As the much-anticipated TATA IPL 2025 Rivalry Week kicks off, JioStar expert Shane Watson shared insights on the team strategies and key players to watch out for between Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings, and others. Speaking on the show, Shane Watson reflected on CSKs unusual start to the season and the changes in strategy after the mega auction. He said: "It’s been a surprising start to the season for CSK. Usually, after every mega auction, CSK have always carefully planned and locked in their combinations—whether it’s the batting order or bowling options. So, to see quite a few adjustments within the first four games is very unlike them. During my time with the team, Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni were always very clear about each player's role even before the tournament began, and those roles rarely changed. But this time, with the kind of auction they had, there seem to be a few gaps they’re still trying to address. In the last game, the team fielded a much more balanced line-up, with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra opening the innings. That’s a more solid combination in my view, with Ruturaj Gaikwad coming in at number three. Previously, when Tripathi was opening, it left a few too many holes in the line-up overall. I’m confident that with the adjustments made in the previous game, and with a few matches together as a unit across different conditions, they’ll find their rhythm. Especially from a batting standpoint, having a strong top three or four can set the tone—whether they’re batting first or chasing—and that makes life much easier for the middle and lower order to capitalise on a good start." Watson also shared his thoughts on Jasprit Bumrah’s impact and what his return means for Mumbai Indians this season: "It's a big boost for the Mumbai Indians to have Bumrah back. Jasprit Bumrah is just incredibly good—we’ve seen it throughout the IPL and across world cricket when he plays for India. His ability to control a game is exceptional. Very rarely does a batter get on top of him. He knows how to take wickets, thanks to his variations and brilliant execution under pressure. So, his return gives Mumbai Indians the kind of boost they really need. They've been slightly off in patches this season, and Bumrah’s presence provides that much-needed glue to hold their bowling unit together. It's a huge bonus for them as they look to truly kickstart their campaign."Watson shared his thoughts on Chennai Super Kings’ campaign so far, highlighting the importance of the top order and backing MS Dhoni’s finishing abilities. He said: "You can never write off CSK—they know how to win. Whether it’s Stephen Fleming, MS Dhoni, or the entire franchise, they always find a way to turn things around. I believe their revival will start with the top order performing well, easing pressure on the middle and lower order. The move to open with two overseas players and Ruturaj at No. 3 adds much-needed stability. MSD still keeps brilliantly and can finish games when the top order does its job. His role now is to close out innings in the final overs—and he’s doing that exceptionally well. The rest of the team just needs to set him up for that."Watson shared his thoughts on Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s formidable squad and their chances in TATA IPL 2025. He said: "RCB have got an incredibly strong squad. We've seen how well they’ve been able to perform. They’ve got world-class new-ball bowlers and firepower all the way through their batting line-up. They did brilliantly in the auctions. RCB have always had a strong batting core, but in the past, their bowling has had one or two weaknesses. This season, though, that doesn’t seem to be the case—they look well-balanced across departments. So, whether it’s Rivalry Week or the tournament overall, I’d be very surprised if they don’t dominate. They’re going to be very hard to beat. Plus, they’ve got Andy Flower, an incredibly successful coach, who’s done a brilliant job from the moment he came on board to lead this team."