Bengaluru Blasters showcased excellent form in this tournament, winning three out of their five matches and currently hold the second position in the points table with six points. They won their last match by three wickets against strong Mangaluru Dragons using VJD method.

On the other hand, Mysore Warriors are struggling, having won just one match and currently stand in fourth position in the points table with four points. Their last match was abandoned due to rain.

MW vs BB Match Details

Date: August 18th, 2025

Time: 3:15 PM IST

Venue: Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadeyar Ground, Mysore 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

MW vs BB Weather Report

Clear weather 

Also Read: ECS T10 Germany 2025: THCC vs MSC Prediction– 1st Match, Who will win today?

Top Batters MW vs BB

• LR Chetan (BB) - 196 runs in this tournament 

• Karthik SU (MW) - 152 runs in this tournament 

• Rohan Patil (BB) - 135 runs this tournament 

Top Bowler MW vs BB

• Shubhang Hegde (BB) - 8 wickets in this tournament 

• Mohsin Khan (BB) - 8 wickets in this tournament 

• Gneshwar Naveen (BB) - 5 wickets in this tournament 

MW vs BB Recent Performance

MW vs BB Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If MW bats first

• First Innings score prediction- BB is expected to score 185-190 runs

• Result prediction- BB will win the match by 20-30 Runs 

Scenario 2- If MW bats first

• First Innings score prediction- SL is expected to score 150-165 runs.

• Result prediction- BB will win the match by 5 wickets 

MW vs BB Predicted Playing XI

Mysore Warriors (MW) Playing XI 

Karthik SU, Manish Pandey©, Harshil Dharmani, Lankesh KS, Sumit Kumar(wk), Krishnappa Gowtham, Shikhar Shetty, Codanda Ajit Karthik, Kumar L R, Yashovardhan Parantap, M Venkatesh.

Bengaluru Blasters (BB) Playing XI

LR Chetan, Rohan Patil, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Hedge, Mohsin Khan, Naveen MG, Vidyadar Patil, Suraj Ahuja, Siddharth Akil, Prateek Jain, Bhuvan Raju.

MW vs BB Complete Squad

Mysore Warriors - 

Thippa Reddy, BR Sharath(WK), Ronit More, Paras Gurbax Arya, Shreyas Gopal(C), Macneil Noronha, Lochan Gowda(WK), Abhilash Shetty, Melu-Kranthi Kumar, Pallav Das, Sachin Shinde, Shreevathsa Acharya, Aadarsh Prajwal(WK), S Shivaraj, KV Aneesh, Rohan Revankar, Santokh Singh-I, Abhishek Prabhakar.

Bengaluru Blasters -

Mayank Agarwal, Shubhang Hegde, Suraj Ahuja, Naveen MG, A Rohan Patil, Chethan LR, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Siddharth Akhil, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Rohan Naveen, Kruthik Krishna, Advith M Shetty, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Rohan M Raju, Niranjan Naik, Prateek Jain, Ishaan S.

MW vs BB Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Bengaluru Blasters To win

We predict that Bengaluru Blasters will be winning this Karnataka T20 Maharaja Trophy 2025 match. The likes of LR Chetan, Rohan Patil and Shubhang Hegde will be key players to watch out for.

Mangalore Dragons have won three out of their four matches and currently lead the points table with seven points. They won their last match by 16 runs against Hubli Tiger, successfully defended the target of 196 runs. Aneesh KV was the standout performer for Mangalore Dragons, scoring 62 runs off 47 balls. 

On the other hand, Bengaluru Blasters have secured two victories and currently hold the third position in the points table with four points. They also won their last match by eight wickets against Shivamogga Lions. 

MD vs BB Match Details

Date: August 17th, 2025

Time: 3:15 PM IST

Venue: Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadeyar Ground, Mysore 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

MD vs BB Weather Report

Clear weather 

Also Read: Karnataka T20 Maharaja Trophy 2025: MW vs HT Prediction– 12th Match, Who will win today?

Top Batters MD vs BB

• LR Chetan (BB) - 122 runs in this tournament 

• Macneil Noronha (MD) - 112 runs in this tournament 

• Rohan Patil (BB) - 109 runs this tournament 

Top Bowler MD vs BB

• Kranthi Kumar (MD) - 12 wickets in this tournament 

• Shubhang Hedge (BB) - 8 wickets in this tournament 

• Mohsin Khan (BB) - 6 wickets in this tournament 

MD vs BB Recent Performance

MD vs BB Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If MD bats first

• First Innings score prediction- MD is expected to score 175-190 runs

• Result prediction- MD will win the match by 20-30 Runs 

Scenario 2- If MW bats first

• First Innings score prediction- BB is expected to score 150-165 runs.

• Result prediction- MD will win the match by 3 wickets 

MD vs BB Predicted Playing XI

Mangalore Dragons (MD) Playing XI 

Lochan Gowda, Sharath BR, Aneesh KV, Macneil Noronha, P Prajwal, Kranthi Kumar, S Shivaraj, Shreyas Gopal, Sachin Shinde, Achariya, Ronit More.

Bengaluru Blasters (BB) Playing XI

LR Chetan, Rohan Patil, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Hedge, Mohsin Khan, Naveen MG, Vidyadar Patil, Suraj Ahuja, Siddharth Akil, Prateek Jain, Bhuvan Raju.

MD vs BB Complete Squad

Mangalore Dragons - 

Thippa Reddy, BR Sharath(WK), Ronit More, Paras Gurbax Arya, Shreyas Gopal(C), Macneil Noronha, Lochan Gowda(WK), Abhilash Shetty, Melu-Kranthi Kumar, Pallav Das, Sachin Shinde, Shreevathsa Acharya, Aadarsh Prajwal(WK), S Shivaraj, KV Aneesh, Rohan Revankar, Santokh Singh-I, Abhishek Prabhakar.

Bengaluru Blasters -

Mayank Agarwal, Shubhang Hegde, Suraj Ahuja, Naveen MG, A Rohan Patil, Chethan LR, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Siddharth Akhil, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Rohan Naveen, Kruthik Krishna, Advith M Shetty, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Rohan M Raju, Niranjan Naik, Prateek Jain, Ishaan S.

MD vs BB Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Mangalore Dragons To win

We predict that Mangalore Dragons will be winning this Karnataka T20 Maharaja Trophy 2025 match. The likes of Kranthi Kumar, Macneil Noronha and Shreyas Gopal will be key players to watch out for.

Shivamogga Lions had a challenging start to the tournament, losing both their matches and currently occupy the bottom position in the points table. They lost their last match by 29 runs against Mangaluru Dragons, failing to chase down the target of 180 runs. 

On the other hand, Bengaluru Blasters won their last match by five wickets against Gulbarga Mystics and currently stand in fourth position in the points table with two points.

SL vs BB Match Details

Date: August 15th, 2025

Time: 3:15 PM IST

Venue: Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadeyar Ground, Mysore 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

SL vs BB Weather Report

Clear weather 

Also Read: Delhi T20 Premier League 2025: ODW vs SDS Prediction– 22nd Match, Who will win today?

Top Batters SL vs BB

• LR Chetan (BB) - 106 runs in this tournament 

• Rohan Patil (BB) - 97 runs in this tournament 

• Aniruddha Joshi (SL) - 79 runs this tournament 

Top Bowler SL vs BB

• Shubhang Hegde (BB) - 5 wickets in this tournament 

• Vasuki Koushik (SL) - 4 wickets in this tournament 

• Mohsin Khan (BB) - 4 wickets in this tournament 

SL vs BB Recent Performance

SL vs BB Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If BB bats first

• First Innings score prediction- MD is expected to score 175-190 runs

• Result prediction- BB will win the match by 20-30 Runs 

Scenario 2- If SL bats first

• First Innings score prediction- MW is expected to score 155-160 runs.

• Result prediction- BB will win the match by 5 wickets 

SL vs BB Predicted Playing XI

Shivamogga Lions (SL) Playing XI 

Nihal Ullal(wk&c), Dhruv Prabhakar, Hardik Raj, Rohit Kumar K, Aneeshwar Gautam, Aniruddha Joshi, Bharath Dhuri, Avinash D, Vasuki Koushik, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Anand Doddamani.

Bengaluru Blasters (BB) Playing XI

LR Chethan, Rohan Patil, Mayank Agarwal, Bhuvan Raju, Shubhang Hegde(c), Suraj Ahuja(w), Rohan Naveen, Naveen MG, Vidyadhar Patil, Mohsin Khan, Prateek Jain.

SL vs BB Complete Squad

Shivamogga Lions - 

Koushik V, Hardik Raj, Avinash B, Nihal Ullal, Vidwath Kaverappa, Anirudha Joshi, Aneeshwar Gautam, Dhruv Prabhakar, Sanjay C, Anand Doddamani, Sahil Sharma, Bharath Dhuri, Deepak Devadiga, Rohit Kumar K, Tushar Singh, Darshan MB, Maribasava C Gowda, Sireesh Balgaar.

Bengaluru Blasters -

Mayank Agarwal, Shubhang Hegde, Suraj Ahuja, Naveen MG, A Rohan Patil, Chethan LR, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Siddharth Akhil, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Rohan Naveen, Kruthik Krishna, Advith M Shetty, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Rohan M Raju, Niranjan Naik, Prateek Jain, Ishaan S.

SL vs BB Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Mangalore Dragons To win

We predict that Bengaluru Blasters will be winning this Karnataka T20 Maharaja Trophy 2025 match. The likes of LR Chetan, Rohan Patil and Shubhang Hegde will be key players to watch out for.

GMY vs BB Match Preview

The KSCA Maharaja Trophy is entering its middle phase, in which teams will seek to regain their balance and momentum heading into the league phase. Gulburga Mystics started the year on a positive note, winning the second game after losing the first. The Bengaluru Blasters lost their first match and will be looking for their first win and points in this one. Both teams hope to gain momentum with a win in this matchup.

GMY vs BB Match Details 

Gulbarga Mystics vs Bengaluru Blasters – 08th Match, Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2025

Venue: Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadeyar Ground, Mysore

Date & Time: 14th August 2025 at 07:15 PM IST

Live Streaming: FanCode

GMY vs BB Venue Stats

GMY vs BB Pitch Report

We anticipate a flat wicket that allows batsmen to play their strokes easily. Spinners will like bowling on this surface, and the team batting first will aim for 170 runs on the board.

GMY vs BB Weather Report

The weather is expected to be overcast on match day, with temperatures ranging from 12 to 22 degrees Celsius.  

GMY vs BB Last Five Matches

GMY vs BB Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2025: MW vs MD Dream11 Prediction 07th Match

GMY vs BB Probable Playing XIs:

Gulbarga Mystics Probable Playing XIs

Bengaluru Blasters Probable Playing XIs

Topmost Picks for GMY vs BB Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – Gulbarga Mystics

• Nikin Jose –  Nikin Jose scored 52 runs off 39 balls, hitting 5 fours and no sixes, at a strike rate of 133.33.
• Lavish Kaushal –  Lavish Kaushal bowled 4 overs, conceding 38 runs and taking 3 wickets, at an economy rate of 9.5.

Top Picks – Bengaluru Blasters

• Rohan Patil – Rohan Patil scored 80 runs off 43 balls, hitting 8 fours and no sixes, at a strike rate of 186.05. 
• Mohsin Khan –  Mohsin Khan bowled 3 overs, conceding 24 runs and taking 2 wickets, at an economy rate of 8.

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for GMY vs BB Dream11 Team:

L Sisodia, Smaran Ravichandran, Mayank Agarwal, LR Chethan, Nikin Jose, Praveen Dubey, Naveen MG, Shubman Hedge(C), P Shekhawat(VC), V Vyshak, Punith S

Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2025 GMY vs BB Match Captain and Vice Captain choice for GL:

Captain – Shubman Hedge, Rohan Patil

Vice-captain – P Shekhawat, Mohsin Khan

GMY vs BB Probable Winners:

Gulbarga Mystics possess excellent batting and bowling depth, with a strong all-rounder lineup. Bengaluru Blasters are having trouble with the bat right now, with skipper Mayank Agarwal shining brightly in the previous game. Their bowlers have also leaked runs as a unit. We anticipate Gulbarga Mystics to win this game.  Considering the team combination, Gulbarga Mystics is expected to win this match.

Hubli Tigers had a strong start to the tournament, winning their opening match by 29 runs against Shivamogga Lions and currently hold the second position in the points table. They successfully defended the target of 216 runs. Mohammad Taha was the standout performer for Hubli Tigers, scoring 101 runs off 53 balls. 

On the other hand, Bengaluru Blasters lost their opening match by 39 runs against Mysore Warriors, failing to chase down the target of 181 runs. 

BB vs HT Match Details

Date: August 13th, 2025

Time: 3:15 PM IST

Venue: Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadeyar Ground, Mysore 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

BB vs HT Weather Report

Clear weather 

Also Read: ECS T10 Croatia 2025: ZA vs RJM Prediction– 12th Match, Who will win today?

Top Batters BB vs HT

• Mohammad Taha (HT) - 101 runs in this tournament 

• Mayank Agarwal (BB) - 66 runs in this tournament 

• Devdutt Padikkal (HT) - 52 runs this tournament 

Top Bowler BB vs HT

• Shubhang Hegde (BB) - 3 wickets in this tournament 

• KC Cariappa (HT) - 2 wickets in this tournament 

• Nishchith Pai (HT) - 2 wickets in this tournament 

BB vs HT Recent Performance

BB vs HT Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If HT bats first

• First Innings score prediction- HT is expected to score 180-195 runs

• Result prediction- HT will win the match by 30-40 Runs 

Scenario 2- If BB bats first

• First Innings score prediction- BB is expected to score 155-165 runs.

• Result prediction-HT will win the match by 4 wickets 

BB vs HT Predicted Playing XI

Bengaluru Blasters (BB) Playing XI 

Mayank Agarwal(c), Bhuvan Raju, Rohan Patil, Suraj Ahuja(w), Shubhang Hegde, Naveen MG, Mohsin Khan, Rohan Naveen, Prateek Jain, Vidyadhar Patil, Punith S.

Hubli Tigers (HT) Playing XI

Mohammed Taha, Prakhar Chaturvedi, Devdutt Padikkal(c), Krishnan Shrijith(w), Karthikeya KP, Abhinav Manohar, Manvanth Kumar L, Ritesh Bhatkal, Nishchith Pai, KC Cariappa, Sankalp Shettennavar.

BB vs HT Complete Squad

Bengaluru Blasters - 

Mayank Agarwal, Shubhang Hegde, Suraj Ahuja, Naveen MG, A Rohan Patil, Chethan LR, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Siddharth Akhil, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Rohan Naveen, Kruthik Krishna, Advith M Shetty, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Rohan M Raju, Niranjan Naik, Prateek Jain, Ishaan S.

Hubli Tigers -

Manvanth Kumar L, Shrijith KL, KC Cariappa, Karthikeya KP, Abhinav Manohar, Devdutt Padikkal, Mohammed Taha, Vijayaraj B, Prakhar Chaturvedi, Sankalp SS, Samarth Nagaraj, Rakshith S, Nithin S Nagaraja, Yash Raj Punja, Ritesh L Bhatkal, Shreesha S Achar, Nathan JF D Mello, Nischith Pai.

BB vs HT Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Hubli Tigers To win

We predict that Hubli Tigers will be winning this Karnataka T20 Maharaja Trophy 2025 match. The likes of Mohammad Taha, Devdutt Padikkal and KC Cariappa will be key players to watch out for.

Manish Pandey and Sumit Kumar’s unbeaten partnership of 86 runs, along with LR Kumar’s three-wicket haul, helped defending champions Mysuru Warriors register a 39-run win over Bengaluru Blasters in their opening match of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 at the Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Stadium in Mysuru on Monday (11th August). Mayank Agarwal also had a good day with the bat.

Mysuru Warriors Dominate with Bat and Ball

The Bengaluru Blasters were bowled out for 141 runs in 19.1 overs, with captain Mayank Agarwal’s 66 off 49 balls going in vain. Chasing 180, the Blasters’ batting was tested by Mysuru Warriors pacers LR Kumar and Karthik CA, who destroyed the top order. LR Kumar took the first wicket when Chethan (8) was caught by Manish Pandey, while Karthik bowled Rohan Patil (10). No.4 batter Bhuvan Raju was out for a golden duck, leaving the Blasters struggling at 22 for 3 in 3.4 overs.

Also Read -Former South Africa opener tips 22-Year-Old England pacer as wildcard pick for SRH and Ashes 2025

Captain Mayank Agarwal and Shubhang Hegde tried to steady the innings with a 32-run stand, but K Gowtham broke the partnership by getting Hegde caught by Bhuvan Shetty. Gowtham also took Suraj Ahuja’s wicket, while Shikar Shetty dismissed Rohan Naveen, and M Venkatesh bowled Naveen MG. The tail-enders were dismissed quickly, and Agarwal fell in the 19th over.

Pandey and Sumit Shine in Big Total

Batting first, Mysuru Warriors captain Manish Pandey scored an unbeaten 58 off 29 balls, hitting four fours and four sixes. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sumit Kumar supported him with 44 not out. The pair added 86 runs in 48 balls for the sixth wicket, handling Shubhang Hegde, who took three wickets. Earlier, opener SU Karthik (3) was caught and bowled by Naveen MG, while Vidyadhar Patil dismissed Codanda Ajit Karthik (13). Muralidhara Venkatesh (12) and Harshil Dharmani (38) added 41 runs for the third wicket before both fell to Hegde.

Manish Pandey smashed 59* (28) in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20. pic.twitter.com/omd8qJbEvd

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 11, 2025

Brief Scores: 

Mysuru Warriors 180/5 in 20 overs (Manish Pandey 58*, Sumit Kumar 44*; Shubhang Hegde 3/23)
Bengaluru Blasters 141 all out in 19.2 overs (Mayank Agarwal 66, Vidyadhar Patil 16; LR Kumar 3/27).

In IPL 2025 Match no 70, played between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) . Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finished their league stage of IPL 2025 on a strong note with a thrilling six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 70. With this win, RCB moved to second place on the points table and fixed a spot in the playoffs.

LSG were asked to bat first and lost Matthew Breetzke early for 14 runs. But Rishabh Pant came in and changed the tempo right away, smashing 18 runs in one over off Yash Dayal. Pant continued his attacking approach and brought up his second fifty of the season. At the halfway stage, LSG were cruising at 100 for 1.

Pant found great support from Mitchell Marsh, who scored a quick 67 off just 37 balls. The duo added 152 runs for the second wicket before Marsh got out in the 16th over. Pant, however, carried on and remained unbeaten on a brilliant 118 off 61 balls. It was one of the best knocks of the season. For RCB, Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Thushara, playing his first game of the season, bowled well and picked up 1 for 26 in his four overs.

Chasing a big target, RCB got off to a fast start but lost Phil Salt for 30 in the first over of the powerplay. Then, Will O’Rourke struck twice in the same over to dismiss Rajat Patidar and Liam Livingstone, putting RCB under pressure.

Virat Kohli steadied the innings with a well-made 54 off 30 balls, but once he got out, RCB still needed a strong finish. That’s when Jitesh Sharma rose to the occasion. He smashed an unbeaten 85 off just 33 balls his highest IPL score and got great support from Mayank Agarwal, who stayed not out on 41 from 23 balls. The pair guided RCB home with a few balls to spare in what became the third-highest run chase in IPL history. With this win, RCB head into the playoffs with momentum and high confidence.

ALSO READ: Team India retains key backroom star ahead of ENG vs IND series

Twitter reactions after RCB wins 70th match of IPL 2025

RCB Won! ❤️‍🩹
I’m giving ₹1000 to everyone who likes and retweets this tweet!
Let’s celebrate together! 🤗#LSGvsRCB #LSGvRCB #RCBvsLSG #Jiteshsharma pic.twitter.com/jUkuZ8Ips2

— HINDUTVA 🇮🇳 (@cryptoHolder09) May 27, 2025

He said it, he did it THAT'S THE TWEET.. #RCBvsLSG pic.twitter.com/E7SNI2nMnM

— Abhi (@CRICKET81700202) May 27, 2025

Biggest joker of the IPL😂🤡🤡

#RCBvsLSG pic.twitter.com/a0bPolGyzE

— Anjali Shilpa (@AnjaliGoud_) May 27, 2025

RCB Win!
I’m giving FOLLOW BACK to everyone who likes and retweets this tweet!
Let’s celebrate together! 🤗#LSGvsRCB #RCBvsLSG #Jiteshsharma

pic.twitter.com/uJsjZQtOcL

— मीनाक्षी 🇮🇳 (@__JayHind) May 27, 2025

Joker of the day who?
One & only Digvesh Rathee 🤡#RCBvsLSG pic.twitter.com/UnS13kiXBa

— 𝑺𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒚𝒂 🇮🇳 (@Simplyy__Me) May 27, 2025

#LSGvsRCB
Jitesh Sharma made a mistake in giving the team. But he made a request, and LSG showed the spirit of the game. LSG did a great job; they may not win the trophy, but they surely won hearts. pic.twitter.com/A6VcCm03zZ

— PC 6 OG (@ForFun351001) May 27, 2025

pic.twitter.com/brRzMdEOdE

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 27, 2025

Krunal Pandya 😂 pic.twitter.com/Kz3DJaY1y1

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 27, 2025

Ashwin to Digvesh Rathi pic.twitter.com/tvgPsNsWDY

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 27, 2025

pic.twitter.com/yL1Y5eplaa

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 27, 2025

Rohit Sharma pulled himself out from Test cricket; it was a sudden announcement from the former skipper. The right-handed batter served his team in this format as an opener for years. It will be a hard task for Ajit Agarkar, leading the selection committee, to find the right replacement to fill the vacant spot at the top of the line-up. Test cricket mostly relies on technique and patience, so BCCI needs to pick someone who has both elements in his style of play. Through this article, we'll try to discover 5 players who have the potential to carry the role Sharma had mastered. 

5 potential players BCCI can think about:

Sai Sudharsan

The batter from Chennai had displayed how to score a good amount of runs in T20 cricket without playing any crazy shots. Sudharsan was in flying form, making headlines with his copybook batting skills in IPL 2025 for Gujarat Titans (GT). He scored 5 half centuries for GT in 11 matches, claiming a total of 509 so far, including a highest score of 82. Shot selections and balance while playing a stroke made the left-handed batter more special. 

Abhimanyu Ishwaran

The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer was very close to entering into the main Test squad when India played against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The right-handed batter proved his skills for the Bengal Ranji Trophy team and India B, grabbed a bag full of runs, and caught the team selectors' eyes. 2024 was the year when Ishwaran achieved multiple tons, which defined his skill and techniques over the game. He has a record of scoring 4 back-to-back centuries in domestic cricket. 

Read More: SRH and LSG begin ticket refunds as IPL 2025 is suspended amid India-Pakistan tensions

Mayank Agarwal

A well-known Indian cricketer, who was once considered to be a great prospect for India, got through into the ODI colors and played multiple Test matches for India as well but was never able to live up to the height where he should be. At over 30, Agarwal showed his class again in the recent past. Last year, when he was playing for Karnataka, he scored multiple centuries, including 3 consecutive tons and five 50s in a row. The experienced batter can be considered as the replacement of Rohit Sharma. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Almost a similar career graph like Mayank Agarwal. Ruturaj played multiple ODIs and Tests for India but went out of the squad for his lack of consistency. Before ruling out IPL 2025 due to injury, he looked promising and scored two 50s for Chennai Super Kings. Before the IPL 2025, the form of Maharashtra showed his class by scoring 89 against Baroda.

Narayan Jagadeesan

The Tamil Nadu-born batter made headlines when Chennai Super Kings roped him in for IPL 2020-21 and later joined Kolkata Knight Riders. His technical batting abilities again and again attracted multiple franchises; he can be a good addition in a Test setup for his copybook batting style. He has an attractive domestic career record: a 47.50 batting average in first-class cricket after playing 52 matches and a 46.23 batting average against 64 List A matches. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have suffered a significant setback as Devdutt Padikkal has been out of action for the rest of IPL 2025 after being injured with a hamstring strain. The left-hand batter had been instrumental in supporting RCB to a strong season, which propelled them to the second position in the points table behind only Gujarat Titans on Net Run Rate.

Making the most of time, RCB have signed up Mayank Agarwal in place of the rest of the season. The seasoned top-order batsman, who started his IPL career at RCB, has played 127 IPL matches, scoring more than 2,000 runs, with one century and 13 half-centuries. Despite going unsold in the previous auction after a lukewarm season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2024, Agarwal has now been signed for INR 1 crore.

ALSO SEE:Watch: MS Dhoni texted Rohit Sharma, followed by video call after winning the World Cup

Mayank Returns to Where It All Started

In a heartwarming video shared by RCB on social media, Virat Kohli welcomed Agarwal back into the squad and praised his character and work ethic.

watch the video:

“Dev, you’ve played a massive role in us being here, very well done. I’ve had a lot of fun working with you! And we wish you a speedy recovery”: 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭 𝐊𝐨𝐡𝐥𝐢 🫡

Virat welcomes Mayank to the team and thanks Dev for all the good work, on @bigbasket_com presents RCB Bold… pic.twitter.com/tpXv5MJ61r

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 8, 2025

“Mayank is such a lovely guy. He gives 120% for the team. We’ll have an amazing time having him back with us,” said Kohli. “I can guarantee you this guy will do anything and everything for this team because I know RCB is very close to his heart.”

The former RCB skipper also shared his admiration for Agarwal’s perseverance, saying, “We always wanted to get this guy back here at RCB not in this way, of course but God has his own plans. Your hard work has truly paid off. We’re sure you’ll have a great impact.”

A Word of Gratitude for Devdutt Padikkal

Kohli also took a moment to acknowledge Padikkal’s contributions to RCB’s campaign so far. “Dev, you’ve played a massive role in us being here. Very well done. I’ve had a lot of fun working with you. We wish you a speedy recovery.”

RCB currently hold second place on the IPL 2025 points table with a Net Run Rate of +0.482. As the playoffs approach, all eyes will be on how Mayank Agarwal settles in and bolsters the top order.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have suffered a big blow during their IPL 2025 run as in-form batter Devdutt Padikkal has been excluded from the rest of the competition due to a right hamstring strain. The franchise, ranked second on the table behind Gujarat Titans on Net Run Rate, wasted no time replacing him with seasoned batter Mayank Agarwal.

Devdutt Padikkal has been having a good run with the bat, having transformed himself at No. 3. Following a couple of lean years, the left-hander discovered form and consistency, scoring 247 runs in 10 games at a staggering strike rate of 150.61, his highest in any IPL season. He also hit two half-centuries, being an integral part of RCB's success thus far.

His premature injury, though, has compelled the Bengaluru-based team to look for reinforcements, and in steps a familiar name in Mayank Agarwal. The 34-year-old has been picked up for INR 1 Crore and has with him an abundance of IPL experience. Having begun his IPL career with RCB, Agarwal has gone on to play for several franchises, including Punjab Kings and, most recently, Sunrisers Hyderabad.

ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆ ಮಗ ಮಯಾಂಕ್! 🥹

After 1️⃣2️⃣ long years, 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 where he belongs. Happy #HomeComing, Mayank. 🏡

12th Man Army will be on top of the moon hearing this, and they’ll all be right behind you. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/k5RwAGINrG

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 7, 2025

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Agarwal Joins RCB, Looks to Make the Most of New Opportunity

While his recent SRH stint in IPL 2024 was disappointing with just 64 runs from four matches Agarwal's overall track record tells him what he is capable of. In 127 IPL games, he has recorded 2661 runs, with a century and 13 half-centuries. His seniors' experience at the top order and acquaintance with RCB's environment can be an asset as the team would look to carry momentum into the latter stages of the tournament.

RCB will be hoping that Agarwal can fill in with ease and deliver stability and power in the order. With a playoff position within reach, the franchise will need all its depth and resilience to see through the decisive last lap of the league.

As the season of IPL 2025 heats up, everyone will now be keeping a close eye on how RCB deals with losing Padikkal and whether Agarwal will be able to capitalize on this moment to stage a powerful comeback on the big stage.