The IPL 2025 Mega Auction saw intense bidding, with Rishabh Pant becoming the most expensive player at ₹27 crores to Lucknow Super Giants. The new Impact Player rule reduced all-rounder values, while power hitters received high bids, reflecting a shift in T20 cricket.
The ranking of IPL 2025 teams now depends on their squad balance, star players, and depth after the auction. Franchises focused on explosive batting and tactical flexibility, reshaping the league’s structure.
Let’s look at the Ranking of IPL 2025 Teams from Strongest to Weakest Squads
10. LSG
Despite breaking the record for the most expensive IPL buy with Rishabh Pant, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) still have some clear weaknesses in their squad.
First, who will be LSG’s openers? With Nicholas Pooran retained and new signings like Pant, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, and Aiden Markram, their middle-order looks strong and explosive.
However, it’s likely that one or both of Markram and Marsh may have to open the batting unless the team has a secret plan we don’t know about yet. The last-minute pick-up of South African opener Matthew Breetzke suggests the franchise may have made a mistake with their top-order selection.
LSG also bought only six overseas players, so they will depend on Indian bowlers, both pace and spin. While their potential bowling lineup of Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Avesh Khan, and Akash Deep, with Shamar Joseph as the only overseas bowler, has potential, it lacks IPL experience and pedigree.
Verdict: The strong middle-order might not be enough to cover for a questionable top-order and a bowling attack that’s not very intimidating.
Squad: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant, David Miller, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Avesh Khan, Abdul Samad, Aryan Juyal, Akash Deep, Himmat Singh, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Singh, Shamar Joseph, Prince Yadav, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Arshin Kulkarni, and Matthew Breetzke.
9. RCB
RCB’s loyal fans might not agree with their team being ranked so low, but their auction performance reflected their on-field performance last season—starting weak but making a strong recovery.
RCB kept only three players and had a big budget, but they failed to get top Indian players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, or KL Rahul. They also chose not to use the Right-To-Match (RTM) for well-known players like Mohammed Siraj, Glenn Maxwell, and Will Jacks. Instead, they used RTM to pick the less experienced Swapnil Singh in the later stages of the auction.
Virat Kohli and Phil Salt will make a great opening pair, but No. 3 remains a big question. The middle-order options—Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, and Romario Shepherd—are strong, but some might be pushed too high in the order. If Devdutt Padikkal bats at No. 3, it could slow down the scoring rate.
Another problem is the lack of a solid Indian or overseas left-hander, which led RCB to pick England’s Jacob Bethell late in the auction. Krunal Pandya’s role becomes very important as the only recognized Indian left-hander, even though batting isn’t his main skill.
RCB also has a weak spin department, with Pandya being their most experienced spinner. The young duo of Suyash Sharma and Swapnil Singh are the next options.
On the plus side, RCB improved their pace attack by signing Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Rasikh Dar Salam, along with retaining Yash Dayal.
Verdict: RCB has a strong batting lineup and pace attack, but lacks versatility in both batting and spin bowling.
Squad: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, and Mohit Rathee.
8. RR
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) made a big effort to keep their core team strong by retaining six players before the auction. However, their performance during the two-day auction was not great, leading to weak backup options and a heavy reliance on overseas bowlers who are often injured.
On the positive side, RR added Nitish Rana, a valuable addition to their strong batting lineup, which already includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Shimron Hetmyer. But their dependence on Wanindu Hasaranga as the best all-rounder shows how much they rely on the Impact Player rule.
In terms of bowling, the spin department will likely be led by the Sri Lankan duo of Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, as they lack a top Indian spinner besides Kumar Kartikeya.
Their pace attack looks strong with Jofra Archer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sandeep Sharma, and Tushar Deshpande. However, Archer and Hasaranga have had fitness problems recently, and Teekshana’s performance in IPL 2024 was not great.
RR also has only six overseas players in their squad, which is risky in an era where players often get injured.
Verdict: They have a solid starting XI, but the lack of strong backup options and top Indian spinners could lead to problems if key players struggle with form or injuries.
Squad: Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Nitish Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kwena Maphaka, Kunal Rathore, and Ashok Sharma.
7. SRH
SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), IPL 2024’s runner-up, retained key players but faced issues with spinners and their lower-middle order. These challenges could impact their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
To address the spin problem, SRH signed Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, and Kamindu Mendis, though the lower-middle order still needs work. This could affect their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
With Ishan Kishan joining the squad, SRH’s top five players form a solid lineup. However, early wickets could leave them depending on their lower-middle order, impacting their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
Abhinav Manohar and Mendis add depth, but not much more than Abdul Samad and Shahbaz Ahmed. This could hurt their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
SRH’s main XI is strong with players like Pat Cummins and Mohammed Shami, but their bench strength could become a concern. A weak bench may affect their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
If their batting and bench depth aren’t improved, SRH’s ranking of IPL 2025 teams might suffer.
Verdict: The issues with the lower-middle order and lack of bench strength in spin-bowling and batting could hurt an otherwise powerful team.
Squad: Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Mohammad Shami, Harshal Patel, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Simarjeet Singh, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Brydon Carse, Kamindu Mendis, Aniket Verma, Eshan Malinga, and Sachin Baby.
6. PBKS
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) had one of their best IPL auctions in years, but there are still a few areas that could impact their performance and affect the ranking of IPL 2025 teams. With the biggest budget, PBKS made Shreyas Iyer their top pick, and he is expected to take on the captaincy. This decision could influence the overall ranking of IPL 2025 teams, especially with his leadership skills.
The team also strengthened their bowling attack by bringing back the talented Arshdeep Singh and adding Yuzvendra Chahal. These moves are likely to have a significant impact on the ranking of IPL 2025 teams, especially in the bowling department, which had been a concern in the past.
As expected, PBKS signed several Australian players, with Ricky Ponting as head coach. Former PBKS players Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis were re-signed, and the addition of Aaron Hardie and Xavier Barlett only bolsters the team. These signings should positively affect the ranking of IPL 2025 teams, enhancing both their batting and leadership.
The team’s smart acquisitions of all-rounders Marco Jansen and Azmatullah Omarzai help add balance to the squad. With a powerful top order and a solid bowling lineup, they are looking to improve their ranking of IPL 2025 teams. However, their bowling attack could lack experience beyond Arshdeep and Chahal, with Harpreet Brar and Vyshak Vijaykumar expected to take on more responsibility.
PBKS could also face challenges with their opening pair, as Josh Inglis or Marcus Stoinis might need to open with the talented but inconsistent Prabhsimran Singh. How this plays out could influence their ranking of IPL 2025 teams in terms of batting depth and consistency.
Verdict: A balanced squad with strong bowling and top-order batting, but some concerns in the opening and bowling department.
Squad: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Marco Jansen, Josh Inglis, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Kuldeep Sen, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Pyla Avinash, and Pravin Dubey.
5. DC
The Delhi Capitals (DC) have made smart moves in the IPL 2025 auction, with only a few minor concerns. Ranking of IPL 2025 teams will likely favor their improved squad.
Retaining Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav strengthens their spin department, though concerns about depth remain. The ranking of IPL 2025 teams will consider this factor.
DC’s acquisition of explosive opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and IPL star KL Rahul strengthens their top order. This could boost their ranking in IPL 2025.
Faf du Plessis adds depth to the middle order, with Abishek Porel, Axar Patel, and Ashutosh Sharma further strengthening DC’s batting. Their ranking will depend on batting consistency.
The pace attack of Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, and Mukesh Kumar gives DC an edge. Ranking of IPL 2025 teams will reflect this.
Backup players like Dushmanta Chameera and Karun Nair make DC one of the most balanced squads, impacting their IPL 2025 ranking.
Verdict: If they address the spin depth, DC could be a dominant team in an ideal scenario.
Squad:
Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul, Harry Brook, Jake Fraser-McGurk, T. Natarajan, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, Mukesh Kumar, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Dushmantha Chameera, Donovan Ferreira, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari.
4. GT
The Gujarat Titans (GT) are shaping up to be one of the top teams in IPL 2025. With Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler as openers, their batting looks strong. Ranking of IPL 2025 teams will reflect their top-order depth.
They’ve also retained middle-order players like Sai Sudharsan and Shahrukh Khan and added Rutherford and Glenn Phillips. Ranking of IPL 2025 teams will highlight their balanced batting.
Signing Washington Sundar to partner Rashid Khan strengthens their spin department. Ranking of IPL 2025 teams will benefit from this smart acquisition.
Their bowling attack, with Siraj, Krishna, and Rabada, looks solid, supported by backup options. Ranking of IPL 2025 teams will factor in their bowling strength.
However, concerns remain about their middle to lower-middle order and death bowling, which could affect their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
Verdict: Overall, GT’s world-class top order and balanced bowling attack, with excellent backups, should help them overcome any middle-order challenges.
Squad: Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Manav Suthar, Washington Sundar, Gerald Coetzee, Arshad Khan, Gurnoor Brar, Sherfane Rutherford, Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Glenn Phillips, Karim Janat, and Kulwant Khejroliya.
3. CSK
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) focused on creating a balanced squad for IPL 2025 rather than just picking big names. They retained key players and brought back Devon Conway to open with Ruturaj Gaikwad. Their middle order looks solid with Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Rachin Ravindra, and Vijay Shankar, supported by power hitters like Shivam Dube and finishers MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja. Ranking of IPL 2025 teams may reflect their depth and experience.
CSK also made nostalgic moves, re-signing Ravichandran Ashwin and Sam Curran to strengthen their all-rounder options. Their bowling attack now includes Khaleel Ahmed, with solid backup like Anshul Kamboj and Gurjapneet Singh. These changes add variety to their Indian pace attack, which could improve their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
Overseas picks Noor Ahmad and Nathan Ellis provide flexibility in team selection, ensuring depth in both batting and bowling. However, the lack of world-class pacers and a tested middle order might affect their ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
Verdict: CSK have plenty of options with players suited to different conditions, but the lack of standout players in certain areas remains a worry.
Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Rachin Ravindra, R. Ashwin, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rasheed, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.
2. MI
CSK’s lack of X-factor players contrasts with Mumbai Indians (MI), who boast a strong squad. Retaining stars like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah, MI’s smart auction moves, including signing Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner, strengthen their position in the ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
With players like Deepak Chahar and Will Jacks, MI’s depth, including mystery spinner Allah Ghazanfar and veteran Karn Sharma, boosts their chances in the ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
With a solid starting XI and a balanced bench, MI looks set to challenge for their sixth IPL title, improving their rank in the ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
Verdict: Despite a slightly thin bench, MI should have a strong comeback year and be among the top contenders for IPL 2025.
Squad: Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Allah Ghazanfar, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Krishnan Shrijith, Raj Angad Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams, and Vignesh Puthur.
1. KKR
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) focused on retaining key players from their IPL 2024 championship-winning team, which boosts their position in the ranking of IPL 2025 teams. They managed to keep over 10 players, despite missing out on Phil Salt, Shreyas Iyer, and Mitchell Starc. In their place, KKR signed Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell, and Ajinkya Rahane.
Their powerful lineup, including Sunil Narine, De Kock, Venkatesh Iyer, and Andre Russell, is supported by a strong bowling attack. With backup options like Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Manish Pandey, and Umran Malik, KKR looks ready to defend their title and could become the third team to win back-to-back IPL championships. Despite the absence of Shreyas Iyer as captain, their leadership and squad strength make them a top contender in the ranking of IPL 2025 teams.
Verdict: With a good captain, KKR has a strong chance of winning the IPL again in 2025.
Squad: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich Nortje, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, and Umran Malik.
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