IPL 2025 kicks off today in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. Congress MP and BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla expressed his excitement as he reached for the opening ceremony. He said, "The 18th season of IPL is starting today. It has been 18 years, and today is its inaugural match in Kolkata. IPL keeps on increasing every year; its influence keeps on increasing, its viewership keeps on increasing, and its craze keeps on increasing. This time also, the craze of IPL will double, and it will be very high. People are not only coming to the stadium in large numbers but are also very excited about it. So I think this season will also be very successful and today's match will be very exciting..."

Chairman of Indian Premier League (IPL), Rajeev Shukla said that the fate of the ninth edition of the country’s richest cricket competition would be decided in a meeting of the league’s governing council on July 19.