There is still a remote chance that some players will appear.
While the Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen dreams become reality and players become overnight sensations, there is also the other side of the coin: cricketers suffer the fall and some They pay for it by being ignored or not sold.
Given the intensity of the tournament, there is a high demand for consistency and players who have struggled have had to face the consequences.
However, despite not getting contracts in the auction, there is still a remote chance that some players will appear. The last auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), which took place in November last year, also witnessed some shocking exclusions, but players can stake their claim as a replacement option in case a current member of any team becomes seriously injured or ill and has to be replaced. ruled out for the tournament or for a considerable time.
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There are some players who are already turning heads with stellar performances. In this article, we take a look at three senior Indian players who were unsold but can now be pioneered as replacements in IPL 2025 after recent impressive performances in white-ball cricket.
Shardul Thakur
This dynamic all-rounder is a well-known name in Indian cricket. Despite that, Shardul Thakur failed to get any suitor for IPL 2025 due to a lackluster last season. Given his reputation, Shardul looked extremely poor, scoring just 21 runs and picking five wickets in nine games for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
The franchises therefore opted not to bid for him, but the 33-year-old seemed to be giving a fitting response to the snub with sublime form in domestic cricket. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), the domestic T20 tournament, Shardul finished as the 4th highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps in 9 games and best figures of 4/25. He was also Mumbai’s leading wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) with 10 wickets at an average of 6.56.
Therefore, Shardul Thakur may be on the radar in case a team requires a contingency option.
KS India
Apart from his control, KS Bharat offers flexibility and can fit anywhere in the top or middle order. Furthermore, Bharat has also been seen in good touch in both SMAT and VHT.
In SMAT, the 31-year-old made 307 runs at an average of 76.75 and a strike rate of 150, while he finished VHT with 335 runs in 7 games at an average of 67, including two fifties and a century.
Bharat also has previous IPL experience, plying his trade with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), making him a perfect choice as a replacement for the upcoming edition of IPL.
Mayank Agarwal
In 2021, Mayank Agarwal enjoyed a stellar IPL season with the Punjab Kings (PBKS). After two outstanding seasons in a row, he was named captain of the 2022 IPL after the departure of KL Rahul. However, things took a huge setback and he now finds himself without an IPL contract.
Agarwal, who amassed 864 runs at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 147 in the IPL 2020 and IPL 2021 seasons, struggled significantly as captain, managing just 196 runs in 12 innings. He was later released and his fortunes did not improve during his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Despite this, there is still hope for Agarwal. He could secure a place as a substitute player thanks to his exceptional performance in the VHT. The Karnataka opener finished second in the run-scoring charts, with 619 runs at an impressive average of 93 and a strike rate of 107.6.
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