IPL 2025: CSK 8.5/10, RCB 8/10... - Rating The Potential Opening Pairs Of All The Teams

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

The IPL 2025 auction has seen two days of intense action and all the teams have given their best to get the best players for their squads. After the two-day mega event most of the franchises would be satisfied with units that they have got. 

One of the most important factors in having a trophy-winning run is to have a solid opening pair. Most of the IPL teams look for a opening pair that can be consistent, solid and yet dynamic during a season. 

In this article we will take a look at the probable opening pairs of the franchises for IPL 2025 and try to rate them on their chemistry, dynamism and how they might add to depth and dynamism of the team.

1. Mumbai Indians:  Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton - 6.5/10

Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton [Source: @LoyalSachinFan, @Mersal_Akash_/x.com)Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton [Source: @LoyalSachinFan, @Mersal_Akash_/x.com)

Pros

Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton will give a right and left hand combination at the top of the order. These two players will bring that much-wanted variety at the top of the order for the Mumbai Indians.

Cons

Rohit Sharma has proven himself as an opener in the T20Is, however, his numbers in the IPL has not been very impressive and he has often suffered due to lack of consistency. At the other end, Ryan Rickelton has not yet proven himself in the IPL. Though he has done well in the SA20, yet the fact that level of cricket might be a bit too high and he might to have to adjust himself to the game level.

2. Chennai Super Kings: Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad - 8.5/10

Ruturaj and Conway [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Ruturaj and Conway [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

Pros

Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been a tried and tested opening pair of the Chennai Super Kings. The consistency of the two players at the top of the order was one of the main reasons that they managed to win the trophy that season. Besides, these two players will also bring the right hand-left hand combination at the top of the order. 

Cons

The only con will be that both these players need a bit of time at the the beginning of the innings. So, if both of them struggle to get going the scoring rate might drop for the team. 

3. Kolkata Knight Riders: Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock - 7/10

Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock [Source: @chaktiman, @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock [Source: @chaktiman, @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

Pros

Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock are both aggressive batters and they can give them powerful starts. The two batters can seize the momentum and take the game away from the opposition early in the innings. 

Cons

While Sunil Narine has proven himself in IPL, he is still a hit and miss short of bet. On the other hand, Quinton de Kock has also struggled with consistency. Thus the pair looks like one that could destroy the opposition on their day but cause trouble for their own team when they fail to fire.

4. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli and Phil Salt - 8/10

Virat Kohli and Phil Salt (Source: @KRxtra, @HustlerCSK/x.com]Virat Kohli and Phil Salt (Source: @KRxtra, @HustlerCSK/x.com]

Pros

Phil Salt and Virat Kohli would be the best complementary duo as openers in the tournament. While Kohli can hold one end and anchor the innings for the team, Phil Salt can increase the scoring rate from the very beginning of the innings.

Cons

Even though, Salt and Kohli have done well at the top of the order, they will be batting with each other for the first time. The chemistry between the two batters is yet untested and the two might take a bit of time to settle down with each other. 

5. Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson - 8/10

Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

Pros

Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a proven customer at the top of the order for the Rajasthan Royals. On the other hand, Sanju Samson has also done brilliantly in the top three. So, both the batters know have a general understanding of each other's games and also know how to lay down the foundation for the power hitters to come in later.

Cons

Both Jaiswal and Samson are aggressive batters and look to play strokes at the start of the innings impulsively. This might sometimes lead them throwing away their wickets and putting their team in trouble very early in a match.

6. Punjab Kings:  Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya - 6/10

Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya [Source: @ESPNcricinfo, @LoyalSachinFan/x.com]Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya [Source: @ESPNcricinfo, @LoyalSachinFan/x.com]

Pros

Prabhsimran Singh has given some dynamic starts to the Punjab Kings in the last two or three years. Priyansh Arya built his reputation with some explosive knocks in the Delhi Premier League 2024. The young opener will add to the firepower at the top for the Punjab Kings.

Cons

One of the biggest problems with Prabhsimran Singh has been is consistency. That has troubled the Punjab Kings before and might come back to haunt them in the upcoming edition. On the other hand, Priyansh Arya is still an untested entity at the highest level of the game. He might take some time to adjust himself to the level of cricket that is played in IPL.

7. Sunrisers Hyderbad: Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma - 9/10

Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

Pros

The duo of Sharma and Head look like the most dangerous in the league. These two southpaws have proven himself in the last edition of the tournament. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma can take the attack to the opposition bowlers early in the innings and tilt the game in their team's favour.

Cons

Head-Sharma duo is a match-winning pari on flatter decks. But whenever there is something on the track for the bowlers, these two struggle to get going. We have seen the whole team struggle when the duo failed to give them a start in the final of the last edition and the same can happen on any given day during the tournament.

8. Delhi Capitals: Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk - 6.5/10

Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk [Source: @McGurk_Fancier, @Khelnowcricket/x.com]Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk [Source: @McGurk_Fancier, @Khelnowcricket/x.com]

Pros

Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk are both aggressive batters and can give explosive starts to the team on their day. Both these batters can leave a match-winning impact at the very start of an innings. 

Cons

Although Faf and Jake Fraser-McGurk can give them impactful starts to the team, they look a bit unreliable as a pair. Inconsistency can be an issue for both the batters and that might put the team in trouble often. 

9. Lucknow Super Giants:  Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh- 6.5/10

Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram [Source: @socialist_dky, @Khelnowcricket/x.com]Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram [Source: @socialist_dky, @Khelnowcricket/x.com]

Pros

If this pair gets going then they would complement each other perfectly. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh can be an effective pair on their given day and play a huge role in tilting the balance of a game in the team's favour.

Cons

Both Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh suffer form inconsistency and have also not proven themselves as impactful performers in the IPL. The failure to impact a game positively and the lack of consistency might against against the Lucknow Super Giants during the tournament.

10. Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler - 8.5/10

Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler [Source: @Sachin_Gandhi7, @ShubmanGill/x.com]Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler [Source: @Sachin_Gandhi7, @ShubmanGill/x.com]

Pros

Shubman Gill has been one of the most consistent openers in the league for the last two or three seasons. The GT captain will be getting Jos Buttler as his partner in the upcoming edition. The English veteran will complement Gill's game brilliantly. While Gill can provide solidity at the top, Buttler can help the team score with a good rate.

Cons

While this duo can change the complexion of the match pretty early, the approach of Gill to try and spend some time at the beginning might back-fire for the team. If Shubman Gill struggles to get going it can create pressure and ultimately lead to the untimely departure of the impactful English opener in Jos Buttler.