Here are the players who have the skills to change matches on a dime in IPL 2025.
As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 looms closer, the excitement to see veteran stars and domestic talent is palpable. However, there is always room for one overseas talent relatively unknown to Indian fans to make a big difference to their team’s fortunes.
Here we look at five of those talented individuals who can quickly become fan favorites in IPL 2025.
Bought by Punjab Kings for INR 80 lakh, just above his base price, Xavier Bartlett might be the find of the season for the franchise desperately looking to qualify for the playoffs. Bartlett finally came to the fore in the Big Bash League (BBL) years after struggling with back injuries. He finished as the top wicket-taker in the 2023-24 BBL with 20 wickets from 11 matches. He followed it up with another excellent 2024-25 season with 12 wickets from nine matches. Even though he can be expensive at death, Bartlett can bowl devastating spells that can turn a match on its head.
Touted to be the next Mitchell Starc of Australia for his tall build, cannonball-like left-arm action, and swinging ability, Spencer Johnson found a place in the recent Champions Trophy 2025 squad and claimed four wickets from three games.
Johnson was in excellent touch in the BBL 2024-25 with 13 wickets from seven matches. He is slowly making his case to be an all-phase bowler but is the most effective with the new ball and in the middle overs which will come in handy for Kolkata Knight Riders who have signed him for INR 2.8 crore.
Back in November when Mumbai Indians bought Bevon Jacobs for INR 30 lakh, he was relatively unknown. But soon after New Zealand’s Super Smash was over, it was clear why the burly Kiwi hitter was picked up by the five-time champions.
Jacobs was the fifth-highest runscorer in the competition scoring 263 runs from eight matches at a strike rate of 140. His innings against Northern Districts stood out. He walked in at a score of 52/4 and smashed an unbeaten 90 off just 56 balls which included eight boundaries and four sixes.
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Josh Inglis isn’t exactly the top priority for Australia despite being a talented batter and would be benched by Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, that is what many thought until the Sri Lanka series. The 30-year-old made a statement on his Test debut in Galle with a 94-ball 102 which included 10 boundaries and a six.
Soon enough, he was instrumental in Australia’s campaign opener in the Champions Trophy 2025 against England as his 120 not out off 86 balls including six sixes and eight boundaries helped them chase 352 runs with ease. What’s impressive about Inglis is his ability to rapidly up the scoring once he is set.
It took some time since the November auction, but it made sense why Sunrisers Hyderabad had splashed INR 1.2 crore on a 23-year-old Sri Lankan named Eshan Malinga. Known for his economical spells in the shortest format and an average hovering around 18, Malinga made a great first impression in his debut series against New Zealand.
In the third ODI, he bowled seven overs and claimed 3-35 which included a maiden. During the home series against Australia, he maintained his economy at three in both matches. In the SA20, he played three games and claimed four wickets at an economy of eight.
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