The Indian Premier League has played a pivotal role in being the benchmark of how cricketing tournaments should be unfolded. From being lucrative to enticing several fanatics, the IPL has shown it all, with the players being the backbone of it.

With teams or franchises acting as the initiator and face of it, some players and team combinations have worked tremendously. At the same time, there were a few that were forgettable. That said, through this listicle, we dive deep into the top IPL campaigners betrayed by their respective teams across the tournament's timeline. 

David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

David Warner's shocking exit from the Sunrisers Hyderabad has bewildered many followers, primarily when the same swashbuckling left-hand batter led them to their first-ever title in the 2016 edition. It all started in the 2021 edition when he couldn't deliver the desired performances as a captain, and the team's management took the harsh step of sacking him as the captain for the season's midway.

In the second half of the season, the franchise dropped and blocked Warner on social media. Warner's expression was filled with sadness as he brought drinks for his squad during matches. Despite his substantial accomplishments and loyalty to the Orange team, it is unsurprising that this is a perfect example of a franchise betraying a devoted cricketing campaigner inside the IPL ecosystem.

Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings)

Suresh Raina, a.k.a Mr IPL, sadly gets his name to this list. Raina was one of the Chennai Super Kings' longest-serving players, spending 12 years with them. From IPL 2008 to 2015, the left-handed batter was entirely devoted to the Yellow Army, missing no matches. But in 2022, CSK dismissed him and opted not to bid for their former vice-captain. Raina got unsold and did not receive a decent farewell from IPL.

Two years later, Raina has broken his silence on the subject, adding that he is delighted to see MS Dhoni still playing and should not be sad. Nonetheless, it has sparked a lot of suspicion among die-hard fans, mainly because he is the tournament's fifth-highest run-getter. As it suggests, this makes him one of the players who deserved a befitting end to an illustrious IPL stint.

Yuzvendra Chahal (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

India's current spinmeister, Yuzvendra Chahal, Royal Challengers Bengaluru purchased Chahal during the IPL 2014 auctions, and he proved to be an excellent addition to the Bangalore-based team. His achievements at RCB won him a call-up to India's white ball teams, and he quickly established himself as the country's go-to spinner in both T20I and ODIs. However, ahead of the major auction in 2022, RCB chose to release Chahal, who the Rajasthan Royals then signed.

Mike Hesson, the franchise's director of cricket at the time, recalled the phone conversation in which Chahal expressed frustration and displeasure, which was an apparent reaction from a frequent contributor. Still, many fans believe he should have been retained and played for a long time, as he's known for his consistency.

Sourav Ganguly (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Sourav Ganguly, an Indian cricketing great, was released by his home team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, and the release of 'Dada' surprised many fans and critics, who raised their voices and criticised the Knight Riders' massive action for a short time. Ganguly's stay with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was fraught with controversy. He was named captain for the first season, but the club failed to reach the semi-finals.

Then, in 2009, he was fired as captain, and before the 2011 auction, he was also dismissed as a player. It all started when the current CEO, Venky Mysore, held the team's responsibility and first took this major decision, which wasn't that difficult for him, as it was a matter of getting the team to triumph. 

See Also: IPL 2025: The ₹23.75 crore gamble that could define KKR's IPL 2025 campaign

Adam Gilchrist (Deccan Chargers)

Adam Gilchrist has been one of the most incredible wicketkeeper batters in the sporting world. He has gained prominence in the Aussies cricket space and aroused dominance in the IPL through his impeccable stint for the now-defunct franchise, the Deccan Chargers. The side had a forgettable start in the inaugural edition, and no one believed that the same team would go on to win the second-ever IPL title under the helms of Adam Gilchrist.

But, as was the case for many, Gilchrist was surprisingly not retained for the 2011 IPL season, which aroused a big question mark. In an interview in 2017, Gilchrist didn't have a definite answer and was equally perplexed, like the others, behind his release as he still believed that he had some game left for the franchise. 

Mohammed Siraj (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

Mohammed Siraj has become a reliable Indian pacer in the International space thanks to his commendable and eight-long years of contribution to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Known for having a loyal fanbase, RCB had its priorities straight in going for a massive restructuring across all the departments. Though Siraj has been consistent in his wicket-taking abilities and has leaked some critical runs, there is no denying that the speedster has shown promise in recent international encounters.

With a large amount of purse and a couple of Right-to-Match cards (RTM) available, many anticipated him to return to the squad, but that did not happen. The main reason for this is the overall restructuring, and many supporters believe he should have received an RTM and stayed with the franchise. 

Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals)

Many expected Rishabh Pant to stay because he had virtually become the franchise's face. Pant's name, however, did not appear on Delhi Capital's retention list. Despite not playing a T20I since his vehicle accident in December 2022, he returned well in the IPL 2024, scoring 446 runs and earning a position in India's T20 World Cup-winning side this year.

According to a report by The Times of India, Pant requested to stay captain of the Capitals and be part of the coaching staff selection process. However, the Capitals side was not impressed by his T20 performance or captaincy and has opted not to retain the T20 World Cup-winning player, citing other future goals and plans.

KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants)

KL Rahul is another high-profile skipper released from the current IPL super auction for 2025. The 32-year-old was one of the Lucknow Super Giants' initial draft selections when the franchise debuted in 2022. However, he was not retained. LSG made the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023 under Rahul's leadership, and he has been the team's leading scorer in three seasons.

But following a disastrous IPL 2024 match against SunRisers Hyderabad, in which LSG lost by ten wickets, TV cameras filmed LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka conversing with KL Rahul, which seemed intense and a bit towards a harsh venting out. This led to several criticism notes to the owner, and many assumed that this would prompt Rahul to leave the franchise. Though this reason might not be apparent, he will be next seen for the Delhi Capitals as the potential heir for the squad's leader.

After the thrilling and unforgettable mega auction, all ten teams are set for IPL 2025. It is now time for team analysis and to choose the best and worst teams before the beginning of the IPL 2025. While some franchises have impressed on the mega auction table, some franchises have disappointed despite buying talented players. Let's look at the Cricketwinner ratings of all the 10 squads

1. Gujarat Titans

After some good retentions (Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tiwari, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan), IPL 2022 champions Gujarat Titans battled hard to secure Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, and Prasidh Krishna. The retained and top-signed players love to dominate in their respective duties. Moreover, GT added more good all-rounders like Glenn Phillips, Sherfane Rutherford, Karim Janat, Washington Sundar, etc. Overall, the franchise has built up a well-balanced team for the IPL 2025, as there is hardly any gap. 

GT full squad for IPL 2025: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Sherfane Rutherford, Gerald Coetzee, Glenn Phillips, Sai Kishore, Mahipal Lomror, Karim Janat, Gurnoor Brar, Arshad Khan, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar, Anuj Rawat, Kulwant Khejroliya.

Team rating: 8.5/10

See Also: IPL 2025: Top 5 Shocking Unsold Star Players in the IPL history

2. SunRisers Hyderabad

IPL 2016 champions and IPL 2024 runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad set a new example of dominant batting in the last IPL season. We can expect the same in the IPL 2025 as most of the key batters are retained in the squad along with the skipper and pacer Pat Cummins. Apart from some strong all-rounder names, SRH also have strong pacers and spinners. It seems that the franchise has built up another well-balanced T20 side. 

SRH full squad for IPL 2025:  Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Abhinav Manohar, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Brydon Carse, Sachin Baby, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Aniket Verma, Atharva Taide.

Team rating: 8/10

3. Kolkata Knight Riders

Due to the strong retention and the addition of more regular faces from the auction, the three-time and reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can maintain their champion charms in IPL 2025. The overseas dominant all-rounders are match-winners (Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell) along with Ramandeep Singh and Venkatesh Iyer. 

Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi are strong names in batting. With Sunil Narine and Moeen Ali, Indian cricketers Varun Chakravarthy and Mayank Markande provide strong spin bowling options. South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje and rising Indian pacer Harshit Rana are two big names in the pace-bowling line-up. 

KKR full squad for IPL 2025:  Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Spencer Johnson, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Moeen Ali, Vaibhav Arora, Rovman Powell, Ajinkya Rahane, Umran Malik, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Mayank Markande.

Team rating: 7.5/10

4. Chennai Super Kings

The present Chennai Super Kings squad has many known faces for the Yellow Army fans. Not only their retained players, but also the RTM Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Sam Curran, and Ravichandran Ashwin also have great memories with the team. If the experienced team management can work well with the Indian pace-bowling line-up, the five-time IPL champions can create a new IPL history.

CSK full squad for IPL 2025: Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Noor Ahmad, R Ashwin, Devon Conway, Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Anshul Kamboj, Sam Curran, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Vansh Bedi, Shreyas Gopal, C Andre Siddarth, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shaik Rasheed, Mukesh Choudhary, Kamlesh Nagarkoti.

Team rating: 7/10

See Also: IPL 2025: Top 5 Steal Deals from the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

5. Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Three-time IPL runners-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru have strong batting lineups on top and in the middle. Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, etc. are big names in the RCB batting line-up. The pace-bowling lineup is equally strong with the Indians and overseas names. All-rounders can fill up the spin-bowling gap.   

RCB full squad for IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Rajit Patidar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Tim David, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh, Swastik Chikara, Manoj Bhandage, Abhinandan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, Mohit Rathee

Team rating: 6.5/10

6. Delhi Capitals

Although Delhi Capitals had to release Rishabh Pant, they still have built up a good team for IPL 2025. While the team has strong foreign names in the batting (Jake Fraser-McGruk, Harry Brook, Faf du Plessis, Tristian Stubbs), the Indian batting names are limited to KL Rahul and Abhishek Porel. The team has young talented all-rounders, where Axar Patel has to play an important role. The pace-bowling has strong names, both from India (Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma) and overseas (Mitchell Starc and Dushmantha Chameera). Meanwhile, the experienced spinners are Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Axar Patel. 

DC full squad for IPL 2025: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mukesh Kumar, Harry Brook, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Donavan Ferreira, Vipraj Nigam, Manvanth Kumar, Darshan Nalkande, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari.

Team rating: 6.5/10

7. Mumbai Indians

The five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians are desperate to break their recent inconsistent status. While they retained important names, batting looks strong with the question of its depth and strong replacements. Pace bowlers are very strong with the leading charges of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. All-rounder Mitchell Santner is the only powerful experienced spinner in the team. 

MI full squad for IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Allah Ghazanfar, Mitchell Santner, Ryan Rickelton, Reece Topley, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Bevon Jacobs, Ashwani Kumar, Krishnan Shrijith, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams, Vignesh Puthur.

Team rating: 6/10

8. Punjab Kings

The IPL 2014 runners-up Punjab Kings are desperate to remove their underperformer tag from the IPL 2025, as the team has failed to reach the playoffs the last ten seasons. They have big overseas names Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, and Lockie Ferguson, along with the Indian stars Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal. While there is a lack of Indian alternatives, the PBKS’ success in the IPL 2025 depends on the performances of the Indian cricketers. 

PBKS full squad for IPL 2025: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Marco Jansen, Josh Inglis, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Kuldeep Sen, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Pyla Avinash, Pravin Dubey.

Team rating: 5.5/10

9. Lucknow Super Giants

Lucknow Super Giants have strong overseas batting options along with Rishabh Pant, whose INR 27 crore bid broke the IPL auction record. Apart from Pant, the franchise’s Indian batting option isn’t strong enough. The team has been filled with young talented Indian pacers and spinners, who need proper guidance in tough times. By looking at the team initially, the franchise hasn’t set up a balanced team for the IPL 2025.   

LSG full squad for IPL 2025: Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Ayush Badoni, Mohsin Khan, Rishabh Pant, Avesh Khan, David Miller, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Akash Deep, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Shamar Joseph, M Siddharth, Himmat Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Digvesh Singh, Prince Yadav, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Singh, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Aryan Juyal.

Team rating: 4.5/10

10. Rajasthan Royals

While the inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals have retained strong names, the exclusion of English white-ball captain Jos Buttler was the big blow for Royals. The franchise still has enough explosive Indian batters, and their pace and spin bowling options are fully talented and consistent. While they haven’t any experienced Indian spinners, their Indian pace bowling experience is limited.

RR full squad for IPL 2025: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Akash Madhwal, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Kunal Rathore, Ashok Sharma.

Team rating: 3.5/10

The inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) had some great moments in the last three IPL seasons. After failing to advance to the playoffs in three straight seasons, the Royals finished as the runners-up in the IPL 2022, where they lost against the season debutant Gujarat Titans. In two out of the last three IPL seasons, the Royals qualified for the playoffs.  

Rajasthan Royals retained six players, five capped and one uncapped, and deducted INR 79 crore from the purse. It meant that they could use the remaining INR 41 crore in the mega auction. 

See Also: Dravid reflects on his return to IPL Auction after 8 years

Rajasthan Royals: Key additions from the mega auction

Rajasthan Royals brought back the English fast bowler Jofra Archer, which cost them INR 12.50 crore. They have signed players like Tushar Deshpande, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, etc. 

RR Full Squad

Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal (retained), Shimron Hetmyer (retained/Guyanese), Nitish Rana, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson (retained), Dhruv Jurel (retained), Kunal Singh Rathore

All-rounders: Riyan Parag (retained), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lankan), Yudhvir Singh 

Spinners: Maheesh Theeksana (Sri Lankan), Kumar Kartikeya

Pacers: Sandeep Sharma (retained), Jofra Archer (English), Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghan), Kwena Maphaka (South African), Akash Madhwal, Tushar Deshpande, Ashok Sharma

Brief SWOT analysis

Rajasthan Royals have retained strong batters, but excluding the English white-ball captain Jos Buttler. Buttler was an inspiring point for the team's batting line-up, and it is still not understandable why the team released Buttler despite his presence for the IPL 2025. However, Jaiswal, Hetmyer, Samson, Jurel, Riyan, etc. are some strong names in the present batting lineup. 

Royals’ pace and spin bowling options are really strong with some good alternative names. Overall, Rajasthan Royals can be a strong team for the IPL 2025. 

RR Best possible XI for IPL 2025

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tushar Deshpande

The IPL 2025 Mega Auction, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25, witnessed historic bidding wars, but none more dramatic than Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) shelling out a jaw-dropping ₹23.75 crore for Venkatesh Iyer. Known for his explosive batting and ability to turn games single-handedly, Iyer became the most sought-after player in the auction. The 30-year-old all-rounder, despite inconsistent performances with the ball, has carved a niche as a game-changer at the top of the order. His ability to dominate powerplays, deliver momentum-shifting knocks, and occasional handy medium-pace bowling made him a prized asset. For KKR, who have long searched for a marquee Indian all-rounder to anchor their squad, Iyer’s versatility and impact potential justified the massive investment.

KKR’s strategy revolved around building a dynamic squad, and Iyer fit perfectly into their plans. His stellar performances in recent seasons, combined with his match-winning ability under pressure, made him irreplaceable. While his bowling hasn’t been as reliable, his knack for delivering with the bat in critical moments stood out. Additionally, Iyer’s fielding prowess and leadership potential added to his appeal. The franchise is banking on his experience and hunger to evolve as a player to spearhead their campaign for the coveted IPL trophy. As KKR fans celebrated the acquisition, the spotlight is now on Iyer to live up to the expectations and deliver on his massive price tag.

See Also: South Africa strengthens bid for 2025 WTC Final at lord's with commanding victory

Breakdown of Venkatesh Iyer's price tag in IPL 2025 Mega Auction 

Venkatesh Iyer’s IPL journey has been a roller-coaster ride since his debut in 2021, marked by bursts of brilliance and phases of inconsistency. In his maiden season, he took the league by storm, scoring 370 runs at an impressive strike rate of 128.5, with four fifties to his name. His ability to dominate the powerplay and finish innings with aggression made him an instant sensation. However, his performance dipped significantly in 2022, managing just 182 runs across 12 innings at a meager average of 16.5 and a strike rate of 107.7, which raised questions about his consistency and adaptability against quality bowling attacks.

The 2023 season saw a resurgence, with Iyer amassing 404 runs, including his maiden IPL century, at an excellent strike rate of 145.8. His ability to clear the ropes and rotate the strike improved, as reflected in his reduced dot-ball percentage of 32.5%. Despite his efforts, the pressure to deliver consistently remained, as he averaged 28.9 across 14 innings. In 2024, Iyer showcased his best version yet, scoring 370 runs in 13 innings at a career-high strike rate of 158.8 and a solid average of 46.2. His aggressive approach in the middle overs and ability to accelerate in the death overs made him a standout performer for his team.

Strategy behind the gamlble by KKR

While Iyer’s batting prowess and explosive potential are undeniable, his inconsistency across seasons raises concerns. His bowling, which once offered a secondary dimension, has been unreliable, leaving him as a specialist batter for most of his IPL career. Furthermore, Iyer lacks a proven track record as a captain or leader, which significantly limits his overall value in the auction. Leadership potential often plays a key role in commanding sky-high bids, as seen with players like MS Dhoni or Hardik Pandya, but Iyer has yet to demonstrate the qualities required to lead a side effectively.

KKR’s massive ₹23.75 crore investment in Iyer in the 2025 auction seems disproportionate given his current skill set and past performances. While he undoubtedly deserved a high bid, an amount between ₹12 to ₹13 crore would have been a more reasonable valuation based on his explosive batting and occasional bowling contributions. The staggering price tag not only heaps immense pressure on Iyer to deliver consistently but also limits the franchise’s ability to invest in other key areas of the squad.

For KKR, the challenge lies in ensuring that Iyer lives up to these lofty expectations. While he has the potential to justify their faith, it is a gamble that comes with significant risk. The ₹23.75 crore tag comes with a weight of responsibility, and for Iyer, this is an opportunity to silence critics and establish himself as one of the IPL’s most impactful players. Whether he rises to the occasion remains to be seen, but for now, the onus is on him to prove he is worth every penny.

See Also: Temba Bavuma's mixed battle against Sri Lanka's bowling Attack: A tale of grit and adaptability

IPL 2020 runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) failed to reach the playoffs in the last three seasons. So they are unsurprisingly desperate to change their present records. After recording their three successive playoff advances, including playing in the IPL 2020 final, DC finished in the 5th, 9th, and 8th places, respectively, in the last three IPL seasons.  

Delhi Capitals had to leave Rishabh Pant and retained only four players. Although they spent INR 43.75 crore to retain four players, they had to deduct INR 47 crore due to the official rules. It meant that they could spend INR 73 crore in the mega auction. 

Delhi Capitals: Key additions from the mega auction

Delhi Capitals put in a strong bid for KL Rahul as they set him in the squad by splurging INR 14 crore. Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who was the most expensive player in the IPL auction history as Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for INR 24.75 crore during the IPL 2024 auction, joined the Capitals for INR 11.75 crore. The franchise also signed T Natarajan for INR 10.75 crore.

DC used RTM for the Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGruk and Indian pacer Mukesh Kumar for INR 9 crore and 8 crore, respectively, which is lesser than the official retained values. They also won the bid for Harry Brook, Faf du Plessis, Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, etc. 

SEE ALSO: IPL 2025: Ranking all ten teams squads post the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

DC Full Squad

Batters: (RTM) Jake Fraser-McGruk (Australian), Harry Brook (English), Faf du Plessis (South African)

Wicketkeepers: Tristian Stubbs (retained/South African), Abhishek Porel (retained), KL Rahul, Donovan Ferreira (South African)

All-rounders: Axar Patel (retained), Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari 

Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav (retained)

Pacers: (RTM) Mukesh Kumar, Mitchell Starc (Australian), Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lankan), T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma 

Brief SWOT analysis

Delhi Capitals have great names in the batting line-up. From top-order to middle-order, the team has batters who have set examples with their consistent performances in the shorter format. DC all-rounders are full of talented Indians, but Axar Patel is the only experienced one of them. 

As Delhi Capitals have strong names in the batting and bowling, the inexperienced all-rounders will get strong support. However, except for KL Rahul, Abhishek Porel, and Axar Patel, there are no strong Indian names in the batting line-up. 

Delhi Capitals have strong and experienced pace-bowling lineups. Talking about their spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will take the main charges. 

DC Best Possible XI for IPL 2025

KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Tristan Stubbs/Harry Brook, Abishek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma/Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, T. Natarajan

The three-time IPL runners-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are desperate to win their first IPL trophy. In the last five seasons, RCB reached the playoffs for four editions. Last season, RCB won only one match in their first eight fixtures but strongly made a comeback and beat the odds to qualify for the playoffs after winning all their last six league stage games. 

RCB retained two capped and one uncapped player ahead of the mega auction. To retain three players, the franchise spent INR 37 crore, as they had INR 83 crore in the purse for the mega auction. 

SEE ALSO: IPL 2025: Ranking all ten teams squads post the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Key additions from the mega auction

In the mega auction, RCB spent more than INR 10 crore for four key names, Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, English opener Phil Salt, Indian cricketer Jitesh Sharma and pacer Bhuvneswar Kumar. They also have some big all-rounder names in the middle-order batting, like Liam Livingstone, Tim David, and Krunal Pandya. Devdutt Padikkal has returned to the RCB. The other big names in the pace-bowling options are South African Lungi Ngidi and Sri Lankan Nuwan Thusara. 

RCB Full Squad

Batters: Virat Kohli (retained), Rajat Patidar (retained), Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chikara

Wicketkeepers: Phil Salt (English), Jitesh Sharma

All-rounders: (RTM) Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone (English), Tim David (Australian), Jacob Bethell (English), Romario Shepherd (Guyanese), Krunal Pandya, Manoj Bhandage, Mohit Rathee

Spinners: Suyash Sharma

Pacers: Yash Dayal (retained), Josh Hazlewood (Australian), Lungi Ngidi (South African), Nuwan Thusara (Sri Lankan), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, Abhinandan Singh

Brief SWOT analysis

RCB have strong top-order and middle-order batting. The overseas all-rounders have strong strike rates which is appropriate for middle-order batting in T20 cricket. The bowling line-up is new with some big international names. RCB have limited experienced Indian names in pace and spin bowling options. The other Indian names in these categories aren’t experienced. 

RCB Best Possible XI for IPL 2025

Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Tim David/Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi/Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal

The IPL 2016 champions SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) set a new example of dangerous batting in T20 cricket during the entire IPL 2024. Although we experienced some dominating batting performances previously, we never experienced it consistently for a team in an entire tournament. While SRH are always respectable, they became many fan favourites for their unstoppable entertainment with the bats in the 2014 season.

After failing to qualify for the playoffs for three straight seasons, the IPL 2024 runners-up SRH will surely be desperate for the next season, as the cricket fans will love to see their same dominance with the bats on the field. While they spent INR 75 crore to retain five important capped players, they had INR 45 crore in the purse for the mega auction.

SEE ALSO: Siddarth Kaul announces retirement from Indian cricket

SunRisers Hyderabad: Key additions from the mega auction

As SRH retained some powerful overseas names, they gave importance to the Indian cricketers in the two-day mega auction. They secured Ishan Kishan for INR 11.25 crore, while they spent INR 10 crore and 8 crore for Mohammad Shami and Harshal Patel, respectively. 

Talking about some other important names in the squad, SRH secured Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, etc. 

SRH Full Squad

Batters: Travis Head (retained/Australian), Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma, Sachin Baby 

Wicketkeepers: Heinrich Klaasen (retained/South African), Ishan Kishan

All-rounders: Abhishek Sharma (retained), Nitish Kumar Reddy (retained), Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lankan), Brydon Carse (English)

Spinners: Adam Zampa (Australian), Rahul Chahar, Zeeshan Ansari

Pacers: Pat Cummins (retained/Australian), Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Shami, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga (Sri Lankan)

Brief SWOT analysis

SRH retained the five most important players before the main auction. Once again, they have great names in top and middle-order batting. Also, they have strong names in the bowling line-up, both in the pace and spin. They have some strong names in the all-rounder.

Talking about their problems, one of the issues is having limited options in the Indian batting line-ups. But as the team management has improved a lot in the last season, we can expect continuous better results in the next season. 

SRH Best Possible XI for IPL 2025

Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Atharva Taide, Kamindu Mendis, Pat Cummins, Mohammad Shami, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar

The three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will play in IPL 2025 as the defending champions who won the IPL 2024 title after thrashing the dangerous SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final of the tournament. 

To retain the maximum six players, including four capped and two uncapped, the KKR officially spent INR 69 crore, despite their retention value being INR 57 crore. It meant that the reigning champions could use INR 51 crore in the mega auction. 

Kolkata Knight Riders: Key additions from the mega auction

The mega auction clarified that the KKR weren’t happy with the six-player retention rule, as the defending champions showed their desperation for Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, even if it crossed 10x of the base price. The Kolkata-based franchise also added their familiar face Manish Pandey, who strongly served for the KKR between 2014 and 2017 before returning to the franchise for the 2024 season.

To make the team stronger, KKR added big names like Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Moeen Ali, Spencer Johnson, Rovman Powell, etc.  

SEE ALSO: KKR go all out for their old knight Venkatesh Iyer

KKR Full Squad

Batters: Rinku Singh (retained), Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi

Wicketkeepers: Quinton de Kock (South African), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghan), Luvnith Sisodia

All-rounders: Sunil Narine (Trinidadian/retained), Andre Russell (Jamaican/retained), Ramandeep Singh (retained), Moeen Ali (English), Rovman Powell (Jamaican), Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy 

Spinners: Varun Chakravarthy (retained), Mayank Markande

Pacers: Harshit Rana (retained), Anrich Nortje (South African), Spencer Johnson (Australian), Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora

Brief SWOT analysis

The reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders had a great IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise has strong trust in its old players. Moreover, they have added some strong names to the squad.

KKR have strong names in batting and bowling. While most foreign names have good alternatives, Indian batters have strong experiences. The all-rounders are really strong for the KKR, as most are match-winners. Spin and pace bowling options are also strong, but the Indian pace bowling lineup is inexperienced. 

KKR Best possible XI for IPL 2025

Sunil Narine/Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock/Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Manish Pandey, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy

The 2025 Indian Premier League Mega Auction ended with a record outlay of 182 players. The IPL mega auction generated much interest, especially among star players. Several uncapped players commanded high sums for their outstanding performances in domestic cricket and T20 competitions. These hefty bids show the franchises' focus on acquiring homegrown players capable of delivering impactful performances. 

With the tournament's slogan being where talent meets opportunity, it would be intriguing to see how their calibre would unfold and have a robust chance to earn their maiden international call from the prestigious national side. Here's the list of the top five expensive uncapped players in the 2025 IPL Mega Auction. 

1. Rasikh Salam Dar- INR 6 Crores (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

Rasikh Salam Dar became the most expensive uncapped player during the IPL 2025 mega auction. Rasikh is primarily a new-ball bowler who can be efficient in the first six overs and a reliable death-over bowler due to his strong yorker and slower deliveries. The quick bowler was the top selection among uncapped players and was auctioned by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for INR 6 crore.

Dar is prominent for his lethal and devastating yorkers with the Delhi Capitals in the previous season. Despite his inexperience, Rasikh will be a long-term investment, so he was acquired for a high price. Whether it's justified or not, only time will tell. In his short and promising IPL stint, he has scalped nine wickets in 11 appearances. 

2. Naman Dhir- INR 5.25 Crores (Mumbai Indians)

Naman Dhir is a noteworthy pace hitter who can bat anywhere from third to sixth place, indicating a solid addition to any squad's middle-order batting. Furthermore, he is a naturally aggressive hitter with good off-spin. Naman Dhir sparked a bidding battle between the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore before the Delhi Capitals intervened.

Later, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings  joined in before the Mumbai Indians opted to employ the Right-to-Match (RTM) to reclaim him for INR 5.25 crores. In seven IPL matches, he has scored 140 runs with a strike rate of 177.22.

3. Abdul Samad- INR 4.20 Crores (Lucknow Super Giants)

Abdul Samad is known for his big-hitting ability and has previously played as a finisher for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Samad is a decent pace hitter who bats in the lower order and adds momentum to innings during slog overs. His subsequent years have been less promising, but his tremendous potential enticed teams to pay a hefty amount to obtain his expertise, with the Lucknow Super Giants emerging victorious.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru initially started the bid for Samad, but the Super Giants were eager to sign him and increased the bidding battle from INR 30 lakhs to INR  4.20 crores. In 50 matches, he has made 577 runs with a strike rate of 146.08.

See Also: IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Top Five Buy Punjab Kings dominate IPL auction with three top signings

4. Nehal Wadhera- INR 4.20 Crores (Punjab Kings)

Nehal Wadhera is a top homegrown prospect who can handle speed and spin. Wadhera's performance in past IPL seasons with Mumbai Indians highlights his impressive all-round abilities. As a player from the Punjab side, he will be familiar with the circumstances in the new Mullanpur pitch and may finally be able to unleash his full ability; thus, it is no surprise that the Punjab Kings have chosen him.

They bought they young sporting campaigner for INR 4.20 crores after competing with three teams: Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, and Delhi Capitals. In just 20 IPL games, he has scored 350 runs at a 140 strike rate and taken 13 wickets at an economy of 6.50. 

5. Ashutosh Sharma- INR 3.80 Crores (Delhi Capitals)

Ashutosh Sharma is a clean-ball hitter who can take on pacers from the start, as seen by his time with the Punjab Kings. His presence will offer his new team, the Delhi Capitals, much-needed firepower in the lower order to deliver that finishing touch in the final overs.

Sharma was a revelation last season and was expected to command a reasonable price in the IPL 2025 auction. He was sold for INR 3.80 crores to the Delhi Capitals, who outbid three other teams for him. In his 11 IPL matches performance, he was able to make 189 runs, averaging 27 and a strike rate of 167.26. 

While Gujarat Titans (GT) made their IPL debut in the 2022 edition, they won it in the first edition (2022). In the next edition, they ended as the runners-up after losing the final against Chennai Super Kings. In the last edition, GT played under new leadership and finished in eighth place in the points table.

Gujarat Titans spent INR 51 crore to retain five key players and released the remaining players. So, it meant that the IPL 2022 champions started the IPL 2025 mega auction with the purse remaining of INR 69 crore. 

Gujarat Titans: Key additions from the mega auction

Gujarat Titans fought hard to secure English star Jos Buttler for INR 15.75 crore. They also showed their desperation to buy Indian star pacer Mohammed Siraj and South African star fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for INR 12.25 crore and 10.75 crore, respectively. Prasidh Krishna also joined for INR 9.50 crore, while they bought Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, and Gerald Coetzee for bargain prices. 

SEE ALSO: IPL 2025: Ranking all ten teams squads post the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

GT Full Squad

Batters: Shubman Gill (retained), Sai Sudharsan (retained)

Wicketkeepers: Jos Buttler (English), Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra

All-rounders: Rahul Tewatia (retained), Shahrukh Khan (retained), Rashid Khan (retained/Afghan), Glenn Phillips (New Zealander), Sherfane Rutherford (Guyanese), Karim Janat (Afghan), Arshad Khan, Washington Sundar, Mahipal Lomror, Nishant Sindhu

Spinners: Jayant Yadav, Sai Kishore, Manav Suthar

Pacers: Kagiso Rabada (South African), Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kulwant Khejroliya, Gurnoor Brar  

Brief SWOT analysis

After retaining their consistent performers, the Gujarat Titans have made their batting and pace-bowling line-ups stronger. The franchise has strong all-rounders, both Indians and overseas. Due to the strong all-rounders, GT have strengthened their spin bowling options too. So, we can confidently say that Titans will be an interesting team for the IPL 2025. 

Talking about their rare weakness, it can be seen only if some of their key players fail to perform consistently. In their pace-bowling squad, there are some good names who sometimes struggled to perform consistently in the IPL. 

GT Best possible XI for IPL 2025

Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Glenn Phillips, Rashid Khan, Washington Sundar, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/Ishant Sharma