IPL 2025 Dispatch May 17: Virat Kohli Returns, Mustafizur Rahman Joins DC, Cap Races Heat Up, Rain Looms Large in Bengaluru

As the Indian Premier League 2025 resumes after a week-long break, excitement levels are at a high – but so are the rain clouds over Bengaluru. May 17 promises blockbuster matchups and major player developments, from Virat Kohli’s return to fierce Orange and Purple Cap battles.

Here’s your full dispatch from the IPL world.

Mustafizur Rahman Gets Green Light – But Only for the League Phase

Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to play for Delhi Capitals from May 18 to 24.

That means he is available for DC’s remaining three league-stage games, but not the playoffs, should they qualify. Mustafizur is set to play the T20I against UAE in Sharjah on Saturday before flying to India.

Whether he will be match-ready by the evening, when DC play again, remains uncertain – especially as he is expected to land on the same day.

RCB’s Overseas Core Is Committed to the Cause

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, sitting second on the table with 16 points, have been one of the most dominant sides of the season. Speaking ahead of RCB’s big clash against KKR, team director Mo Bobat revealed that the overseas players were eager to return and "finish the job."

"We spoke quite a lot with our overseas guys even before they went and most of them were pretty adamant that they were keen to come back and finish the job," Bobat said ahead of Saturday's match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). "We've had a good season so far, they want to come back and do that."

Kohli’s Comeback Steals the Spotlight

Virat Kohli will return to IPL action tonight as RCB take on KKR – the very team they began the season against back on March 22. Kohli enters the second phase with 505 runs and needs just six more to reclaim the Orange Cap.

With seven half-centuries in 11 innings, including a blazing 62 against CSK in his last outing, Kohli is not just hunting caps – he’s chasing legacy. Tonight will also mark his first appearance since his retirement from Test cricket, and an emotional reception at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is all but guaranteed.

Orange Cap Battle Gets Tighter Than Ever

Only 10 runs separate the top five on the Orange Cap leaderboard. Suryakumar Yadav leads with 510 runs, closely followed by B Sai Sudharsan (509), Shubman Gill (508), and Kohli (505).

Jos Buttler rounds out the top five with 500. Kohli has the first chance to reclaim the cap tonight, but others like Prabhsimran Singh (437) and Nicholas Pooran (410) are also in striking range with key fixtures ahead this weekend and early next week.

Purple Cap Watch: Prasidh vs Noor – and the Chasers

The Purple Cap race is heating up too. Prasidh Krishna (GT) and Noor Ahmad (CSK) both sit atop the table with 20 wickets each, with Prasidh ahead on better economy and average.

However, a few key chasers are right behind: Josh Hazlewood (RCB) and Trent Boult (MI) are on 18, though Hazlewood’s shoulder injury leaves his participation uncertain.

Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) with 17 and Harshit Rana (KKR) with 16 could leapfrog the leaders tonight, while Arshdeep Singh (PBKS), also on 16, is back in action on Sunday.

Rain Threatens Big Bengaluru Clash

The much-anticipated RCB vs KKR fixture tonight could face disruption due to heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast in Bengaluru. Accuweather and the IMD both predict evening showers.

RCB shifted their training window to the afternoon (2-5pm) to avoid potential rainfall, while KKR wrapped up their session early in the evening. Fans and teams alike will hope the skies stay clear for what promises to be a pivotal encounter in the playoff race.