The IPL 2025 season is off to an exciting start with revamped squads, strategic trades, and fresh talent taking center stage. Each team has worked on strengthening its lineup, but based on current form, squad depth, overseas balance, and all-rounder combinations, the teams can be ranked from strongest to weakest. Below is a team-wise analysis of the best possible XI each franchise can field this season — ranked from #10 to #1 — along with a structured table featuring their top batters, all-rounders, and bowlers.
#10: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
The Lucknow Super Giants find themselves at the bottom of the rankings due to a lack of experienced overseas bowlers and dependable all-rounders. While the team boasts some big batting names, the absence of strong all-round support and an over-reliance on Indian bowlers might affect their performance under pressure.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Aiden Markram (o), David Miller (o), Nicholas Pooran (o), Rishabh Pant |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Mitchell Marsh (o), Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi |
#9: Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Punjab Kings face challenges with an inexperienced core playing XI. Although they have a deep squad with multiple overseas backups, their first-choice team lacks reliable Indian performers in key roles, which places them at number nine.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Josh Inglis (o), Prabsimran Singh |
| Best 4 All-rounders | Azmatullah Omarzai (o), Glenn Maxwell (o), Marco Jansen (o), Marcus Stoinis (o) |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Lockie Ferguson (o), Yuzvendra Chahal |
#8: Delhi Capitals (DC)
Delhi Capitals possess a solid bowling attack but lack balance in their squad due to a weak all-rounder department. With just Axar Patel standing out, the team will rely heavily on a few key batsmen to steer them ahead in the competition.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Faf du Plessis (o), Jake Fraser-McGurk (o), KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs (o) |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc (o), Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan |
#7: Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Rajasthan Royals maintain a well-rounded squad with good domestic batsmen and quality bowlers. However, the team’s limited options in the all-rounder department could make it tough in high-stakes matches.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Shimron Hetmyer (o), Dhruv Jurel |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Riyan Parag, Nitish Rana, Wanindu Hasaranga (o) |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Jofra Archer (o), Maheesh Theekshana (o), Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande |
#6: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Defending champions KKR have a strong and familiar core, though the departure of key players like Phil Salt and Starc has hurt them slightly. Their replacements still offer hope, keeping them in the middle tier of the rankings.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock (o), Venkatesh Iyer |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Andre Russell (o), Sunil Narine (o), Ramandeep Singh |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Anrich Nortje (o), Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy |
#5: Gujarat Titans (GT)
Gujarat Titans come in at number five thanks to a group of proven match-winners across departments. Despite their strong batting and bowling, a lack of dependable all-rounders keeps them from breaking into the top tier.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler (o), Sai Sudharsan, Sherfane Rutherford (o) |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Rahul Tewatia, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Rashid Khan (o), Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada (o), Prasidh Krishna |
#4: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
SRH have built a strong squad filled with explosive batters and reliable bowlers. Although their all-rounder depth is thin, their combination of overseas talent and domestic promise keeps them firmly in the top four.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head (o), Heinrich Klaasen (o), Ishan Kishan |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Brydon Carse (o) |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Pat Cummins (o), Mohammed Shami, Adam Zampa (o), Harshal Patel |
#3: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
RCB have built one of their most balanced squads in years. With a strong top order, experienced all-rounders, and a diverse bowling attack, they look like genuine title contenders this season.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Phil Salt (o) |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Liam Livingstone (o), Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd (o) |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Josh Hazlewood (o), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara (o), Yash Dayal |
#2: Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
CSK continue to maintain their legacy of a complete and experienced unit. With leadership, all-rounders, and bowlers all in place, they are well-equipped for a deep run into the season.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway (o), Shivam Dube |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran (o), Rachin Ravindra (o) |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Matheesha Pathirana (o), Khaleel Ahmed, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad (o) |
#1: Mumbai Indians (MI)
Mumbai Indians top the rankings with a stellar squad. They have strength in every department, especially their powerful batting and all-rounder group. Injuries may be a concern, but on paper, they look nearly flawless.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Top 4 Batters & WKs | Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickelton (o) |
| Best 3 All-rounders | Hardik Pandya, Mitchell Santner (o), Will Jacks (o) |
| Top 4 Bowlers | Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult (o), Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma |
