IPL 2025 Ranking the Best Opening Combination for All 10 Teams
Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, the standout in our Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 best opening combination ranking for all 10 teams.
When we talk about being offensive on the battlefield, one category of players plays a huge role in formulating the entire strategy, and taking the first bullets, it is the openers. Openers are the players who face the maximum number of balls in a T20 match. They are the ones who are ready to take the first bullet via Swing and seam upfront. It is definitely not the best place to bat if the ball is swinging, but is also rewardful if the players negate the swing, and look for scoring opportunities in the powerplay.
As they say, high risks yield high rewards, and Powerplay batting is exactly that. Hence, the role of openers becomes crucial in every match of the tournament. This is the sole reason why teams invest heavily in openers. Fortunately, the IPL 2025 will see many stunning openers participating in the competition. Among the star openers playing in the tournament, we have Virat Kohli for RCB, Rohit Sharma for MI, Shubman Gill for GT, Yashasvi Jaiswal for RR, Abhishek Sharma for SRH, and many more.
But which two openers from each team will be the chosen ones, and which team has the best opening combination for IPL 2025? It’s important to look at only two first-choice openers, who will play most of the matches if not all. So, let’s analyze the squad and openers list of each team, and look at the ranking of the best opening combination for all 10 teams for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
#10: Punjab Kings (PBKS) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Prabsimran Singh & Josh Inglis
For number 10, we have Punjab Kings with Prabsimran Singh and Josh Inglis as their best opening combination. Well, Prabsimran is still quite inexperienced, and Josh doesn’t have much opening and IPL experience. Hence, PBKS’ opening pair finds itself at the number 10 position. However, there is definitely potential here, and if these two can play to potential, expect them to score 600-700 runs together!!
#9: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Mitchell Marsh & Aiden Markram
At number 9, we have Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. While Markram is an accomplished player in the IPL, the same can’t be said about Marsh who hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations in the IPL. However, both can complement each other pretty well with Marsh as the aggressor, and Markram playing second fiddle. Both also carry superb International experience, which kind of makes the LSG owners comfortable.
#8: Mumbai Indians (MI) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Rohit Sharma & Ryan Rickelton
For number 8, we have Mumbai Indians with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton as their best openers. While Rohit is a veteran opener, Ryan is in stunning form currently, and has been doing well. However, Rohit has never had a breakthrough season in the IPL, and Ryan is still inexperienced in the IPL. So, this is the reason, MI openers are at the number 8 position.
#7: Delhi Capitals Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
KL Rahul & Jake Fraser-McGurk
Number 7 belongs to the fire-and-ice combination of KL Rahul and Jake Fraser-McGurk. While KL Rahul is an IPL legend, his batting style complements pretty well with Jake Fraser-McGurk, who is a naturally aggressive batter. Given their batting style, the only thing DC would hope is for Jake to give 300-400 runs season. If it happens, Delhi Capitals can go a long way in the competition.
#6: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Sunil Narine & Quinton de Kock
Such is the competition that the opening combination of Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock finds itself in the number 6 position. It’s a brilliant opening combination, and also proven in the IPL. However, the only issue with KKR’s pair is that Narine has never really performed as a batter in the absence of Gautam Gambhir. So, it would be interesting to see his form, and how KKR backs him if he fails to open.
#5: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Ruturaj Gaikwad & Rachin Ravindra
For number 5, we have Chennai Super Kings with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra as their best openers. There will be a tough fight between Rachin and Conway for the opening slot, but given Rachin’s stunning form, and his utility as a bowler, CSK might want to continue with Rachin as the opening partner for Ruturaj Gaikwad. Both are solid openers, and can play long, if required.
#4: Rajasthan Royals (RR) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Yashasvi Jaiswal & Sanju Samson
Number 4 belongs to Rajasthan Royals with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson as their best openers. Sanju and Yashasvi have been doing pretty well off-late, and have also done well in the IPL. It will be interesting to see how Samson goes about in the IPL as an opener, but for India, he has done really well. Yashasvi, meanwhile, will want to make a big statement in front of the Indian selectors, who seem to prefer Abhishek in T20Is, and Gill in ODIs above Yashasvi.
#3: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Travis Head & Abhishek Sharma
Number 3 belongs to Sunrirsers Hyderabad with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma as their best openers. The pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma must be the most aggressive batting pair in the competition. Both had a stunning IPL 2024, and are also in great form currently. Expecting fireworks once again from this opening pair with the only drawback for them being consistency.
#2: Gujarat Titans (GT) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Shubman Gill & Jos Buttler
Number 2 belongs to Gujarat Titans with Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler as the opening pair. It’s a great opening pair that any side would want to switch with. Both have had stunning records in the IPL with tons of runs being scored by them. While Gill is already in great form, Buttler’s form for England wasn’t so encouraging, but he is too good a player to be discounted.
#1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Best Opening Combination for IPL 2025
Virat Kohli & Phil Salt
Finally, at numero uno, we have Royal Challengers Bengaluru with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt as the best opening combination for them. Both are superb openers, and should ideally do superb on the flat decks of Chinnaswamy. While Salt’s current form could be a worry, he should ideally not have any issue at Chinnaswamy. It is a pitch that suits his batting style as it also did in IPL 2024 in Kolkata.
So, that’s about the ranking of the best opening combination for each team for IPL 2025.
© IPLadda
