Top 10 Failed Retained Players in IPL 2025
This IPL season had its fair share of surprises - some fresh faces made a big impact, while a few big names didn’t quite live up to the hype. Many star players, retained for hefty sums, struggled to perform when it mattered most. Fans were hoping for fireworks, but some of these high-priced cricketers fell short with either the bat or ball. Here’s a look at some big-money players who couldn’t justify their price tags.
Big Names, Low Impact: High-Price Players Who Disappointed
1. Rashid Khan
Gujarat Titans showed huge faith in Rashid Khan by retaining him for ₹18 crore expecting him to be their game-changer once again. But the Afghan superstar had an unusually quiet season. In 14 matches, he picked up just 9 wickets with a high bowling average of 53.7. Opposing batters played him smartly, choosing to defend rather than take risks and Rashid couldn’t find his usual rhythm in the middle overs. For a player known to turn games on his own, this season was well below par.
2. Rohit Sharma
Mumbai Indians trusted Rohit Sharma with a big ₹16.3 crore deal. He scored 418 runs in 15 matches with a decent average of 29.8. But for a senior player, fans expected more. He got good starts but couldn’t turn them into big scores often and MI didn’t have a great season overall.
3. Nitish Kumar Reddy
Retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹6 crores after a strong last season. However, this year he scored only 182 runs in 11 matches with an average of 22.7 and a strike rate of 118.99. He also took just 2 wickets in 3 games. His poor form hurt SRH’s campaign.
4. Tilak Varma
Bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹8 crores. After scoring two international centuries earlier expectations were high. But he scored just 343 runs in 13 innings with an average of 31.2. His slow scoring rate was a concern, and he was even replaced during a match due to underperformance.
5. Rajat Patidar
Retained by RCB for ₹11 crores. He began the season well but his form dropped in the second half. He averaged only 23.8. However, as captain, he led RCB to their first final in nine years – his leadership was a silver lining.
6. Shimron Hetmyer
A big hitter for Rajasthan Royals, but had a poor season. He scored just 239 runs in 13 innings averaging 21.7. He couldn’t finish games and didn’t meet expectations as a match-winner.
7. Shivam Dube
CSK paid ₹12 crores to keep him expecting fireworks. But he managed only 35 runs in 14 innings. He struggled badly especially against spin and failed to contribute with the bat.
8. Andre Russell
A powerful all-rounder retained by KKR for ₹12 crores. But this season, he scored only 167 runs in 10 innings and didn’t shine with the ball either. His inconsistency was a major letdown.
9. Matheesha Pathirana
CSK’s young pace star was kept for ₹13 crores. Expectations were high, but he got only 13 wickets in 12 matches. His impact was far less than what the team had hoped for.
10. Rinku Singh
A fan-favorite, retained by KKR for ₹13 crores. He scored just 206 runs in 11 innings with an average of 29.4. He couldn’t play his usual aggressive role and was not as effective this time.
Other Underperformers
Apart from the big names above, players like Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal Gaikwad, Mayank Yadav and Rishabh Pant also had average seasons. Though not all were paid as much, they were expected to do better. Their inconsistency added to the trend of underperformance this season. This shows that high price tags and past reputation don’t always lead to match-winning performances.
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