The IPL has become one of the world's biggest sports leagues in a short span, giving a platform to the brightest T20 talents from different nations. Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League has grown into not just a tournament that produces epic contests but also gives a chance to the up-and-coming players to rub shoulders with the established stars and hone their skills.

For the bona fide legends, IPL presents a different challenge—a rigorous two months of nonstop high-quality matches between equally matched opponents across a bunch of different venues offering unique playing conditions.

Besides, top performances during a season can result in uncapped players earning international call-ups, which further enhances their profile.

IPL kickstarted with eight franchises, or the OGs, including Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab, and Deccan Chargers.

The Hyderabad-based Deccan Chargers' were eventually terminated by the IPL Governing Council for breaching contract terms. The franchise found new owners and was renamed Sunrisers Hyderabad.

From 2011, IPL expanded to 10 teams with the introduction of Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KTK) and Pune Warriors India (PWI). KTK was terminated after just one season, while PWI withdrew after three seasons, citing financial difficulties.

The IPL bandwagon resumed with the eight teams, and it wasn't until 2021 that it added two new teams, the Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, to make it a 10-team affair.

Delhi Daredevils then underwent a name change with the arrival of JSW Sports as joint owners of the franchise. The team was renamed to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2019. Kings XI Punjab changed their name to Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2021, while Royal Challengers Bangalore became Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024.

Over the years, IPL has become a highly lucrative tournament with some of the biggest names from the world of cricket entering its annual auction through which the franchises recruit players. From Sachin Tendulkar to Virat Kohli, Ricky Ponting to Steve Smith, Glenn McGrath to Jasprit Bumrah, Anil Kumble to Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya to Rohit Sharma, and a lot more—the league has witnessed opponents turn teammates and vice versa with a sole motive to win the IPL silverware and entertain millions of fans who tune in to watch the spectacle unfold every season.

The franchise has had its share of controversies too, with the biggest and perhaps the darkest of them all being the IPL 2013 spot-fixing scandal that saw three cricketers, including World Cup winner S. Sreesanth, being handed bans by the BCCI for their alleged roles. Two franchises—CSK and RR—were suspended for two seasons for the betting activities of their key officials. In their absence, the BCCI replaced them with two new franchises—Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiant—for IPL 2016 and IPL 2017.

The top four teams at the end of the league phase qualify for the playoffs that comprise three games—two qualifiers and an eliminator. The top two teams square off in the first qualifier, with the winner entering the final. The loser of this contest then gets another chance to make it to the title clash via the second qualifier. The third- and fourth-placed teams lock horns in the Eliminator, with the winner entering the second qualifier, where it faces the loser of the first qualifier.

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are the most successful franchises in the 17-year history of IPL. Both teams have lifted the trophy five times each. Kolkata Knight Riders are the second-most successful team with three titles to their name. Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, and Deccan Chargers have won the title once each.

Besides the IPL trophy, the league also awards several awards, including the Orange Cap for the top run-getter of a season, the Purple Cap to the top wicket-taker, and another for the Most Valuable Player.

Besides the team that is deemed to have played the game in the right spirit, the Fair Play Award is given.

The IPL has, over the years, turned the fortunes of several cricketers, making them millionaires. Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, T. Natarajan, Tilak Varma, and several others have seen their lives undergo dramatic changes through IPL money.

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant holds the record for the most expensive player in the league's history. At the IPL 2025 mega auction, Lucknow Super Giants paid an eye-popping Rs 27 crore to get his signature. Shreyas Iyer is second with Rs 26.75 crore that Punjab Kings paid for him, while Australia left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc is third with a price tag of Rs 24.75 crore shelled out by Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2024.

Due to its immense popularity, IPL is one of the world's biggest sports events. As per a report in December 2024, the league's value has shot up to a whopping USD 12 billion, which is the second-best behind the USA's National Football League (valued at USD 18 billion). Additionally, the likes of Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Kolkata Knight Riders crossed the USD 100 million mark in brand value. IPL has reportedly created 1.25 million employment opportunities.

The IPL 2025—the 18th season—will be held from March 22 to May 15 across 13 venues in India, comprising 74 matches.