IPL 2025: Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee shared his prediction about the winner of the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Out of the ten competing teams, the 48-year-old set his focus on the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI).
The countdown has been initiated for the 18th season of the IPL, which marks the electrifying battle between the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 22 (Saturday).
However, the epic clash is scheduled for the next day (March 23) which marks an intense rivalry between MI and CSK. This excitement builds not only for the former cricketers and cricket experts but also among the cricket fans.
With less than ten days left for the tournament to commence, the discussions have already begun about the team’s strengths and possible title winners as the enthusiasts eagerly wait for the return of the world’s biggest T20 franchise league.
Brett Lee’s Prediction About the IPL 2025 Winner: Chennai or Mumbai
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Lee supported MI as the favorite to lift the IPL 2025 trophy rather than CSK.
Lee’s Suggestion to MI to Win IPL 2025:
Most importantly, Brett highlighted MI’s pattern of losing consecutive matches in the initial stages of the season. He suggested that Mumbai could be a serious contender to claim their sixth title only if they could manage to break this pattern of recurring losses:
“Look! One of the strangest things that occurred with MI in the past four to five years is that they lost their starting four to five games. But, Mumbai needs to overcome that drawback.
Once they get a great start to the season by winning a few of their first six matches, it is confirmed that they will gain momentum and will be in a strong position to qualify for the playoffs. I am confident that if MI succeeds in doing so, they are certain to win their sixth IPL title,” Lee said.
What About CSK’s Possibilities to Win Their 6th IPL Title? Brett Lee’s Opinion
When discussing CSK’s chances, Lee outlined the fact that CSK is in a restructuring stage after several new players joined.
Despite CSK having experienced and quality cricketers like MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, and several others, the veteran Australian cricketer believes MI to be the frontrunner ahead of IPL 2025:
“Yes! Considering CSK, the time has come to rebuild. Even though some great cricketers aren’t a part of the squad, the new talents and their consistency will be key factors for their success. On the other side, MI’s squad seems to be stronger than CSK,” the ex-Aussie pacer said.
MI to Compete Twice Against CSK in IPL 2025
In contrast to the previous season, CSK and MI will face off against each other twice in the league phases. This time, MI would play their opening game without key players like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah that too against CSK on Day 2 of IPL 2025 (March 23) in Chennai.
The return fixture is set to take place on April 20 (Sunday) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
MI Starts Every IPL Season with a Loss Since 2013
Brett Lee has accurately noticed that MI had a disappointing start to their past seasons since 2013 and suggested the team break this jinx.
Especially for those fans who are unaware, Mumbai Indians previously won their starting match of an IPL season back in the 2012 edition. Since then, the team has started their next edition’s campaign on a losing note (from 2013 to 2024).
The following table points out Mumbai’s losing streak in their opening game against different opponents since the 2013 edition:
| Edition | MI’s Outcome in their first match of every season |
| 2013 | Lost to RCB by 2 runs |
| 2014 | Lost to KKR by 41 runs |
| 2015 | Lost to KKR by 7 wickets |
| 2016 | Lost to RPSG by 9 wickets |
| 2017 | Lost to RPSG by 7 wickets |
| 2018 | Lost to CSK by 1 wicket |
| 2019 | Lost to DC by 37 runs |
| 2020 | Lost to CSK by 5 wickets |
| 2021 | Lost to RCB by 2 wickets |
| 2022 | Lost to DC by 4 wickets |
| 2023 | Lost to RCB by 8 wickets |
| 2024 | Lost to GT by 6 runs |
Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians: Which Team will claim their sixth IPL Title?
Ranked as the two most successful franchises in IPL history, Chennai and Mumbai have equal chances to achieve a record-breaking sixth championship title.
According to Brett Lee, CSK is undergoing a rebuilding phase, and it’s the perfect time for the youngsters to fill the vacancy left by some legendary players. At the same time, he feels that MI has a heavier challenge to overcome compared to CSK.
Even though MI has a stronger squad, they face a huge challenge to overcome their lackluster performances in the early stages of a season, particularly in their opening game. This has been a troublesome factor for them in the past few editions.
In conclusion, these two heavyweights of the rich-cash league boast a strong set of players in their squad, which spices up the race for the IPL 2025 trophy even more exciting.