IPL 2025: Flop team of the season

At the halfway mark of IPL 2025, here’s a look at 12 cricketers who have been big letdowns for their respective franchises. In keeping with IPL guidelines, there are four overseas players in this team and an Impact Player as well … though in this case, that would be a Non-Impact Player as it were. 

1 ROHIT SHARMA (MUMBAI INDIANS)

It took seven innings for Rohit Sharma to get past the Powerplay overs and to his first half-century of IPL 2025, and as heartening as his match-winning 76 not off from 46 balls was against Chennai Super Kings, the inconsistency and inability to deliver starts has let Mumbai Indians down. 

Prior to Sunday’s match, Rohit averaged 13.66 from six games and had faced just 57 deliveries. The average has now jumped over 26 thanks to that unbeaten 76, and Rohit’s strike-rate is a very healthy 154. But 158 runs from seven innings is a disappointment, by his standards. 

2 JAKE FRASER-MCGURK (DELHI CAPITALS)

Young Australian opener Jake Fraser-McGurk entered this IPL season in poor form and the trend continued for six games for Delhi Capitals. The 23-year-old tallied 52 runs from six innings with a best of 38, averaging 9.16 at a strike-rate of just under 106. Fraser-McGurk was eventually dropped for Delhi’s previous match. 

3 ISHAN KISHAN (SUNRISERS HYDERABAD)

If you’re wondering why a talented cricketer like Ishan Kishan, who started his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad with a century at a strike-rate of over 200 is doing in this list at one-down, do read on. Since he smashed 106* on his SRH debut back on March 23, Kishan has four single-digit scores and a duck to his name. After seven innings, he has 139 runs at an average of 27 and if you set aside his century, Kishan has managed a meagre 32 runs in six innings. 

4 RISHABH PANT (LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS)

The new Lucknow Super Giants’ captain, and the costliest IPL player of all time at Rs 27 crore, has not been anywhere near optimum level. Rishabh Pant averages 15 after seven innings, with one half-century and three single-digit scores. His shot selection and temperament have been detrimental to LSG’s cause, despite the franchise having won five of eight games, and Pant, at the age of 27, has done little to enhance his reputation as a questionable T20 batsman.  

5 GLENN MAXWELL (PUNJAB KINGS)

Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell is enduring one of his poorest IPL seasons, so much so that he was benched for Punjab Kings’ last two matches. Maxwell managed 41 runs in five innings, out of which 30 came in one knock, for an average of 8.20. His bowling has been handier for PBKS, with four wickets coming from Maxwell’s six games with an economy rate of 8.46.

6 MARCUS STOINIS (PUNJAB KINGS)

Maxwell’s compatriot Marcus Stoinis has not fared much better for PBKS: seven games, six innings, 67 runs at an average of 16.75. Poor returns indeed, and Stoinis’ bowling has been terribly ineffective as well. He’s bowled 10.4 overs without managing a single wicket and has been expensive with an economy rate of 11.53. 

7 AXAR PATEL (DELHI CAPITALS)

His team Delhi Capitals sits at second on the points table, but skipper Axar Patel is having a tough season personally. A highly valued allrounder, and one of the few players the DC owners retained with an eye on the future, Axar has managed one wicket from seven matches and has an economy rate of 9.36. With the bat, he’s consistently batted in the top five but barring two cameos he’s struggled. In six innings, Axar has tallied 140 runs for an average of 23.33 and a strike-rate of 159. These would be very acceptable T20 batting stats for an allrounder at No 7, but not someone routinely walking in at No 4 and 5. 

8 RASHID KHAN

One of five layers to be retained by Gujarat Titans, Rashid Khan has struggled this season. This year the Afghanistan spinner has been easily picked and expensive, as an economy rate of 9.73 shows. After seven matches, Rashid has just four wickets at 63.25 apiece and he’s been taking a wicket every 39 deliveries. 

9 R ASHWIN (CHENNAI SUPER KINGS)

Back to where he started in the IPL all those years ago, Ravichandran Ashwin’s homecoming has not been a successful one so far. His seven matches have seen him bowl 24 overs, the result being five wickets at 44.60 each and an economy rate of 9.29. The start was promising, but Ashwin’s predictable bowling has seen even teenaged IPL batsmen tear into him, not to mention a clinical takedown from Rajasthan Royals’ Nitish Rana. Most worrying for CSK is how often Ashwin has conceded runs inside the Powerplay overs. 

10 MOHAMMED SHAMI (SUNRISERS HYDERABAD)

After an iffy Champions Trophy, Mohammed Shami has been off the boil for his new franchise SRH in the IPL. His seven matches have produced only five wickets at a cost of 52 runs each and he’s going at 10.87 an over. Barring a couple good spells, Shami’s lengths have been very poor and that has resulted in some expensive overs, most startling being the 75 runs he conceded from four against PBKS. 

11 SANDEEP SHARMA (RAJASTHAN ROYALS)

He’s had a couple catches put down off his bowling, but overall, Sandeep Sharma has cut a poor figure for Rajasthan Royals. Six wickets after eight matches at an average of 47.16 each and an economy rate of 9.92 are not flattering numbers. The concern is how predictable Sandeep has become at the death, and how many wides he’s started to concede.

12 RAHUL TRIPATHI

Rahul Tripathi has cobbled together 55 runs off 57 deliveries with a highest of 23 for his new franchise, CSK.