Brevis in; MI ace out: Predicting IPL retention chances of replacement players before auction

Dewald Brevis in IPL 2025 (Source: AFP)

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season was full of surprises, with multiple teams forced to bring in replacement players due to injuries and other last-minute concerns. However, several of these replacements grabbed their opportunities with both hands, delivering match-winning performances. 

As teams prepare for the IPL 2026 retention and auction, a few of these replacement players have made a strong case to be retained. Let's look at how each franchise's replacements fared and who is likely to continue.

All injury replacement players in IPL 2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Replacement: Mayank Agarwal for Devdutt Padikkal

RCB brought in experienced opener Mayank Agarwal as a replacement for Devdutt Padikkal, who suffered a hamstring injury midway through IPL 2025. Mayank scored 95 crucial runs in 4 matches, providing some much-needed stability at the top.

Although Padikkal had decent numbers, 247 runs in 10 games in RCB’s title-winning season. With Mayank’s experience, it might tempt RCB to keep him as a backup; however, if it's not wrong to say that Mayank Agarwal was Padikkal's like-for-like replacement. So RCB will not want to keep two of the same players, so if they choose one, Bengaluru might part ways with Agarwal.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Replacement: Ayush Mhatre for Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dewald Brevis for Gurjapneet Singh, and Urvil Patel for Vansh Bedi.

CSK had three replacement players in IPL 2025, and all made an impact.

• Ayush Mhatre: Came in for injured skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and smashed 240 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 188.97. His explosive starts at the top make him a strong retention candidate. The way he has performed and filled the void left by Gaikwad leaves no doubt that CSK might retain him. 
• Dewald Brevis: Replaced pacer Gurjapneet Singh and made 225 runs in six games at an average of 37.5 and a strike rate of 180.00. His middle-order aggression gives CSK an extra edge.
• Urvil Patel: Came in for Vansh Bedi and made 68 runs in three matches with a strike rate of 212.50. His fearless batting and power-hitting potential could make him a long-term CSK investment. So there are high chances that CSK might retain Urvil Patel for the next season as well.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Replacement: Shardul Thakur for Mohsin Khan

LSG signed Shardul Thakur for ₹2 crore after Mohsin Khan suffered an ACL tear. Shardul picked up 13 wickets in 10 matches, providing balance to the bowling lineup. Given his impact and reasonable price tag (INR 2 crore), Thakur is almost certain to be retained by LSG ahead of the next auction.

Mumbai Indians (MI)

Replacement: Corbin Bosch for Lizaad Williams, Raghu Sharma for Vignesh Puthur and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for Allah Ghazanfar. 

Mumbai Indians used three replacements in IPL 2025.

• Corbin Bosch: Brought in for Lizaad Williams, Bosch’s all-round abilities made an immediate difference. In just three matches, he impressed with both bat and ball. His versatility makes him a likely retention candidate. 
• Raghu Sharma: Signed as a replacement for Vignesh Puthur. Raghu did not play any match for Mumbai, so the franchise is expected to back Puthur instead. He had a memorable debut earlier this season, picking up three wickets against CSK. In all, he took six wickets in five games at an economy rate of 9.08.
• Mujeeb-ur-Rahman: MI picked Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for Rs 2 crore as a replacement for Allah Ghazanfar, who was ruled out of the IPL 2025 season due to an injury. However, it is important to mention that he just played one match. With Ghazanfar offering more long-term value, MI may release Mujeeb before IPL 2026.

Overall, Bosch stands out as MI’s most likely retained replacement.

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Replacement: Mitchell Owen for Glenn Maxwell.

Mitchell Owen was brought in after Glenn Maxwell was ruled out with a broken finger. Although Owen played only one match, taking a look at his stats in T20Is in 2025, he has played 13 games and made 163 runs at a strike-rate of 158.25. With Maxwell struggling with poor form, PBKS could decide to retain Owen over the veteran all-rounder.

(Glenn Maxwell stats in IPL 2025)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Replacement: Chetan Sakariya for Umran Malik

Left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya played just one match for KKR without much impact in IPL 2025. Umran Malik, too, has struggled with injuries. Considering both players’ limited availability and form, KKR might release both before IPL 2026.

Gujarat Titans (GT)

Replacement: Dasun Shanaka for Glenn Phillips

GT signed Dasun Shanaka for ₹75 lakh after Glenn Phillips was sidelined with a groin injury. However, Shanaka did not play a single game in IPL 2025. So there are chances that GT might release Shanaka and retain Phillips before the 2026 auction. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Replacement: Smaran Ravichandran, Adam Zampa and Brydon Carse got injured. SRH brought Harsh Dubey and Wiaan Mulder as replacements. 

• Harsh Dubey: Smaran Ravichandran was part of the SRH squad earlier this year, bought for Rs 30 lakh, but he was sidelined from IPL 2025 due to injury. Harsh Dubey took his place and in his first IPL season, he took five wickets, including a three-wicket haul against KKR. Given his impressive performance at a reasonable price, SRH may choose to retain him. 
• Wiaan Mulder: Wiaan Mulder joined SRH for Rs 75 lakh as an injury replacement but played only one match. It is worth noting that Mulder is a versatile all-rounder who will add much-needed depth and fire to SRH's lineup for the upcoming season. So it can be said that SRH might retain Mulder.

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Replacement: Sediqullah Atal for Harry Brook

Afghan batter Sediqullah Atal replaced Harry Brook, who withdrew due to personal reasons. Atal played only one game, scoring 22 runs. With Delhi already stacked with openers like KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, and Abishek Porel, DC may not retain Atal for the next season. 

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Replacements: Lhuan-Dre Pretorius for Nitish Rana and Nandre Burger for Sandeep Sharma.

(Lhuan-Dre Pretorius stats in T20 2025)

• Lhuan-Dre Pretorius came in for Nitish Rana and showed glimpses of his talent. Rana played 11 matches and made 217 runs at an average of 21.70 in IPL 2025. So, Pretorius’ retention depends on team balance and he could be retained as a young backup.

(Nandre Burger stats in T20 2025)

• Nandre Burger replaced Sandeep Sharma and has impressed with his pace and ability to swing the ball in international cricket. Given his new-ball bowling skills and recent form, Burger is likely to be retained ahead of IPL 2026.

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