The Missing Pieces: 5 Players Their Ex-IPL Teams Are Missing Most in 2025

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in IPL 2025 [Source: AP Photos]

The 2025 IPL season has seen significant player movement with several franchises experiencing dramatic shifts in performance. Some teams are thriving with new acquisitions, while others are struggling without their former stars. Based on comprehensive analysis of team performance data and player statistics across seasons, we've identified the five players whose absence is being felt most keenly by their former franchises.

Team Performance Shifts

Before diving into individual impact, it's worth examining how teams are performing in the 2025 season:

The bottom three teams have all lost key players who feature in our analysis, suggesting a direct correlation between their departures and the teams' struggles.

The Top 5 Most Missed Players

Player impact vs team performance after departure [Source: OneCricket]

1. Shreyas Iyer (Ex-KKR)

Kolkata Knight Riders' drop from champions to strugglers coincides with the departure of their talismanic captain. In 2024, Shreyas Iyer contributed 351 runs at a strike rate of 140.40, but his leadership was arguably even more valuable. Now at Punjab Kings, Iyer continues to excel with 263 runs at an improved strike rate of 185.21, while KKR languish in the bottom half of the table.

2. Jos Buttler (Ex-RR)

Jos Buttler for GT [Source: AP Photos]

Rajasthan's dramatic fall to last place can be largely attributed to losing their explosive opener. Jos Buttler scored 359 runs for them in 2024, including a century, and has seamlessly transferred that form to Gujarat Titans with 356 runs at a strike rate of 165.58. Rajasthan's win percentage has plummeted to just 22.22%, highlighting Buttler's irreplaceable value.

3. Phil Salt (Ex-KKR)

Phil Salt for RCB [Source: AP Photos]

The second KKR player on this list,  Phil Salt's departure has compounded their batting woes. His 435 runs at a blistering strike rate of 182.01 in 2024 provided the team with dynamic starts that they're now missing. Salt is maintaining similar form for RCB, while KKR's top order has struggled for consistency.

4. KL Rahul (Ex-Lucknow Super Giants)

Despite Lucknow maintaining a reasonable position in the table, they're clearly missing KL Rahul's consistent run-scoring. With 520 runs in 2024, he was their batting mainstay. At Delhi Capitals, Rahul has already amassed 323 runs at an impressive strike rate of 153.81, while Lucknow has struggled to find a similarly reliable anchor.

5. Ajinkya Rahane (Ex-Chennai Super Kings)

CSK's surprising slump to near the bottom of the table coincides with Ajinkya Rahane's departure. Though his 2024 numbers weren't spectacular, his experience and ability to handle pressure situations have proven difficult to replace. Meanwhile, Rahane is enjoying a renaissance at KKR with 271 runs at an improved strike rate of 146.49.

Impact of key player leaving on team performances in IPL 2025 [Source: OneCricket]

The Batting-Leadership Correlation

One striking pattern emerges from our analysis: all five most-missed players are primarily batters, with three (Iyer, Buttler, and Rahane) having significant leadership roles in their former teams.

This data strongly suggests that while bowlers may win matches, it's the loss of established batsmen—particularly those with leadership qualities—that most dramatically affects a team's fortunes in T20 cricket.

As the 2025 IPL season continues, these teams must find ways to fill the voids left by these impactful players or risk remaining in the lower half of the table.

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