The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2025 is set to make history, as Indian players are expected to feature in the competition for the very first time. The upcoming sixth edition of the tournament, starting
December 1, promises to be one of the most exciting seasons yet, with the inclusion of Indian cricketers adding a new dimension to Sri Lanka's premier T20 event.
A total of 13 Indian players - Piyush Chawla, Siddharth Kaul, Ankit Rajpoot, Sarul Kanwar, Anureet Singh Kathuria, Ansari Marouf, Mahesh Ahir, Nikhil Jaga, Mohamed Faidh, KS Naveen, Imran Khan, Venkatesh Galipelly, and Atul Yadav - had earlier registered for the SA20 Auction in South Africa.
However, none of them made the final shortlist from the initial pool of 800-plus registrations. This has opened up the possibility of their participation in the LPL instead.
Among these names, Chawla, Kaul, and Rajpoot bring a wealth of IPL experience, with Chawla also having represented India at the international level. If they indeed feature in the LPL, it will mark a significant milestone for Indian cricket, as the BCCI allows only retired players - those no longer active in domestic or international cricket - to participate in overseas leagues.
Interestingly, Dinesh Karthik, who recently retired after winning the T20 World Cup with India, had represented Paarly Royals in last season's SA20. Fans will be curious to see whether he chooses to take part in the LPL this year, adding even more star power to the competition.
The LPL 2025 will feature five franchises competing in a double round-robin format, with each team playing the others twice - a total of 20 league matches. The top four teams will progress to the playoffs, which will include Qualifier 1, an Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Grand Finale.
The matches will be played across three premier Sri Lankan venues - R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Pallekele International Stadium (Kandy), and Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium (Dambulla) - with 24 matches scheduled in total.
Organisers believe that the participation of Indian players will broaden the league's global appeal and raise its competitive standard. They stated that this development will "add a whole new level of excitement" for fans across the subcontinent.
Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin, another big Indian name who retired from all formats earlier this year, has already signed with Sydney Thunder for the 2025-26 Big Bash League season. Though he was expected to feature in ILT20 earlier, his BBL commitment makes it unlikely that he will feature in the LPL.
With Indian cricketers set to make their debut in the LPL, the 2025 edition is poised to be a landmark moment - uniting stars from across the region in a thrilling new chapter of franchise cricket.
