An IPL season that follows a mega auction rarely plays out as predicted. With reshaped squads, fresh coaching combinations, and the unpredictability of form and fitness, every franchise starts with more questions than answers. The 2025 edition — the league’s 18th — was no different.
It ended with a new champion for the first time since 2022.
RCB’s red-letter day
Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched its maiden IPL title, winning a thrilling final against Punjab Kings by six runs in Ahmedabad on June 3. It was RCB’s first appearance in a final since 2016, and it sealed the deal thanks to a well-rounded squad built through a sharp auction strategy — a distinct shift from its traditionally batting-heavy line-ups.
Led by Rajat Patidar, the team finally found the bowling depth it long lacked. RCB’s biggest buy was Josh Hazlewood, acquired for Rs 12.5 crore. The Australian quick justified every rupee, taking 22 wickets at an economy of 8.77 and a strike rate of 12. His total bowling impact (+49.2) was the fourth-highest in the league.
Phil Salt, another marquee signing at Rs 11.5 crore, won his second consecutive IPL title after scoring 403 runs at a strike rate of 175.98. The English opener’s explosive starts in the PowerPlay set the tone for RCB’s innings. His batting impact score of +90.6 ranked 10th in the league.
High price, low returns
It was a mixed bag for some of the auction’s top earners.
Rishabh Pant, the most expensive player in IPL history (Rs 27 crore to LSG), struggled throughout. He scored 269 runs in 14 games at an average of 24.45 — his worst season since debuting in 2016. His batting impact was a dismal -18.8, with 118 of his runs coming in a single match against RCB.
Shreyas Iyer, however, proved value for money. Bought for Rs 26.75 crore by Punjab Kings, he led the team to its first final since 2014. Iyer scored 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 and notched up a batting impact of +140.2 — the third-highest of the season.
Venkatesh Iyer, KKR’s Rs 23.75 crore acquisition, had a season to forget. He scored just 142 runs in 11 matches (average: 20.29), with a batting impact of -4.1. He wasn’t used with the ball either, continuing a three-season trend in which he bowled just one over — and that went for 28 runs.
Other big-ticket players — Arshdeep Singh, Jos Buttler, K.L. Rahul and Trent Boult — had solid individual campaigns and delivered key performances for their teams.
The rise of the uncapped
The real story of the 2025 IPL was the emergence of uncapped Indian players. Though batting-friendly conditions were expected, surfaces offered enough help for bowlers to ensure balance. And it was the Indian domestic stars — familiar with these conditions — who proved vital.
Punjab Kings benefitted the most from its domestic batting core:
Prabhsimran Singh (Rs 4 crore): +88.9 impact
Shashank Singh (Rs 4 crore): +60.1
Nehal Wadhera (Rs 4.2 crore): +67.3
Priyansh Arya (Rs 3.8 crore): +83.1
Elsewhere, Naman Dhir (MI) cemented his finisher tag with a +58 impact.
Teenagers Vaibhav Suryavanshi (14, RR) and Ayush Mhatre (17, CSK) stood out in tough seasons for their franchises, with impact scores of +70.9 and +48.9, respectively.
On the bowling front
Jaydev Unadkat (SRH, Rs 1 crore) had a resurgence, finishing with an impact of +36.
Anshul Kamboj (CSK, Rs 3 crore) impressed in the PowerPlay (+22.2).
Vipraj Nigam (DC), Digvesh Rathi (LSG), and Ashwani Kumar (MI) shared 36 wickets in their debut seasons, even if their net impact was negative.
Scouting’s silent revolution
With data from domestic T20 leagues expanding and the format evolving fast, IPL franchises seem more reliant than ever on their scouting systems. The trust in local talent — and a gradual shift away from international dependence — bodes well not just for the league, but for Indian cricket’s broader T20 ecosystem.
Note to readers:
The batting and bowling impact scores for IPL 2025 have been sourced from CricViz.
These scores are based on the Match Impact model, which evaluates every ball using context-specific data — including venue conditions and the average performance levels in a given match.
Each ball is assigned a plus or minus score, based on the actual and expected runs scored and the summation in considered for an innings. This provides a more accurate measure of a player’s influence on the game beyond just traditional stats.
