The IPL returns for its 16th edition and The Cricketer has all the information you need to know
The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League, a T20 competition organised by the BCCI.
The 2023 IPL starts on March 31 when the defending champions Gujarat Titans take on the 2021 winners Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The group stage finishes on May 21 when the playoffs will begin. The final is scheduled for May 28.
The IPL returns to the home and away format for the first time since 2019, following three Covid-affected editions.
The most notable inclusions are the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati, which hosts Rajasthan Royals' first two matches. Dharamshala's Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, where Punjab Kings will play their final two matches, returns as an IPL venue for the first time in 10 years.
Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Delhi-based Arun Jaitley Stadium, Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and Sawai Mansingh Stadium at Jaipur are the other venues being used.
Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrise Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals
As with 2022, there are 10 sides involved: Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrise Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals
World Cup player of the tournament Sam Curran secured the biggest IPL contract at the auction (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Similar to last season, the teams have been split into two groups of five. But in a slight change, each team will only play the sides in their own group once and teams in the other group twice. Every team will play 14 matches overall.
The top four teams in the combined table will progress to the playoffs.
Group A consists of Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.
Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad are in Group B.
Fans returned to the IPL in instalments during 2022, which was only mildly affected by Covid-19.
Two news franchises brought a fresh dynamic to the competition, but few could have expected such an immediate impact from both.
Both Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants made a tangible impression, both qualifying for the playoffs thanks to a top-four finish.
They were joined by Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, while it was five-time winners Mumbai Indians who propped up the table in the regular season after losing their first eight matches in a row.
Come the latter stages, Titans booked their place in the final first and they would be joined by the Royals after they saw off RCB in Qualifier 2.
In the final, Titans completed an inaugural campaign to remember with a seven-wicket success thanks to inspired displays from Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill.
Twenty-eight foreign players were sold during December's mini-auction, which saw Sam Curran become the most expensive player in IPL history.
Punjab Kings paid 18.5 crore (£1.85m) for his services, making him one of 13 English players involved in this year's tournament.
Test captain Ben Stokes (Chennai Super Kings), Harry Brook, Adil Rashid (both Sunrisers Hyderabad), Phil Salt (Delhi Capitals), Reece Topley (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Joe Root (both Rajasthan Royals) were all picked up.
Waninduo Hasaranga - a big-ticket item at this year's IPL (ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
They join Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali (CSK), Jofra Archer (Mumbai Indians) Jos Buttler (Royals), David Willey - RCB) and Mark Wood (Lucknow Super Giants) after they were all retained from the 2022 rosters.
Among the other major deals struck saw Cameron Green join MI for £1.75m, Nicholas Pooran move to Super Giants (£1.6m) and Jason Holder switch to CSK for £575,000.
Other overseas players to keep an eye on over the coming weeks include David Warner, who captains the Capitals in the absence of Rishabh Pant, Rashid Khan and David Miller at defending champions Gujarat Titans, Andre Russell leading Kolkata Knight Riders and Wanindu Hasaranga at the Faf du Plessis-captained RCB.
In the UK, the matches will be shared between DAZN and ITV. The streaming giant will show 58 matches, including the playoffs and the final.
Meanwhile, the terrestrial British broadcaster - who showed the game previously between 2010 and 2014 - will showcase 16 regular-season games on ITV4.
Fans in India can watch all of the action on Star Sports while Viacom18 have digital rights.
Last June, Disney-owned Star India and Viacom18 paid a combined $6.02bn for the streaming and TV rights for the next five years.
Elsewhere, viewers in Australia can watch the IPL on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports while in New Zealand, Sky Sport 2 will provide coverage.
Willow TV will broadcast the tournament in the United States and Canada, while ESPN+ have a streaming option. For those in the Caribbean, Flow Sports have the footage.
In Bangladesh tune into Channel 9 and in Singapore Stahub will carry the matches.
beIN Sports will show the action for those in the Middle East and North Africa while in South Africa, SuperSport is the place to go.
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.