5. Kwena Maphaka (Rajasthan Royals)

Kwena Maphaka is getting a fresh start in the IPL2025 after being picked by Rajasthan Royals for INR 1.5 crore. Last season, he was with Mumbai Indians but didn’t have a great season, playing only two matches and taking just one wicket while conceding 89 runs. His economy rate of 14.83 was high, which might be why he didn’t get more chances in the IPL 2024.

After that, Maphaka has played very well in SA20, where he plays for Paarl Royals. His best deliveries are the ones he pitches on a back-of-a-length, making life difficult for batters in SA20. With his hard work and the right guidance, he has the talent to make a mark in the IPL. This move to Rajasthan Royals gives him a fresh opportunity to prove himself again.

4. Bevon Jacobs (Mumbai Indians)

Bevon Jacobs, the only overseas player on this list, is a hard-hitting batter from South Africa with some experience in New Zealand’s domestic cricket. Before the auction, he had played just six T20 matches, but Mumbai Indians saw his potential and signed him for ₹20 lakh.

Since then, he has played 20 T20 games, scoring 423 runs at an average of 32.53 and a strike rate of over 148. With two fifties and a top score of 90*, he is a powerful hitter that MI will be excited to use in the upcoming season.

3. C Andre Siddarth (Chennai Super Kings)

C Andre Siddarth comes from a cricketing family and is the nephew of Tamil Nadu’s experienced player S Sharath. He hasn’t played a T20 match yet, but his performances in first-class cricket have already made people take notice.

At just 18, he was one of Tamil Nadu’s standout players in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 612 runs in 12 innings at an average of 68.00, with a century and five fifties. Chennai Super Kings have a history of developing young talent, and Siddarth will be hoping to follow that path in IPL 2025.

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2. Robin Minz (Mumbai Indians)

Robin Minz was supposed to make his IPL debut in 2024 with Gujarat Titans, but a road accident ruled him out of the season. Even though he couldn’t play, his talent was clear, and Mumbai Indians picked him up for ₹65 lakh more than twice his base price of ₹30 lakh.

The wicketkeeper-batter from Jharkhand is known for his power-hitting, with a strike rate of 181 in T20s, though he has only played a few matchesin first-class . He has already impressed in domestic cricket, and MI’s belief in him shows they see him as a potential game-changer this IPL season.

1.Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals)

Biggest surprises of the IPL 2025 auction was Rajasthan Royals picking up 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi for ₹1.1 crore. Born in 2011, he is now the youngest player in IPL history.

Even at such a young age, the left-handed batter has already made a strong impression in youth cricket in the U-19 Tournament. He smashed a 58-ball century for India U-19 against Australia and he was the top scorer in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup, scoring 176 runs in five matches. He even made his first-class debut for Bihar when he was just 12 years old. Now, all eyes will be on him as Rajasthan Royals give him a chance to shine on the big stage like IPL.

The 18-year-old left-arm fast bowler Kwena Maphaka is set to make his Test debut in the second or last Test of the home series against Pakistan at Cape Town, starting on Friday (January 3).

South Africa have already advanced to the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship Final, while they won the thrilling Test series opener by two wickets at Centurion. 

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South African playing XI replacement for the Cape Town Test

South Africa have made three changes in the playing XI for the Cape Town Test, where the teenage Maphaka is set to replace Dane Paterson, who claimed a fifer in the first innings of the latest Centurion Test. The other changes will be Wiaan Mulder replacing injured opener Tony de Zorzi and injury-recovered Keshav Maharaj replacing seamer Corbin Bosch.

Kwena Maphaka has impressed in his early career

In the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2024, Maphaka won the Player of the Tournament award after finishing the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets. In the IPL 2024, Maphaka made his IPL debut and played two games for Mumbai Indians, where he picked up one wicket.

Maphaka has already played two ODIs and five T20Is, where the left-arm fast bowler has taken five and three wickets, respectively. He made his T20I debut when South Africa toured the West Indies last August and his ODI debut during the latest home ODI series against Pakistan. At the age of 18 years and 137 days, he became the youngest South African to make an international cricket debut. 

Maphaka has played three first-class matches, where he delivered 60.5 overs and picked up 13 wickets. As most of the regular Proteas fast bowlers are injured, the teenage fast bowler has a great chance to show his talent in world cricket at an early age.

South African playing XI for the Cape Town Test

Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (C), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(WK), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka

Gujarat Titans (GT) have designated Sandeep Warrier as the replacement for Shami in the forthcoming edition of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians (MI) have enlisted Kwena Maphaka, the U19 World Cup standout, in lieu of Dilshan Madushanka.

According to a media release from the IPL governing body, Shami, the Indian fast bowler, recently underwent successful surgery for a heel issue and is presently on the path to recovery. Sandeep Warrier, with five IPL appearances to his credit, previously represented Kolkata Knight Riders between 2019 and 2021. Despite being part of the Mumbai Indians squad in IPL 2023, he didn’t feature in any matches.

From U19 Sensation to IPL Debut

Regarding Madushanka’s absence, the governing body confirmed his withdrawal from TATA IPL 2024 due to injury. South Africa’s U19 World Cup standout, Kwena Maphaka, renowned for his left-arm pace, will fill in for him. Maphaka, hailed as the Player of the Tournament at the recent ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, impressed with his exceptional performance, claiming 21 wickets in six matches at a remarkable average of 9.71, showcasing lethal yorkers that troubled opposing batters.

Shami’s injury saga dates back to the ODI World Cup 2023, where he persisted despite an ankle injury. Following surgery for his Achilles tendon in London, Shami has returned to India, expressing gratitude for the support received during his recovery journey on social media.

As for Madushanka, the Sri Lankan pacer’s unavailability was anticipated since sustaining a hamstring injury during the second ODI against Bangladesh. However, his absence from the IPL further solidifies as he is ruled out of the tournament.

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