The IPL 2025 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) is more than just a hunt for a maiden title, there's a mini plot brewing underneath -- superstar player battles that could decide the result of the big game.
While the teams may not revolve around Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer entirely, the longer they remain in the crease, the game is certain to drift away from the opposition's grasp.
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That's why dismissing them early becomes crucial in the final. Both batters are a glue holding their batting lineups together under pressure -- dismissing them early could potentially trigger a domino effect among the rest of the batters, especially in a high-stakes clash.
The Sporting News looks at Kohli and Iyer's kryptonites -- bowlers who could threaten the duo in this IPL 2025 final clash at Ahmedabad.
Key player battles that could decide RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 final
1) Shreyas Iyer vs Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood is undoubtedly the biggest kryptonite for PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer heading into the IPL 2025 final. The Australian quick has dismissed the Iyer twice this season, once at the Chinnaswamy, the other at Mullanpur -- and will be eyeing his third at Ahmedabad.
In fact, Iyer has struggled against RCB's bowling attack more than any other team, it will yet another test in the final -- he has five single-digit scores this season, out of which three have come against RCB.
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Moreover, he has an impeccable record away from Mullanpur this season, however, his only failure on the road came against RCB at Bengaluru, where Hazlewood dismissed him for 7(10).
Iyer's problem is the extra bounce that the Aussie quick can generate off the surface, while also consistently hitting the same length.
| Outs | Runs | Balls | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 11 | 22 | 2.8 | 50 |
2) Virat Kohli vs Kyle Jamieson
RCB opener Virat Kohli doesn't have a clear weakness against any of the PBKS bowlers, but if there is one bowler who could pose a threat, it's Kyle Jamieson.
Jamieson has troubled Kohli in the past, most notably in Test cricket -- 3 dismissals at 11.3 average-- but also in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur, with a delivery outside the off stump, which had a pinch of extra bounce off the wicket.
If there are overcast conditions in Ahmedabad or moisture on the wicket, offering swing early, Jamieson could be a handful. If that happens, the Kiwi pacer will hope to take full advantage of the conditions, particularly if PBKS bowls first.
MORE: What if the IPL final between RCB and PBKS ends in a tie?
3) Phil Salt vs Arshdeep Singh
Phil Salt is one of the most explosive openers in the IPL who can take the game single-handedly away from the opposition. But Arshdeep has had the edge over the RCB batter recently, and he will hope to repeat the same in the final as well.
All four of Salt's dismissals against Arshdeep came this year in 2025, with two of them coming during the ongoing IPL season.
The PBKS left-arm pacer's strategy of bowling short length and moving the ball away from the right-hander has worked -- it's a common feature in all the dismissals.
| Outs | Runs | Balls | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 38 | 38 | 9.5 | 100 |
4) Prabhsimran Singh vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
While the PBKS opener has managed to take RCB pacer to the cleaners on occasions with his high-risk batting, the experience of Bhuvneshwar has always prevailed in previous head-to-head battles.
Bhuvi has dismissed him five times in the IPL and could strike early in Ahmedabad again. It will be a test of patience for the PBKS opener -- his instinct to attack Bhuvneshwar by stepping down the ground, who has lured him into false shots and outfoxed him.
| Outs | Runs | Balls | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 68 | 42 | 13.6 | 161.9 |
5) Josh Inglis vs Josh Hazlewood
Hazlewood has had the number over Josh Inglis in both meetings this season. However, the PBKS batter who smashed 20 runs off Jasprit Bumrah during the Qualifier 2 match will hope to repeat the same against RCB's talisman bowler.
Inglis was deceived with extra bounce by Hazlewood twice this season, finding the top edge on both occasions. The Aussie batter was caught at third man in Bengaluru and at deep fine leg in the last game at Mullanpur.
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Therefore, Hazlewood's overs in the powerplay could define the IPL 2025 final. In both face-offs against PBKS this season, Hazlewood was the main bowling threat as he was able to remove Iyer and Inglis, two of Punjab's key batters, in quick succession.
While PBKS will be desperate to avoid another batting collapse against RCB in the powerplay, Hazlewood will look to continue doing what he has done to perfection this season -- strike early, and hand a double blow to Punjab for the third consecutive time in 2025.