets at an average of 17.28. As per reports, Hazlewood, who has returned to Australia, is unlikely to join the franchise again, considering the upcoming WTC 2025 coming up in June. Cricket Australia (CA) isn't much interested in allowing the player to return, as they want to keep him away from injury. His performance has been quite impactful for RCB, and they will surely miss their services in the upcoming matches.

2. Mumbai Indians (MI) 

Mumbai Indians (MI), like always, have made a solid comeback in the IPL 2025 by winning six consecutive matches. Their start was a bit shaky, but they picked up the winning momentum after defeating the Delhi Capitals (DC) on March 29. Despite having an off start, MI are fighting hard to qualify for the playoffs. Last year wasn't that great for the team, but captain Hardik Pandya gave his best in most of the matches to take the team home. With seven wins in 12 matches, MI are in the fourth position of the points table. 

However, they also have an obstruction coming their way when the IPL restarts. Reports suggest that Jasprit Bumrah is likely to miss some of the games due to workload management. Meanwhile, there are chances that opener Ryan Rickleton might have to go back to South Africa for international duty, as the World Test Championship (WTC) finals are coming up and the Proteas have qualified for the first time.

Hence, they would want to stay prepared to face Australia in the finals. Rickleton is an important part of the squad, and he might have to leave the tournament halfway. In the IPL, he has played in 12 matches and amassed 336 runs, at an average of 30.54. He has played with a strike rate of 153.42, which is dreamy for an opener. 

3. Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Just like RCB, Punjab Kings (PBKS) are having their best season in the IPL, as they have dominated the tournament so far. Under captain Shreyas Iyer, the team looks like a different beast. They have won seven matches out of 11 and are in third position on the points table. They have a strong chance of qualifying for the playoffs this season as well. The batters have shown pure class, and the bowlers have taken wickets at regular intervals, helping the team in crunch situations. 

When the tournament restarts, their pace bowler, Marco Jansen, is most likely to return to South Africa for national duty, with the WTC finals coming sooner than ever. He has been in incredible form, taking 11 wickets in 11 innings, at an average of 28.90. Jansen might not have taken many wickets, but his bowling was quite impactful. He put pressure from one end with his bowling, which helped the other bowlers. Hence, PBKS will surely miss his services in the tournament if Cricket South Africa (CSA) calls him back to attend camps. Meanwhile, Josh Inglis, who was also a part of the team, might also leave for Australia for the same reason.

4. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are another team in the playoffs race with five victories in 11 matches. With three games left, they still have a chance of qualifying for the knockouts. They started their tournament with a loss against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the first match. Later, they won three consecutive games in the middle, which helped them get the momentum back. However, their performance dipped in the middle of the season when they lost three back-to-back matches, putting their qualification chances in jeopardy.

Their top-order batter, Mitchell Marsh, played some outstanding knocks this season, helping their team put up good totals on the board. He had Aiden Markram alongside him, who also played some fantastic knocks in the team's favour. However, both the top-order batters are on the verge of returning to their countries for the WTC finals. LSG will be in huge trouble as they will lose their best two batters this season.  

5. Delhi Capitals (DC)

Delhi Capitals (DC), under captain Axar Patel, have done wonders this season. They started the tournament with four back-to-back wins but then failed to continue with their winning momentum. Moreover, they have won six matches out of 11 and are in fifth place. They have a high chance of qualifying for the playoffs if they win the rest of their matches.

However, they are most likely to miss Mitchell Starc and Tristan Stubbs in the upcoming matches since they have national duty coming up in a month. Both players were of great help to the team in the batting and bowling attack. Starc provided the line and length with the ball, taking wickets from one end, while Stubbs gave the middle-order stability along with KL Rahul. DC will be stuck with choosing the players who can replace them if they have to travel back.