Rishabh Pant To Captain MS Dhoni; IPL 2025 Flop XI After League Stage



Rishabh Pant and Dhoni - (Source : AP)Rishabh Pant and Dhoni - (Source : AP)

IPL 2025 is ready for the next stage of the tournament as the group stage matches were completed on May 27 after RCB beat LSG at the Ekana Stadium. Now only four teams remain active in the tournament, while the eliminated six teams need to reevaluate their strategies and come back stronger next year. 

Talking about the eliminated teams, several star players failed to live upto the expectations and also looked pale shadow of their past versions. Meanwhile, this article will shed light on the flop XI of the eliminated teams. 

Openers

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Quinton De Kock (DC And KKR)

The ongoing season has been a forgetful one for Delhi Capitals' Jake Fraser-McGurk and KKR's Quinton De Kock. Notably, McGurk was dropped midway through the season for his slump with the bat. The Australia batter has amassed just 55 runs in six innings and averaged 9.17. 

Criterion
Data
Innings6
Runs55
Average9.16
Strike-Rate105.76

Talking about Kock, he too struggled for runs as the left-hand batter scored just 158 runs in eight innings this season, averaging 21.71. It is worth noting that De Kock started the tournament on a high as he scored an unbeaten 97 (61) vs RR, but besides that knock, the left-hand batter has no 30+ score in the season. 

No. 3 - Venkatesh Iyer (KKR)

KKR's Venkatesh Iyer is another star who struggled to justify his price-tag. Notably, the all-rounder, who was bought for 23.75 crores, failed to score runs and was even dropped from the side towards the business end of the tournament. 

The 30-year-old amassed 142 runs in seven innings and his best performance was a 60-runs knock against SRH. Further, Iyer was not even given the ball and just used as a batter in the entire tournament. 

Criterion
Data
Innings7
Runs142
Average20.29
Strike-Rate139.22

No. 4 - Rishabh Pant (LSG)

The LSG captain saved his best for the last as he slammed a century against RCB, but it was too late as his efforts couldn't save the Giants from crashing out of the tournament. It is worth noting that the southpaw has scored just 269 runs in 13 innings, averaging 243.45. 

Criterion
Data
Innings13
Runs269
Average24.45
Strike-Rate133.17

No. 5 - Deepak Hooda (CSK)

CSK spent 1.7 crores at the mega-auction to buy Deepak Hooda, who has been a total failure in IPL 2025 mega-auction. The right-arm all-rounder was dropped mid-way through the season for his failure with the bat. The 30-year-old has scored 31 runs in five innings, averaging 6.20.

Criterion
Data
Innings5
Runs31
Average6.20
Strike-Rate75.61

No. 6 - Nitish Kumar Reddy (SRH)

SRH's Nitish Kumar Reddy's performance has come as a shock to cricket fans. The SRH youngster, who won the emerging player of the year award, had a season to remember both with the bat and the ball. 

The right-hand batter has scored 182 runs in 11 innings, averaging 22.75. He also has two wickets in three innings and also gone for a economy of 9.40. 

Criterion
Data
Innings11
Runs182
Average22.75
Strike-Rate118.95

No. 7 - MS Dhoni (CSK)

MS Dhoni's legacy in IPL needs no introduction. The CSK legend has won five-titles with the club, but his IPL 2025 has not gone well as Thala failed to secure wins for his side and chase down targets just like he used to do in his mojo. 

Talking about Thala's performance in IPL 2025, the 43-year-old has scored 196 runs in 13 innings, averaging just 24.50. Further his best performance with the bat was unbeaten 30 (16) against RCB. 

No. 8 - Mohit Sharma (DC)

Delhi Capitals brought in IPL veteran Mohit Sharma to their squad to use his experience in the middle-overs. However, he failed to weave his magic and lacked the wicket-taking ability, which cost DC big time in the league stages. 

Notably, Mohit Sharma has taken just 2 wickets in eight innings, at an economy of 10.28. He has gone six matches in the tournament wicketless. 

No. 9 - Mohammed Shami (SRH)

Another star bowler who failed to live up to his best was Sunrisers Hyderabad's Mohammed Shami. The right-arm seamer, who held the purple cap in IPL 2023, managed to take just six wickets in nine innings, his worst performance in years. 

Shami's best performance in the tournament was when he took two wickets in the match against Gujarat Titans, his former IPL franchise. 

No. 10 - R Ashwin (CSK)

It was a homecoming season for R Ashwin as the CSK star bowler was roped in for a whopping amount of 9.75 crores. However, the spinner disappointed the franchise and its fans as Ashwin managed to pick just 7 wickets in nine innings, only to be overshadowed by Noor Ahmed, who is one of the contenders to lead the wicket-taking charts. 

Criterion
Data
Innings9
Wickets
7
Economy
9.13
Strike-Rate26

No. 11 - Tushar Deshpande (RR)

Before the start of the tournament, Rajasthan Royals let go off star bowlers and bought in Tushar Deshpande to lead the bowling attack alongside Jofra Archer. Deshpande was leading the Indian bowling pack, but failed to carry the team's hopes. 

Notably, Deshpande has just nine wickets in 10 matches that has been a matter of grave concern for the inaugural winners.

Flop XI Of IPL 2025

Jake Fraser-McGurk, Quinton de Kock, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant  (C), Nitish Reddy, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Mohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Tushar Deshpande