Another IPL between eras

Moving along Motera Road feels familiar. Pedestrians, hawkers, small repair shops and trees all compete for space with a steady stream of traffic. Life here moves forward in uneven steps, honks and small acts of patience.

There is little in the approach to suggest what lies ahead. Then, almost suddenly, the Narendra Modi Stadium reveals itself. Step inside and the space opens up unlike any other cricket venue in the country.

Last year, more than 2,20,000 people attended two Coldplay concerts here, setting a record for the largest stadium concert attendance of the 21st century. A World Cup final was played here. Another major ICC final followed earlier this year. On Sunday, the venue will host its fourth IPL final in the first five years of its refurbished existence. No other Indian ground has hosted more than three.

Every major event hosted here once prompted conversation about "India's answer to the MCG." Those conversations have largely stopped. The events keep coming. If the "early onset of the southwest monsoon" led to the IPL final being shifted from Kolkata, it was KSCA's demand for tickets that led to Bengaluru losing hosting rights. It hints at a subtle shift in Indian cricket's centre of gravity.

Seen from Ahmedabad, IPL 2026 felt caught between two realities. The tournament's oldest institutions remained visible and relevant, but the newer ones steadily claimed more space.

The changing geography meant traditional venues were no longer the only places where the league's biggest stories unfolded. The IPL traveled to Guwahati, Dharamsala and Raipur, taking its most valuable fixtures with it. Raipur hosted RCB against both MI and KKR. Dharamsala staged PBKS matches against MI and RCB before hosting a playoff. Guwahati again served as RR's opening home base and welcomed CSK, MI and RCB.

That expansion was visible in the standings too. For much of the IPL's history, seasons were measured against MI and CSK. Five titles each turned them into dynasties. This year, neither reached the playoffs and neither has lifted the trophy in three seasons.

The four teams that made the playoffs were all pursuing a second title. Among them, the two finalists — RCB and GT — have been the competition's most consistent sides since 2022, boasting the best win percentages. Both have reached the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.

The conversation around the league has broadened too. For a long time, an IPL season could largely be explained through three men: MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Dhoni did not play a game and still generated headlines. Rohit's season flickered between injury and comeback. Kohli continued to make runs but the league no longer felt hostage to their presence.

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi built on his gains from last season, smashing the most sixes ever in a season and nearly breaking Chris Gayle's record for the fastest IPL hundred. Fans increasingly turned up for players who had not yet built decades of mythology around themselves. Jerseys bearing Sooryavanshi's name became a common sight.

This changing cast explains the captaincy churn too. Rishabh Pant has already stepped down as LSG captain. Questions linger around Hardik Pandya's future at MI. KKR may look beyond Ajinkya Rahane. CSK continue to weigh Ruturaj Gaikwad's leadership against batting returns.

Away from the field, fans increasingly ditched TV for streaming devices. Administrators grappled with new complexities: mid-season diktats, warnings around honey traps, restrictions on hotel room access, scrutiny of player-generated content, debates around phones and laptops in team dugouts, a late ban on smart glasses, and a fine for vaping in the dressing room.

New questions emerged too. Did fan fatigue after a T20 World Cup soften footfalls at some venues? Is there a better time to host the IPL than in the searing heat of April-May? How long until all teams play each other home and away?

Come Sunday, Ahmedabad will face no such questions. The seats at the Narendra Modi Stadium will fill up once again and another champion will emerge, joining the small group of franchises with multiple IPL titles and offering another glimpse of how much of the next era is already here.