The IPL is the biggest cricket league in the world, full of excitement, competition, and incredible players. However, not everyone gets a chance to shine on the field. Every season, some talented players spend most of their time on the bench, waiting for their chance to play. As we gear up for the IPL 2025 edition, here are a couple of players who might not really get into the playing XI since team combinations have been tough competitions. Here we go with the top 10 for the upcoming IPL season. Karim Janat (GT) Image Source: Zim Afro T10 The 2022 IPL winners had a woeful last season, as they were sitting at the bottom three this time. They have it in their mind to play a strong comeback and will be assembling a powerful combination at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Last year, they tried to substitute their former captain Hardik Pandya with Omarzai, but the Afghanistan all-rounder could not match his potential. Now, Karim Janat, another player with similar skill sets to Omarzai, will look to express himself in the 10-team tournament. But the medium-pace-bowling all-rounder may not make it to the playing XI as Sherfane Rutherford is in form. The West Indies cricketer will give more batting punch than Janat and can also roll his arm over when needed. Glenn Phillips, a spin bowling all-rounder, can also be accommodated. Also Read | Likely Opening Pairs for All 10 Teams in IPL 2025 Matthew Breetzke (LSG) Image Source: Getty Images Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) packed South African wicketkeeper batter Matthew Breetzke for his base price of INR 75 lakh. The right-handed batter plays for Durban Super Giants in the SA20. He had solid campaigns in SA20 2024 and the T20 Blast this year. However, the 26-year-old may have to watch the whole season from the bench as Lucknow have world-class overseas stars like Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Mitchell Marsh in their ranks. Breetzke's wicket-keeping skills will be of no use to him as explosive wicketkeeper-batters like Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran are also part of the team. Pant is likely to be the captain of the side, while Pooran is the costliest overseas player in the side. Moeen Ali (KKR) Image Source: BCCI Initially, Moeen Ali did not get sold; eventually, Kolkata Knight Riders grabbed him for INR 2 crore. He is likely to act as a cover-up to Sunil Narine. The four frontline foreigners would be Quinton de Kock, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Anrich Nortje for the defending champions. If KKR requires a replacement for West Indies' T20 captain Rovman Powell, then he will be ahead in the pecking order. Moeen might have to spend the season on the bench, unless something happens to Narine. However, that would seriously hamper KKR's bowling combination because the England all-rounder might find it extremely challenging to complete his four overs without leaking too many runs on the flat wickets at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Donovan Ferreira (DC) Image Source: ECB Donovan Ferreira is the explosive wicketkeeper batter from South Africa. He has been bought for INR 75 lakh in Delhi Capitals. He comes with a strike rate close to 160 in the shortest format of the game. The 26-year-old has played four T20Is and two IPL matches so far in his career. KL Rahul is likely to wear the wicketkeeping gloves for Delhi and, at the same time, to be the skipper. The Capitals have already retained two young wicketkeepers by the names of Tristan Stubbs and Abishek Porel. Hence, it will be challenging for Ferreira to get a game for the Capitals in IPL 2025. Kwena Maphaka (RR) Image Source: BCCI Kwena Maphaka, 18, goes to Rajasthan Royals (RR) for INR 1.50 crore. Left-arm seamer, who played two games last season in the IPL, conceded runs at an economy rate of 14.83 He has incredible talent, but he might take some more time to mold himself in this unforgiving format for bowlers. The Royals recalled Jofra Archer for INR 12.50 crores, and he can be expected to start in every match should he remain fit. Moreover, there is always a choice of playing Fazalhaq Farooqi, who too, being a left-arm seamer like Maphaka, still differs from him in more counts. So, this left-arm seamer will just have to warm up his bench in the following season. Eshan Malinga (SRH) Image Source: ESPN Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured the services of Eshan Malinga after a bidding war with Rajasthan Royals. The uncapped Sri Lankan was taken for INR 1.20 crore after the bidding began at his base price of INR 30 lakh. SRH picked up Mohammed Shami and Harshal Patel at the auction, and the two experienced Indian seamers are likely to form a trio with captain Pat Cummins. With Indian pacers such as Jaydev Unadkat and Simarjeet Singh in the equation, Malinga will have to wait for his opportunity. Also, England's Brydon Carse is going to be a significant competitor to Malinga for a place in the playing XI, in case SRH want to go with another overseas seamer apart from Cummins. Bevon Jacobs (MI) Image Source: NZC Mumbai Indians (MI) left many cricketing fans stunned when they signed uncapped New Zealand batter Bevon Jacobs at his base price of INR 30 lakh. The right-handed batter has played six innings in T20 cricket and has scored 134 runs at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of 188.73. In an interview after being picked up by Mumbai, Jacobs himself admitted that getting a game will be a bonus for the five-time champions, and his main motive will be to hone his skills alongside some of the best cricketers in the world. With international batters like Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton already in the squad, Jacobs might have to wait in the wings for the entire season. Also Read | Best XI of Unsold Players in IPL 2025 Mega Auction Ishant Sharma (GT) Image Source: BCCI Ishant Sharma was released by DC just before the IPL 2025 auction. He gets picked up by the winner of 2022's IPL Gujarat Titans for his base price of INR 75 lakhs. Titans have already built a strong pace battery with Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Gerald Coetzee, so it would be extremely difficult to get himself in the XII. Faf du Plessis (DC) Image Source: Getty Images The ex-RCB skipper was bought by the Delhi Capitals (DC) at his base price of INR 2 crores in the auction held in Jeddah. What is interesting is that the RCB had the option of using RTM for this Proteas star but exercised restraint. While the addition of du Plessis for the price DC got is a steal deal, he might not get enough opportunities, given DC's overseas talent pool and the limitation to feature only 4 foreigners. DC already has the young and exciting Aussie opener Jake Fraser-McGurk alongside English big-hitter Harry Brook in the top-order and Tristan Stubbs as well at No. 5 or No. 6, which gives their batting a solid firepower. No question Faf is a wonderful batter, but considering that he's at the fag end of his career, one would expect DC would make use of him only as a backup or in select games where the management thinks the need arises. Aaron Hardie (PBKS) Image Source: Getty Images Aaron Hardie was picked by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for his base price of INR 1.25 crore. He is talented enough to be a regular starter for any team in the IPL. The seam-bowling all-rounder has played 13 T20Is for Australia, scoring 128 runs and picking up 10 wickets. Though Hardie is 25 years old, he's stuck in a team that contains another three reputed seam-bowling all-rounders, the names of Marcus Stoinis and Marco Jansen. With so much money being spent to have him and Jansen on his side, it is an expectation more than a possibility that those will be benched for the Hardie.