IPL 2025 has been an exhilarating season full of thrilling and record breaking matches, be it MI failing to defend a 200+ total for the first time in IPL history, PBKS pulling defending 111, the least score defended in IPL history or RCB lifting their first title after 18 years. Based on the season, here is my TOTT for the 18th season of IPL, arranged in order of batting lineup.
Sai Sudharsan
Virat Kohli
Jos Buttler(W)
Suryakumar Yadav
Shreyas Iyer(C)
Naman Dhir
Krunal Pandya
Jasprit Bumrah
Noor Ahmad
Josh Hazlewood
Prasidh Krishna
IPs(Impact Players): Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Romario Shepherd, Dewald Brevis
Sai Sudharsan
Arguably the best opener this season, Sai Sudharsan won the Orange Cap with 759 runs in 15 matches, at an average of 54.21 and a strike rate of 156.17, also being chosen as the Emerging player of the season. He scored six half centuries and a century in GT’s dominating chase of 205 without losing wickets. His risk free yet aggressive approach has been the key to his spectacular performance this season. He demonstrated this brilliantly in the game against MI where he scored 80 off 49, though he couldn’t handle the pressure at the end, but did extraordinarily well as a youngster to put up a fight. His risk free approach highlights the effectiveness of hitting safe, grounded fours to score runs at a quick run rate without playing risky, aerial shots, which are often favoured over playing safe because of the amount of runs it promises, though just as many runs can be scored by hitting safe boundaries. Sudharsan has also displayed excellent skill in running between the wickets, taking doubles in deliveries meant to give singles, to keep the run flow going without the constant need of boundaries, which is highly reminiscent of the legend Virat Kohli. For such a player, not including him in the TOTT would be ludicrous.
Virat Kohli
After the one who has learnt from the legend, and refined his batting from him, comes the legend himself – Virat Kohli. With eight half centuries this season at a spectacular average of 54.25, much like his career, the King scored 657 runs in 15 matches, and even showcased great captaincy experience in the final to help his team and captain Rajat Patidar in dominating PBKS in Qualifier 1. He also showcased great energy on the field that day. Like any other day in his cricket career, the King is consistent and always hungry for more, be it while batting or fielding. As one of the top run scorers this season, and being one of the most experienced and legendary sportsperson, not just cricketer, India has had, no one can contend with King Kohli as the second opener for IPL 2025’s TOTT.
Jos Buttler(W)
Undoubtedly the best wicket keeper batsman in this season, Buttler has been a robust and dependable batsman at no.3 for the Gujarat Titans, amassing 538 runs at an average of 59.77, the third highest in the whole season. He adds further strength to the already phenomenal top order. He is arguably the best pick for this team’s wicket keeper, and the best batsman to bat at No.3. There are other great batsmen who bat at this position, like Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav; however they are very flexible batsmen and wouldn’t mind shifting a bit up or down the order. Both are included in my TOTT as well, but in batting at No.3 and being the keeper of the team, Jos is the Boss.
Suryakumar Yadav
He has simply been phenomenal the whole season and has truly showed us that SKY is the limit, with the season’s highest batting average of 65.18 at an aggressive strike rate of 167.91. Stupendously, he has scored 25+ runs in all his 16 innings this season, showcasing himself as the most consistent and trustable batsman, who can act as a great safety valve in pressure situations, like he did in his knock of 73*(43) against DC, where he took MI from 132/5 in 18 overs to 180/5 in 20, even winning the Player of the Match award in that game for his innings. However, what speaks even louder is the fact that he is the Player of the Tournament of IPL 2025, the Indian Mr.360 who is praised as being even better at being Mr.360 than the legend – Ab De Villiers himself. He is consistent, dependable, has a wide range of shots, can play according to the situation of the game and the field, can hit the ball anywhere. He is a complete package, which is what makes him the MVP of the 18th season of the TATA IPL. He plays at both No.3 and No.4 just as brilliantly, and though No.3 is taken by Jos the Boss, SKY’s place at No.4 in this team is just as cemented.
Shreyas Iyer(C)
Absolutely the best captain of not just this season, but the best in the modern era of cricket. Shreyas Iyer has led three teams to an IPL final, who without him weren’t able to be a significant team in the IPL, and has even won a trophy, with KKR in 2024. He led PBKS to finals after 12 years, leading a team filled with many uncapped players, not a team a captain could so easily lead. However, Iyer once again proved his captaincy mettle by taking Punjab to the final, even beating the five time champions Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2, making them fail to defend a 200+ total first time in the history of IPL. Although PBKS could not win the title, their journey to the final alone speaks volumes about Iyer’s leadership, which has even earned him a Ranji trophy and an Irani cup to his name. His batting has been equally praiseworthy, amassing 604 runs in 17 matches at a scintillating average of 50.33 and a very aggressive strike rate of 175.07. Although disregarded and unacknowledged by selectors of the Indian team, he is considered as the best option to lead India in all three formats. He leads from the front both as a captain and batsman, motivating his players, being selfless and putting his team first, as he demonstrated while asking Shashank to hit the ball in the game against Gujarat Titans without caring about himself being stranded on 97. He also played a match winning knock of 87*(41) against MI in Qualifier 2, carrying his team into the finals. His performance as a captain and batsman this season as well his history have been sensational, which makes him the captain of this team, hands down. He has also shown flexibility in batting, coming at both No.3 and No.4. With his flexibility and adaptability as a player and leader, he would not mind coming to bat at No.5, and would perform at his best even in that position, allowing for other players to maximise their potential in their respective positions as well.
Naman Dhir
Naman Dhir has been the most consistent finch hitter who has played several quickfire knocks for MI, many of which came in crucial situations like in the game against DC where he ably supported Surya in carrying Mumbai from 132 to 180 in the final 2 overs, and in both the games against PBKS, which although ended in a losing cause, gave MI a better chance to fight. In the game against LSG, where he scored 46 off 24, the bowler who dismissed his wicket, Digvesh Rathi, got the player of the match award only for takinf the solitary wicket of Naman Dhir, along with an economy of 5.25 when all other bowlers had economies above 10. Naman Dhir is the perfect middle order batsman for finch hitting and explosive finishes, and can come sooner or later in the order with another one of this IPL’s best finch hitters – Tim David; with other options like Stoinis, Brevis and Shashank available too, to compliment Naman and make for an explosive middle order.
Krunal Pandya
Krunal Pandya has been RCB’s X-factor in their journey towards their first IPL title, having bowled several great, economical spells and played phenomenal innings, like that of 73*(47) against DC in a high pressure game shows his all round prowess. He also won the POTM in the high pressure IPL final, having done so second time. His class, ability to deliver under pressure, provide another layer of strength and security to both the batting lineup and the bowling attack.
Jasprit Bumrah
This does not even need to be debated. Bumrah is one of the greatest bowlers in IPL and the world, has taken 18 wickets in 12 matches, and has the best economy among proper full time bowlers in this season. He has the potential to turn the game around as long as there is even just one ball left for him to bowl. He is the go to bowler whenever his team is in trouble, and is undoubtedly the leader of the pace attack in this team as well. He is sent earliest in the batting lineup after all recognized batsmen(including impact player) have been dismissed as he has capability to bat and hit big shots, as he has shown, and was even seen practicing proper professional shots in the nets as shared by Mumbai Indians on their Instagram. On a very good day, he could even go from the best fast bowler to a surprise package bowling all rounder.
Noor Ahmad
As the second highest wicket taker of this season and the highest among spinners, the young Afghan Chinaman will lead the spin attack of this team alongside Krunal Pandya. Noor has grabbed 24 wickets in this season at an average of just 17, making him an indispensable choice as the spin attack’s leader. No words are needed to describe the spin prowess of this young prodigy. He can also bat decently.
Josh Hazlewood
Among the best pacers of IPL 2025 and RCB’s trump card, Hazlewood is an obvious choice for the TOTT. He has taken 22 wickets in only 12 matches, having a higher rate of wicket taking than any other bowler in the season. He has been RCB’s go to bowler and has delivered match winning performances to them. He is mature and plays according to the game’s situation, for example when called upon to dismiss Iyer or make sure legal deliveries are bowled in the last 4 deliveries of the last over of the IPL Final. He is the main weakness of Shreyas Iyer, which also provides learning opportunity to Iyer against Hazlewood’s bowling in practice, making his batting better and increasing coordination and connect among teammates.
Prasidh Krishna
He is the purple cap holder of the season, has bowled the second most amount of dot balls, has bowled excellent spells and deliveries and can be just as capable as Hazlewood and Bumrah. His performance this season speaks enough as to why he gets a spot in this team.
Impact Players(IPs):
The impact players for the TOTT will be Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Romario Shepherd and Dewald Brevis.
Tim David has the second highest average of the season – 62.33, and is a brilliant finch hitter and finisher. He fits perfectly with Naman and Krunal in the middle order, and with other impact players too incase they play in the XI in any match.
Marcus Stoinis is a hard hitting batsman too who has played several aggressive knocks this season, providing the option of another formidable finisher. His knock of 44 off 16 against DC and 34 off 11 against SRH display his prowess. A decent sixth bowler option as well.
Shashank Singh is also another explosive finch hitting option who has shown great aggression throughout the season, especially in the high pressure IPL final, though it ended in a losing cause.
Romario Shepherd is one of the most explosive batsmen this decade has ever seen, which he showed by his brutally aggressive knock of 53 off just 14 deliveries, though he failed to maintain consistency which is why he is an impact player instead of a player in the starting XI. Also a passable sixth bowler option if needed.
Dewald Brevis has been one of the most hard hitting aggressive batsmen this IPL, having played several sensational knocks for CSK, and played a significant role in their victory against KKR and against GT where they posted a mammoth 230/5. I’d say he is the second best option among the impact players after Tim David for explosive knocks and finishes.
The impact players are heavily batting focused to increase batting depth, as there are 5 phenomenal bowlers in the team, and for such bowlers, all that is needed is proper management and trust to get one of them clicking, with the IPs being decent bowlers too to provide an extra bowling option if really needed.
