Playoff Race in Jeopardy: RCB, GT, MI, PBKS hit by player uncertainty as IPL 2025 resumes amid chaos

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to resume on May 17, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. But the restart has left several franchises — including RCB, Gujarat Titans (GT), Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) — grappling with uncertainty, especially around the availability of their foreign stars.

A Rocky Resumption

The IPL was suspended on May 9 following an escalation in India-Pakistan military tensions after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, south Kashmir. With a ceasefire announced shortly after, the BCCI confirmed the league would resume from May 17, but also pushed the final to June 3, extending the season by over a week.

While the resumption brought relief, it also triggered panic within franchises. The extension clashes with several international cricket commitments, raising questions about whether key overseas players will be available for the business end of the tournament.

Foreign Player Exodus on the Cards?

A major point of concern is the World Test Championship (WTC) final, slated for June 11 at Lord's. South Africa, one of the finalists alongside Australia, is under pressure to recall its players for a pre-final camp starting May 31. With seven WTC-bound South African players still active in IPL, their exit could heavily impact playoff-contending franchises.

RCB: Lungi Ngidi

GT: Kagiso Rabada

PBKS: Marco Jansen

MI: Corbin Bosch

LSG: Aiden Markram

DC: Tristan Stubbs

CSA's Director of National Teams, Enoch Nkwe, confirmed the board is coordinating with the BCCI and IPL management but is sticking to its original WTC prep plans. “May 26 is the last date for our Test-bound players to return,” Nkwe stated, leaving franchises with a very narrow window.

Australia's Mixed Signals

Australia has also named a strong squad for the WTC final, including several IPL regulars like Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Josh Inglis.

Cummins and Head have agreed to play out the IPL — though their team Sunrisers Hyderabad is already eliminated.

Starc has opted out of the remaining games for Delhi Capitals.

Hazlewood is still out with injury.

Inglis of Punjab Kings is unlikely to return due to safety concerns.

England Faces a Scheduling Dilemma

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is dealing with its own headache. A three-match ODI series against the West Indies begins on May 29, and several IPL players including:

Jos Buttler (GT)

Jacob Bethell (RCB)

Will Jacks (MI)

…have already been named in England’s white-ball squad.

While these players were granted NOCs (No Objection Certificates) for the original IPL window, the extended dates now raise a conflict. “We'll need to review the new schedule and reassess,” an ECB spokesperson said, leaving franchise plans in limbo.

What's at Stake?

The playoff race is tighter than ever. Gujarat Titans and RCB need just one more win to seal their spots. Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings are next in line and still in contention. But with foreign exits looming, the composition of playing XIs and tactical depth could take a massive hit.

Despite BCCI’s push to retain international stars till the season’s end, the final stages of IPL 2025 are now under a cloud of uncertainty — potentially derailing the campaigns of several top contenders.