RCB’s Jacob Bethell & a lot more IPL stars in action - all you need to know about BBL 2024/25

It might be damp and gloomy in Brisbane right now, but Perth is scorching hot as it always is, and that’s great news as the 2024/25 edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) kicks off on December 15 (Sunday) at the Optus Stadium. 

Five-time winners Perth Scorchers will take on the star-studded Melbourne Stars in the curtain-raiser, and the contest looks to be the perfect appetizer for a season that promises to be one of the biggest highlights of the ongoing Aussie summer. 

The biggest headline of BBL 14 is certainly David Warner’s return to leadership, but there are also plenty of other sub-plots to look forward to. We’re here to give you a complete low-down about the forthcoming season, which will hope to break viewership records set by the revamped 13th edition, which proved to be a huge success.

Who are the defending champions?

Brisbane Heat will enter BBL 14 as the defending champions. Led by the newest Aussie opener, Nathan McSweeney, the Heat triumphed over Sydney Sixers at the SCG in the final of the previous edition to lift the title for the second time in their history.

Will we see the Aussie big guns in action this season?Absolutely. However, all marquee names that are playing the India Test series will be available to represent their respective teams only after the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

Here are the teams the Aussie big guns will be playing for

Pat Cummins - Sydney Thunder 

David Warner - Sydney Thunder 

Steve Smith - Sydney Sixers

Mitchell Starc - Sydney Sixers

Josh Hazlewood - Sydney Sixers

Travis Head - Adelaide Strikers

Glenn Maxwell - Melbourne Stars 

Mitchell Marsh - Perth Scorchers

Alex Carey - Adelaide Strikers 

Usman Khawaja - Brisbane Heat 

Marcus Stoinis - Melbourne Stars 

Marnus Labuschagne - Brisbane Heat 

Adam Zampa - Melbourne Renegades 

The likes of Maxwell, Zampa and Stoinis, who are white-ball specialists, will be available from day one, albeit subject to their fitness. Unfortunately, Maxwell will miss the initial few games due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Warner will be playing a full BBL season for the first time ever. Some achievement to tick off at the age of 38. 

And who are the overseas stars to look forward to?Fans of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) would certainly want to closely follow the games of Melbourne Renegades, for their latest signing, Jacob Bethell, plays for the Reds. But there are also plenty of other exciting overseas players, such as Lockie Ferguson, Ben Duckett, Finn Allen, Ollie Pope, and Fabian Allen, who will be participating. 

Here’s the complete list of overseas players in each side

Adelaide Strikers - Fabian Allen (WI), Jamie Overton (ENG), Ollie Pope (ENG)

Brisbane Heat - Tom Alsop (ENG), Colin Munro (NZ), Paul Walter (ENG)

Hobart Hurricanes - Shai Hope (WI), Chris Jordan (ENG), Waqar Salamkheil (AFG)

Melbourne Renegades - Jacob Bethell (ENG), Laurie Evans (ENG), Tim Seifert (NZ)

Melbourne Stars - Tom Curran (ENG), Ben Duckett (ENG), Usama Mir (PAK), Joe Clarke (ENG), Adam Milne (NZ)

Perth Scorchers - Finn Allen (NZ), Matthew Hurst (ENG), Keaton Jennings (ENG)

Sydney Sixers - Jafer Chohan (ENG), Akeal Hosein (WI), James Vince (ENG)

Sydney Thunder - Sam Billings (ENG), Lockie Ferguson (NZ), Sherfane Rutherford (WI)

Any young guns to keep an eye out on?Jake Fraser-McGurk (Renegades) will unquestionably be the biggest draw, but there’ll be lots of eyeballs on another rising talent, Sam Konstas, who could open the batting for Sydney Thunder alongside Warner. 

There are also fast bowlers Mahli Beardman (Perth Scorchers) and Callum Vidler (Brisbane Heat), who are both tearaways that were part of the U19 World Cup earlier this year. 

Also, watch out for young left-hander Harry Dixon, who again opened the batting for Australia in the U19 WC earlier this year. 

Aussies aside, England’s Jafer Chohan (Sydney Sixers) is someone who could end up making a serious impact. He is only 22 and has been spinning a web at all levels. 

And what about some IPL stars who will be in action?Some very obvious names aside here’s where you can catch your favourite IPL team’s newly-recruited players in action.

Josh Inglis (Punjab Kings) - Perth Scorchers

Aaron Hardie (Punjab Kings) - Perth Scorchers

Xavier Bartlett (Punjab Kings) - Brisbane Heat 

Spencer Johnson (Kolkata Knight Riders) - Brisbane Heat 

Jacob Bethell (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) - Melbourne Renegades

Sherfane Rutherford (Gujarat Titans) - Sydney Thunder

Nathan Ellis (Chennai Super Kings) - Hobart Hurricanes

How many matches will be played and what’s the format?

The format is the same as last season: a total of 40 group matches followed by the playoffs. Each team will play 10 matches each in the group stages.

Here’s how the playoffs will look like

The top 4 will qualify for the playoffs

1 v 2 will happen in ‘Qualifier’; 2 v 3 in ‘Knockout’

Loser of ‘Qualifier' will take the winner of ‘Knockout’ in the ‘Challenger’

The winner of ‘Qualifier’ will take on the winner of ‘Challenger’ in the final 

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