As IPL 2025 approaches, several players are under pressure due to poor performances, injuries, or the rise of young talents. This season could be their last chance to prove themselves, as the competition is fierce and franchises have no room for inconsistency. In this blog, we’ll look at players who might be playing their final IPL season if they don’t perform. The fifth name on this list will surely surprise fans!
When Jofra Archer started playing in the Indian Premier League, he was seen as one of the deadliest bowlers in the tournament. Playing his first IPL season for Rajasthan Royals, he took 15 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 21.66 and an economy rate of 8.36 runs. With his impressive performance playing for the first time in the tournament, Rajasthan retained Archer for the 2019 season, where he improved his performance and became an economical bowler for the team. Playing 11 matches for the team, he was able to take 11 wickets at an average of 26.45 but also maintained an impressive economy rate of 6.76 runs.
Jofra Archer had his best IPL season for Rajasthan Royals playing in the 2020-21 season, where he played the highest number of games so far in an individual season. Playing 14 games, he took 20 wickets at an average of 18.55, and his economy rate also decreased to 6.55 runs per over. Just as teams and fans started to see the dominant performances of Jofra Archer, he suffered a terrible downfall in his career.
In the IPL 2021 season, Jofra Archer was ruled out of the IPL as he was sent back to rehab by the England Cricket Board following his finger surgery and elbow injury. Archer’s IPL comeback was during the 2023 season, when he played for Mumbai Indians after a long break. But he miserably failed to create an impact, as he conceded runs at an economy of 9.50 and took 2 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 95. Even in the IPL 2025 season, he has played two games for Rajasthan Royals, failing to take wickets in both and has an economy of 16.76. Even in the first game for RR in 2025, he conceded 76 runs in 4 overs, making it the most expensive over in IPL history.
Ravichandran Ashwin has finally reunited with his former IPL teammates Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni. Still, it also seems like this could be his last season if Ash Anna is not able to give his best performance this season. He started in the Indian Premier League playing for Chennai Super Kings from 2008 to 2015, after which the team was banned for two seasons. But Ashwin continued his economical bowling for other teams he played, making his mark till the IPL 2020-21 season. His best performance came in the 2011 season, where Ashwin took 20 wickets in 16 games at an average of 19.40 and an economy of 6.15.
But after the IPL 2020-21 season concluded, his ability to consistently take wickets at an economical rate also came down. Playing for DC in the 2021 season, he took just 7 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 47.28 and an economy of 7.41. In the 2022 season, he was bought by Rajasthan Royals at 5 crore INR and took 12 wickets only in 17 matches at an average of 41.91 and an economy of 7.50. The 2023 season came as a recovery for Ashwin, as he grabbed 14 wickets for Rajasthan in 13 matches, at an average of 26.28, but his economy remained at 7.51.
His performances were thwarted once again in the 2024 season, as he took 9 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 51.88, and his economy rates also went at an all-time high of 8.49. Unfortunately, Ashwin was released following the 2024 season, but CSK bought him in the Mega Auction at a whopping 9.75 crore INR. Even in the 2025 season, he has played the initial two games for the team, taking 2 wickets at an average of 26.50 and an economy of 8.83.
Former captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Faf du Plessis, has also been a remarkable player in the Indian Premier League. He is known for his exceptional skills while opening for the team. He started off in the IPL during the 2012 season, playing for Chennai Super Kings. Even after scoring 633 runs for CSK in the 2021 season, he was released and became a part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2022 season.
Playing his first season for the RCB, he scored 468 runs in 16 matches, averaging 31.20 with three half-centuries. Although Faf was nearing retirement age, his performances did not end, as he put up a fabulous show for RCB in the 2023 season. He scored 730 runs for the team in 14 matches at an average of 56.15, with eight half-centuries.
But his form was questioned by the team in the IPL 2024 season, where he failed to perform well in the initial games. Faf du Plessis scored 438 runs for the team in 15 matches with four half-centuries. Following the IPL 2024 season, RCB released him and eventually, he was bought by Delhi Capitals for just 2 crores. In his first game for the new franchise, he scored just 29 runs. Considering his age, Faf has crossed 40 years, and if he doesn’t perform well, DC might also release him in the next season.
Deepak Hooda was once the rising star of the Indian cricket team, and there were also talks for him to replace the iconic top-order batter Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup squad for the 2022 edition. Hooda also did not have a great start to his IPL journey, as Sunrisers Hyderabad had given him various opportunities. After changing his team to Lucknow SuperGiants in 2022, he gave his peak performance, scoring 451 runs in 15 matches with four half-centuries and an average of 32.21.
Unfortunately, he could not maintain the consistency he obtained in the 2022 season. For Lucknow, he played 12 games in the 2023 season and scored just 84 runs at an average of 7.63 and a strike rate of 93.33. Aiming to regain his form in the 2024 season, Hooda failed miserably, scoring just 145 runs in 11 matches with one fifty, at an average of 18.12 runs.
Lucknow SuperGiants released him ahead of the Mega Auction, and Chennai bought him to the team. For Chennai also he has also not been able to perform well, scoring just 7 runs in 2 games at an average of 3.50 and a strike rate of 50.
Rohit Sharma, current Indian captain and former captain of Mumbai Indians, is also under pressure to maintain his spot in the Indian Premier League. Although Rohit has achieved various trophies as a captain, including five IPL titles, the T20 World Cup 2024, and the Champions Trophy 2025, his performances in the IPL have been falling for a long time. His best IPL season was in 2013 when he scored 538 runs in 19 matches for the team at an average of 38.42.
But following the IPL 2020-21 season, the Hitman has not been able to perform at his best in the biggest T20 league. In IPL 2021, Rohit Sharma scored just 381 runs in 13 matches with one half-century and averaged 29.30. His performances fell even more in the 2022 season, where he scored just 268 runs in 14 matches at an average of 19.14. Even in IPL 2023, he could not regain form, scoring 332 runs in 16 matches at an average of 20.75, with two half-centuries.
Following his downward spiral in the performances, Rohit Sharma was also removed from the team’s captaincy by Mumbai Indians, as Hardik Pandya replaced him. In the IPL 2024 edition, he scored 417 runs in 14 matches at an average of 32.07, with one century and a half-century each. His comeback is expected by the fans in the 2025 season, but Rohit has scored 8 runs only in 2 games at a strike rate of 100 and an average of 4. He has held just one Man of the Match Award in the IPL since the 2020-21 season.
Captain Cool, also known as the Finisher in the Indian Premier League, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, is also nearing the end of his cricketing journey. He has been playing in the tournament since the initial season for Chennai Super Kings and has also won the IPL titles five times as a captain for the team. But lately, he has been receiving a lot of criticism from the fans for coming out to bat late, when the game is either almost won or lost.
His performances for the team have been falling for a long time. In the 2021 season, Dhoni scored just 114 runs in 16 matches at an average of 16.28, but Chennai won the IPL title fourth time under his leadership. In the 2022 season, he scored 232 runs in 14 matches at an average of 33.14, with one half-century. Leading CSK to another title win in the 2023 season, Dhoni was unable to perform well, scoring just 104 runs in 16 games at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 182.45.
In IPL 2024, he stepped down as a captain, and Ruturaj Gaikwad replaced him. Dhoni scored 161 runs in 14 matches at an average of 53.66, as he remained not out in 8 out of 11 innings. Currently, in IPL 2025, he has scored 30 runs in 2 games without being out and has a strike rate of 166.66. However, he received a lot of criticism from fans and analysts for coming out at number 9 in the game against RCB in IPL 2025.
With the IPL 2025 season coming in as a final opportunity for most of these players, it would be important for them to create a mark in this season. Faf du Plessis is expected to perform well, considering his form in the other T20 leagues, while players like Deepak Hooda and Jofra Archer could find it challenging to make a comeback. On the other hand, players like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma will be looking forward to giving their best with the bat and letting the world know that their form is still at its best.
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