A brand-new champion this season, and with it, some unforgettable performances. Here's our pick for the best playing XI (plus one!) of IPL 2025.
Opening the batting is Sai Sudharsan, the standout performer of the season. He was in a league of his own, scoring 759 runs in 15 matches, including 1 century, 6 fifties, and 88 fours, all at a strike rate of 150+. Simply unstoppable.
His opening partner? Virat Kohli. Mr. Consistency. Across 15 innings, he scored 657 runs with 8 half-centuries, averaging over 54. Whether anchoring or accelerating, Kohli did it all. Mitchell Marsh was in the mix, but leaving Kohli out is impossible.
At No. 3, it's Suryakumar Yadav — the MVP of IPL 2025. Scored 717 runs in 16 games, with 5 fifties and a blazing strike rate of 168. What made it special? He scored 25+ in every single innings.
No. 4 goes to Shreyas Iyer, and he’s also our captain. With 604 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate over 175, he not only delivered with the bat but led Punjab Kings to just their second-ever IPL final.
Nicholas Pooran slots in at No. 5. While he usually bats higher, in this lineup, this is the only spot available. Still, he crushed 524 runs, with the highest strike rate (196+) and 40 sixes, the most in the tournament.
Next up, the Pandya brothers.
Hardik Pandya: 224 runs + 14 wickets.
Krunal Pandya: 17 wickets, a match-winning 73 against DC*, and 3 Player of the Match awards, including one in the final. Undeniable impact.
Tim David is our finisher. He didn’t play the playoffs, but still made waves with 187 runs at a strike rate of 185 and an average of over 62. Clutch when it counted.
Noor Ahmad is our lead spinner, with 24 wickets at an economy of 8.16 — CSK’s shining light in a forgettable season.
And finally, our pace trio:
Prasidh Krishna – Purple Cap, 25 wickets.
Josh Hazlewood – 22 wickets in 12 games, strike rate of just 12.
Jasprit Bumrah – 18 wickets and an incredible economy of 6.67. A true game-changer for MI.
That’s our Best XII of IPL 2025. Agree with the picks? Or would you make changes? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
