NEW DELHI, MAR 20: Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant will be under scrutiny on their return to action as the Indian Premier League begins on Friday, with the T20 World Cup hot on its heels.
The 17th edition of the worlds richest cricket league is expected to end close to the June 1 start of the World Cup in the West Indies and United States.
Organisers have released only the first two weeks of the IPL schedule so far because it clashes with Indias six-week-long general election.
Last season the 10-team IPL lasted eight weeks.
"This is a world stage for cricket," IPL chairman Arun Dhumal told AFP on Wednesday, boasting the "quality is above any T20 league in the world".
"Not only the Indian players but also the overseas players will be looking to give their best performance in the run-up to the World Cup," Dhumal said.
Master batsman Kohli, who missed Indias 4-1 Test series victory over England because of the birth of his second child, is back with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, previously the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
They take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings, led by M.S. Dhoni, in the opening match in Chennai on Friday. —AFP
