5 players who are potentially wrong fit for their teams

The IPL 2025 mega auction took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24th and 25th. It was a highly priced auction with some unexpected decisions made by the teams. All 10 teams have now secured the core of their squads for the next three seasons. This edition is going to be challenging, with all teams packed with top-tier players. However, despite the strong line-ups, some good players seem to have ended up with the wrong franchises, based on team combinations. Let’s look at five players who might find themselves on the bench and not as useful for their respective franchises.

Harry Brook

Delhi Capitals acquired English batter Harry Brook once again. Brook, who played his first IPL season in 2023 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, scored a total of 190 runs in 11 matches, a disappointing tally. Sunrisers Hyderabad released him, and Delhi Capitals picked him up. Having missed the previous season due to injury, he’s now back with Delhi Capitals, but given his unimpressive record in India, particularly in the IPL, he may end up warming the bench.

Kumar Kushagra

Kumar Kushagra, who made headlines last year playing for Delhi Capitals, may not be the ideal fit for Gujarat Titans this year. Gujarat already has wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, who is undoubtedly going to be in the playing XI. Kumar Kushagra had a lackluster performance last year with Delhi Capitals, scoring just 3 runs in four matches, making him a questionable choice for any franchise this season.

Anuj Rawat

Anuj Rawat shone with Royal Challengers Bangalore last season, playing some decent cricket by scoring 98 runs in five matches. However, this year, Gujarat Titans picked him up as a wicketkeeper. With a strong retained core, particularly in the top order, it’s unlikely that Anuj Rawat will get a spot in the playing XI.

Devdutt Padikkal

After going unsold in the first round, Devdutt Padikkal was brought back by his former team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, in the second round for his base price of 2 crore. Though included in the squad, it’s clear from the auction that he is not a first-choice player for RCB, which makes his presence on the team not particularly beneficial.

Arjun Tendulkar

Mumbai Indians, the only team expected to bid for Arjun Tendulkar, successfully secured him. As a left-arm medium-fast bowler, Arjun is likely to spend much time on the bench this season. Mumbai Indians boast a formidable bowling lineup, including Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, and Deepak Chahar. Additionally, they have Hardik Pandya as a versatile bowling option for the middle overs. Given these circumstances, picking Arjun Tendulkar may not prove advantageous for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025.