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Indian Premier League - IPL
Last updated: January 26, 2025

IPL 2025 Player Watch: Wicketkeeper Woes For KKR, A Hidden Gem For SRH and Mumbai Indians’ Challenge

We take a look at how players from different IPL 2025 teams fared in leagues and matches the world over and analyse what their recent performances could mean for the franchises in the upcoming season.

Below is a glance into some of the performances of Indian Premier League players on January 25, 2025.

The following leagues/matches saw IPL players participate:

  • IND vs ENG 1st T20I
  • SA20 2024-25
  • ILT20 2024-25
  • Super Smash 2024-25

IPL 2025 Stars on January 25 Overview

Player League/Match IPL 2025 Franchise Scores Verdict
David Miller SA20 Lucknow Super Giants 29* (18)
Will Jacks SA20 Mumbai Indians 56 (53)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz SA20 KKR 6 (13)
Harry Brook IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Delhi Capitals 13 (8)
Phil Salt IND vs ENG 2nd T20I RCB 4 (3)
Jos Buttler IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Gujarat Titans 45 (30)
Suryakumar Yadav IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Mumbai Indians 12 (7)
Hardik Pandya IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Mumbai Indians 1/6 & 7 (6)
Sanju Samson IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Rajasthan Royals 5 (7)
Tilak Varma IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Mumbai Indians 72* (55)
Brydon Carse IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Sunrisers Hyderabad 31 (17) & 4-0-29-3
Jamie Overton IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Chennai Super Kings 2.2-0-20-1 & 5 (7)
Jofra Archer IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Rajasthan Royals 4-0-60-1
Liam Livingstone IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Royal Challengers Bangalore 13 (14) & 1/7
Quinton de Kock SA20 Kolkata Knight Riders 5 (8)
Trent Boult SA20 Mumbai Indians 4-0-16-1
Nicholas Pooran ILT20 Lucknow Super Giants 8 (7)
Dhruv Jurel IND vs ENG 2nd T20I Rajasthan Royals 4 (5)
Mitchell Santner Super Smash Mumbai Indians 4-0-31-0 & 4 (4)
Sam Curran ILT20 CSK 54* (34) & 0/26
Wanindu Hasaranga ILT20 Rajasthan Royals 3-0-31-1
Adam Zampa ILT20 SRH 3-0-31-0
Fazalhaq Farooqi ILT20 Rajasthan Royals 4-0-34-3
Rashid Khan SA20 Gujarat Titans 4-0-34-2
Heinrich Klaasen SA20 SRH 66 (43)
Kagiso Rabada SA20 Gujarat Titans 4-0-35-0
Ryan Rickelton SA20 Mumbai Indians 63 (41)

Harry Brook’s googly woes exposed again

Harry Brook might be one of the most highly rated batters in world cricket today, but Varun Chakravarthy once again exposed his weakness against the googly with a brilliant delivery. After his googly accounted for Brook the last game, the English batter laid blame on the “smog” in the Kolkata air for the dismissal. But, this time around, it was Varun’s deception that sent Brook back – the bowler was smart to hold his grip similar to that of a leg break from Brook’s point of view.

Varun Chakravarthy bowling the googly from the side of his arm

Smog or no smog, Brook’s struggles against the googly is well documented now. According to Ask Cricinfo, the England batter has been dismissed by the googly 10 times off 103 balls and averages 11.7 against it in T20 cricket.

Bought at INR 6.25 crores, Delhi Capitals are set to rely on him in the middle-order after Rishabh Pant’s departure. Varun further exposing his weakness in this bilateral series is a major concern for the franchise.

KKR left to rue Phil Salt non-retention

KKR pursued Phil Salt, a star for them in the title-winning 2024 IPL edition until INR 11.25 Cr, but couldn’t proceed beyond that due to budget restrictions. They instead seemed to have sorted their top-order options by grabbing hold of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, at INR 2 crores, and Quinton de Kock, at INR 3.6 crores, to cover wicketkeeping duties. But as IPL 2025 approaches, the franchise will be fretting over the form of the two star players. Gurbaz averages 19.6 in his last 10 T20s and his usually high strike-rate has gone down to 134 in these matches. In the ongoing SA20, Gurbaz started off with a 43-ball 89, but has since had four single digit scores in five games.

Meanwhile, Quinton de Kock is in a rut of his own. Since his breath-taking 115* off 68 balls in the CPL last year, de Kock has two half-centuries in 15 T20s, scoring at an average of 24 and strike-rate of 128.5.

KKR have no option but to use one of these two behind the stumps and fill up an overseas slot too with Luvnith Sisodia, who was in decent form in the Maharaja T20 Trophy last year, the only other Indian option in their ranks. The lack of form of these two openers will worry the defending champions as the season closes in.

But if it’s any relief for KKR, Salt isn’t in a great run of form either, with the RCB new hire not crossing single digits for four matches in a row.

Will Mumbai Indians follow the India template in IPL 2025?

India made a small swap last year in T20s with Suryakumar Yadav sliding down by a position in the batting order to accomodate Tilak Varma at No.3. While SKY came ahead of him in the first T20I, here in Chennai, Tilak was back at No.3. He had made back-to-back hundreds at the position in South Africa and here again, Tilak was at his demolishing best, in particular against Jofra Archer, who had been brilliant early on in his spell.

The southpaw smashed Archer for 30 runs in nine balls, including four sixes, one of which had the pace bowler really impressed.

The IPL context here, though, is whether Mumbai Indians under Hardik Pandya would follow this template that SKY has set in the Indian team. Tilak has only batted at No.3 twice for Mumbai Indians with 17 matches apiece at No.4 and No.5 respectively. Meanwhile, Suryakumar batted at No.3 in nine out of 11 matches last year. Will the two swap positions this year at Mumbai Indians?

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Did Rajasthan Royals commit a blunder by retaining Dhruv Jurel for a whopping price?

There’s no doubting Dhruv Jurel’s talent, but the wicketkeeper batter’s T20 record at the moment raises a few question marks. He averages in the early 20s and strikes at a rate less than 135 in the shortest format of the game. RR had him playing all 15 matches in IPL 2024, with the middle-order batter making a couple of promising knocks, including a 35-ball 56* in the second Qualifier.

This possibly played a part in Rajasthan retaining Jurel for a whopping INR 14 crores. However, Jurel hasn’t quite made that count so far and despite this being just his second T20I for India, the failure here would further panic the Rajasthan camp. With Shimron Hetmyer also in a serious run of poor form, Rajasthan will sweat over their middle-order options ahead of IPL 2025.

SRH have a hidden gem in Brydon Carse

Brydon Carse was one of the most impressive bowlers on show for England in the second T20I, rushing batters with his pace and hit-the-deck lengths. That this spell came after an impressive cameo of 31 (17) where he took down the spinners further strengthens Carse’s case as an x-factor option for SRH heading into IPL 2025.

While SRH boast of a star-studded line-up, their overseas options aren’t as high-profile as in 2024 after the major trio of Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and skipper Pat Cummins. It remains to be seen how many chances Carse gets, though, with Adam Zampa and Eshan Malinga also strong contenders for the fourth overseas spot, but there’s no doubting that this England star is making waves in the limited-overs format.

SRH Overseas Players IPL 2025
Heinrich Klaasen
Pat Cummins
Travis Head
Brydon Carse
Adam Zampa
Kamindu Mendis
Eshan Malinga

After an impressive series against Australia last year, Carse turned heads in Chennai today. He cleaned up Suryakumar Yadav with a 142kph delivery by cramping him for room and then had Jurel also in trouble with his short lengths. A cross seam delivery accounted for Washington Sundar just as India were clawing their way back into the game.

Bought at just INR 1 crore, Carse might just turn out to be an underrated pick by Sunrisers Hyderabad if he can live up to his recent performances in the season.

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