On Tuesday, March 25, the Punjab Kings wrapped up round one of IPL 2025 with a solid win against the Gujarat Titans, taking the match by 25 runs. This means every team has now played one match, and interestingly, Sunrisers Hyderabad is sitting at the top of the table after a huge victory over the Rajasthan Royals. Speaking of the Royals, they’re currently at the bottom, struggling to find their footing.
In the last few days, some players we don’t always hear about have really stepped up their game and made themselves known. On the flip side, some bigger names like Venkatesh Iyer, who were bought for a lot of money during the auction, didn’t really deliver as expected. Let’s take a look at how the five highest-paid players from the IPL 2025 mega-auction did in their first game of the tournament.
Rishabh Pant – Poor Performance
Rishabh Pant, who is now the most expensive player in IPL history, really had a tough time starting off his season. Playing for Lucknow Super Giants, he faced off against Delhi Capitals and ended up getting out without scoring a single run – not even off his first ball. This six-ball duck marked the slowest get-out in his league history which isn’t great. To make things worse, as a keeper, he missed a crucial stumping in the last over, which ultimately led to a defeat for his team against the Capitals.
Shreyas Iyer: Exceptional performance
On a much brighter note, Shreyas Iyer, bought by the Punjab Kings for 26.75 crores, had a fantastic outing with the bat. In his very first game as captain, he came so close to hitting a century, finishing on 97 not out against the Gujarat Titans. Iyer’s innings included an impressive five fours and nine sixes, showing that he can be a game-changer for his team.
Venkatesh Iyer – Poor Performance
Venkatesh Iyer had a bit of a rough start to his tournament. Facing off against RCB in the opening match, he only managed to score 6 runs off 7 balls, which was disappointing considering the expectations. He hit just one four and didn’t even get a chance to bowl, which contributed to his team’s struggle in the match against the Challengers.
Arshdeep Singh – decent Performance
Arshdeep Singh’s performance for the Punjab Kings was pretty average. He managed to take 2 wickets in his four overs against Gondar Titans but allowed 36 runs. His economy was 9.00, which was the best among the bowlers for his team, but it wasn’t exactly stellar.
Yuzvendra Chahal – Poor Performance
In a surprising twist, Chahal had a day to forget. He didn’t take any wickets during his stint and couldn’t even bowl his full quota of four overs against the Titans, which is unusual for him. His final figures read 34 runs for no wickets in just three overs, leaving fans hoping for a comeback in his next outing.
So, there you have it. The first round of IPL 2025 brought its fair share of surprises, with some players shining bright while others faltered under pressure. It’s just the beginning, and there’s plenty more cricket to come!
