How Instagram Music Is Changing IPL 2025

There’s something different about the IPL this year. Not the teams. Not the format. But the feeling. It’s not just the cricket we’re watching. It’s also what’s playing in the background of an Instagram reel. It’s the song that hits just right behind a player’s smile, a crowd’s roar, or a quiet moment between matches. Somewhere along the way, the music around the game has stopped being background noise.  And this season, the real IPL anthem isn’t the one the league gave us. It’s being written, moment by moment, by fans, players, and creators, just by choosing the right track. 

Let’s start with a picture. Not a flashy reel. Just a simple photo of Abhishek Sharma holding the trophy, standing next to his mom and dad. But the music he chose? “Ambarsariya” by Navaan Sandhu and Homeboy. Not to be confused with the gentle folk version you might be thinking of—this one hits differently. It’s a flex. High beat, full swag, all about being rooted and proud. And that makes sense, because even though Abhishek plays for Hyderabad, he’s an Amritsar boy at heart. This wasn’t just a family photo. It was a moment to say: I come from Punjab. I come with heat. And this trophy’s going home with me. And that’s the thing, these songs are shaping how we feel about the IPL this year. They’re changing how we remember the moments.  

Then you have Hardik Pandya, walking through a sea of fans, waving, training on ground, hitting sixes, laughing. A soft reel, full of love. But “Run It Up” by Hanumankind roars in the background. Cool, effortless, fresh. It’s a reminder that even in the most emotional moments, Hardik still moves like a star.

There’s also the reel that made a lot of people stop scrolling, a fan running onto the field to touch Virat Kohli’s feet. That kind of moment is rare. Sacred. And the music used—”Ishq Hai” by Raj Shekhar and Romy makes it feel even more personal. It’s not hype. It’s not noise. It’s a pure feeling. You’re not watching a match. You’re witnessing love.

But maybe the most beautiful moment of all came from Chennai. A reel of little kids running around in CSK jerseys, chasing the team mascot around the stadium tunnel. They used “Odi Vilaiyadu Pappa,” a classic Tamil poem-turned-song that literally translates to “Run and Play, Child.” It’s gentle. It’s wise. It’s about childhood, play, and joy. And when paired with a team like CSK, built on legacy, loyalty, and warmth, it hits you in the heart. This isn’t about cricket anymore. It’s about what cricket feels like when you grow up with it. 

But IPL 2025 isn’t just about posts and reels. It’s also about how teams are telling their story through music, and Mumbai has been the loudest of all. The #PlayLikeMumbai campaign is a full-on love letter to the city’s grit, gully cricket culture, and unique swagger. Instead of a polished anthem, Mumbai Indians dropped a proper Bambaiya rap track featuring Srushti Tawade, Kaam Bhaari, and Sambata. It’s raw. It’s rhythmic. It sounds like a carrom board tournament in a chawl with stumps made of chappals. The kind of song that makes you straighten your back just from the beat. From Jackie Shroff hyping up the players as a “Spirit Coach” to the core squad being introduced through these music-fuelled reels—Hardik as Bhai, Rohit as Bhidu, SKY as Dada, Bumrah as Boss, every player feels like part of the city. Like they were raised in the gullies of Mumbai before stepping onto Wankhede. And that anthem is not just a track, it’s an identity. Game ho ya life (Whether in the game or in life), as the campaign says, they play like Mumbai.

Srushti Tawade, who lent her voice to the campaign, said it gave her a chance to step out of her comfort zone and write something new. But what really stuck with her was the way the players carried themselves off the pitch. “Of all parts of the experience,” she shared, “I was most able to connect with Suryakumar Yadav because of his absolute carefree and easygoing attitude… He seemed undeniably grounded, as if to not know how big a deal he is.” For Kaam Bhaari, this project was personal. “I was born and brought up in Mumbai,” he said. “Cricket has always been our favourite sport since childhood. We used to play in our chawl, with a sitting stool for stumps and chappals for boundaries.” That spirit is in every line he raps. You can hear it in his delivery. You can see it in the way the players post, walk, and train. It’s not a city. It’s a way of playing.  

Elsewhere, Delhi was getting loud too. At the IPL 2025 opening ceremony, the crowd at Arun Jaitley Stadium didn’t just show up for cricket. They showed up for King. A homegrown Delhi boy, King walked onto that stage dressed in his signature sunglasses, white shirt, and blue jacket, but what he brought with him was bigger than a look. He stood where he probably once dreamed of standing as a kid. In his hometown. On the IPL stage. Right before the Delhi Capitals took the field. He didn’t need pyros or a flashy intro. His voice did all the work. Every beat he dropped felt like it belonged—not just to the stadium, but to the city. It was a message to everyone watching, especially the kids sitting in the stands or scrolling through their phones later that night: if you come from here, you can make it. You can walk onto that stage too. That’s what King brought to IPL 2025—not just music, but meaning. 

IPL isn’t just being watched, it’s also being soundtracked. And long after the final match, when the scoreboard fades and the celebrations quiet down, it won’t just be the anthem we remember. It’ll be the sound of kids laughing in yellow. A rapper from Delhi owning his home turf. A fan’s hand reaching for a hero. That’s the real soundtrack of IPL 2025. The one we didn’t expect, but the one that’ll stay.