Google CEO Sundar Pichai made sure not to miss the IPL debut of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who played for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants on April 19. Waking up early to watch the match live, Pichai praised Suryavanshi’s fearless batting, which included a first-ball six off Shardul Thakur. "Woke up to watch an 8th grader play in the IPL!!!! What a debut!" Pichai posted on his social media. Despite Rajasthan's narrow loss, Suryavanshi impressed with a quickfire 34 off 20 balls. His debut performance added to the excitement surrounding his selection as the youngest player in IPL history. (PC: X)

Vaibhav Suryavanshi made a sensational IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals at just 14 years and 23 days, becoming the youngest debutant in IPL history. Facing Lucknow Super Giants, he smashed a six on his very first ball and scored a quickfire 34 off 20 balls, including 2 fours and 3 sixes. He also became the youngest player to hit both a six and a four in IPL. Suryavanshi joins an elite club of players, including Andre Russell, who started their IPL careers with a first-ball six. Despite his heroics, RR narrowly lost the match to LSG by 2 runs. (PC: X/Rajasthan Royals)

Abhishek Nayar, recently dismissed as Team India’s assistant coach following criticism over the Test team's batting failures, has rejoined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as part of their support staff. Nayar previously played a pivotal role at KKR, mentoring players like Dinesh Karthik, Venkatesh Iyer, and Varun Chakaravarthy. His return follows BCCI's decision to overhaul the coaching setup after India's Test series loss to New Zealand, which included removing fielding coach T Dilip and conditioning coach Soham Desai. Despite his departure from the national team, Nayar's strong rapport with players and his developmental contributions remain highly regarded within the cricketing community. (PC: India & Sportskeeda)

In today's IPL 2025 match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), LSG captain Rishabh Pant won the toss and chose to bat first at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Notably, RR's regular captain, Sanju Samson, is absent due to an abdominal injury, with Riyan Parag leading the team in his stead. Additionally, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi is making his debut for RR in this match. (PC: Sportstar)

In a thrilling first innings at Ahmedabad, Delhi Capitals set a challenging total of 203/8 in their 20 overs against Gujarat Titans. Axar Patel top-scored with 39 off 32 balls, while Ashutosh Sharma contributed a quick-fire 37 off 19 balls. Despite a late surge, Prasidh Krishna starred with the ball for the Titans, taking 4 wickets for 41 runs. Kuldeep Yadav’s boundary off Sai Kishore’s final over ensured Delhi crossed the 200-mark. Gujarat Titans will feel they kept the total under control with disciplined bowling in the second half of the innings. (PC: IPL)

KL Rahul, playing for Delhi Capitals, made IPL history by becoming the fastest Indian to hit 200 sixes, reaching the milestone in just 129 innings during a clash against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With this achievement, he surpassed Sanju Samson’s record (159 innings) and became only the 11th player overall to cross the 200-six mark in IPL history. Globally, only Chris Gayle and Andre Russell reached the milestone faster. Rahul’s explosive 28 off 14 balls helped boost Delhi’s performance in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. (PC: IPL)  

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson is doubtful for the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants due to an abdominal injury sustained against Delhi Capitals. He retired hurt after scoring 31 off 19 balls, and the team awaits scan results to determine his availability. If unfit, Riyan Parag may lead the side again, as he did earlier this season. Speculation about a rift between Samson and coach Rahul Dravid arose after a video showed Samson distancing himself during a Super Over discussion. Dravid dismissed these reports as "baseless," affirming that Samson remains integral to the team. Currently, Rajasthan Royals have won only two out of seven matches, placing them eighth in the standings. (PC: PTI)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered their third consecutive home defeat in IPL 2025, falling to Punjab Kings (PBKS) by five wickets in a rain-shortened 14-over match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB, reduced to 42/7 at one stage, were rescued by Tim David’s unbeaten 50, pushing their total to 95/9. PBKS chased it down with 11 balls to spare, thanks to Nehal Wadhera’s 33* and key strikes from Hazlewood. Arshdeep, Brar, and Chahal shared crucial wickets. With this win, PBKS climbed to second in the standings, while RCB’s home form continued to haunt them in a forgettable campaign. (PC: AP)

In a rain-shortened IPL 2025 match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The match was reduced to 14 overs per side due to heavy rain, with bowling limits adjusted accordingly. PBKS made headlines by dropping a high-profile Rs 4.2 crore overseas player. RCB, still winless at home after two losses, look to end their drought on home turf, despite a perfect away record so far. The pitch and conditions are expected to challenge both teams in this crucial mid-season encounter.

The IPL 2025 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) faced a frustrating delay as rain intensified at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Scheduled for Friday evening, the toss was postponed with cut-off timings set at 10:41 PM for the toss and 10:56 PM for play to begin. The drizzle, which began ahead of the game, turned into a heavy downpour, dampening fan excitement. RCB, currently third on the points table, are riding high on Virat Kohli and Phil Salt’s form. PBKS, close behind, are confident after their recent win over KKR in a low-scoring thriller. (PC: BCCI)