With IPL 2025 resuming play after a mid-season break, how Overseas Players are available has begun to affect each team’s tactics for the next matches. A number of franchises have recruited famous overseas players, but a different group is dealing with the absence of key players arranged on short notice.
Only Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada can play for Gujarat Titans in the last few league games and both will miss the playoffs, while Kusal Mendis has been named Buttler’s back-up. Gerald Coetzee is expected to rejoin the squad and Rashid Khan and Sherfane Rutherford are the only two foreign Overseas Players currently absent. Over the past two league matches, Mumbai Indians added Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton, but they will depart ahead of the playoffs, with Jonny Bairstow and Richard Gleeson taking their place. The full season will see Trent Boult and Reece Topley available for selection as Mumbai overseas players.
Delhi Capitals have lost Overseas Players -Mitchell Starc and Donovan Ferreira for the remaining games of the tournament and Jake Fraser-McGurk will also be missing. Tristan Stubbs is signed on for the last three league matches, though he hasn’t been named for the playoffs and Faf du Plessis’s involvement in the season is unsure. Salt, David, Livingstone, Shepherd and Thushara are available for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, although Bethell will only play in two league games and Hazlewood’s inclusion is still unconfirmed.
Stoinis and Inglis of Punjab Kings will not play their first league match after the break, but they join the tournament, while Jansen cannot play beyond the first stage. The Royals are missing two overseas stars, Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, who are out for the rest of the tournament. The majority of Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Overseas Players, led by Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, will be with the teams in the ending phase.
Although Chennai Super Kings will be without Jamie Overton, Sam Curran, Rachin Ravindra and Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Dewald Brevis and Devon Conway will be available for the squad. Every Overseas Players, except Shamar Joseph, who is unavailable, is included on the Lucknow Super Giants squad.
Most franchises have kept their international players for the league stage, but several leading names from England and South Africa will have to miss the playoffs because of their national duties, making the IPL 2025 finish less certain.
