Priyansh Arya to Digvesh Rathi: Best Uncapped XI of IPL 2025

Digvesh Rathi burst out in notebook celebration after dismissing Priyansh Arya (IPL Photo)

The curtains have come down on IPL 2025, and with it, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally ended their long-standing title drought. It was a fiercely competitive season, with all ten teams battling intensely for the coveted trophy. And if there was ever a season that truly embodied the IPL's iconic slogan “Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi” — “Where Talent Meets Opportunity” — it was this one.

Young talent flourished across the board. From rising U19 stars like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre to more seasoned uncapped campaigners like Shashank Singh and Naman Dhir, several players seized their chances and made headlines. In fact, uncapped players stole the show throughout the tournament. One standout example was the opening pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, who not only held their own but outperformed high-profile opening pairs like Travis Head-Abhishek Sharma, Virat Kohli-Phil Salt in the run-scoring charts.

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This season saw several breakout stars from the previous edition build on their performances and raise their games to new heights. With that in mind, here’s a look at the standout uncapped XI.

Prabhsimran Singh

Prabhsimran Singh

Prabhsimran enjoyed a dream run with the bat this season. He finished as the highest run-scorer among uncapped players, the second-highest for his team, and ranked among the top ten batters overall. Despite having several top-order options, PBKS backed Prabhsimran from the start and stuck with him throughout the campaign — a move that paid off handsomely. He repaid the faith by amassing 549 runs at a strike rate of 160.52, including four half-centuries. Alongside Priyansh Arya, he formed a formidable opening partnership. The duo complemented each other brilliantly and consistently gave their team strong starts.

Priyansh Arya

Priyansh Arya

Priyansh was one of the standout discoveries of the season. His tally of 475 runs broke the record for the most runs in an IPL season by an uncapped Indian batter. The southpaw struck a 38-ball hundred against CSK in Mullanpur when his team was in deep trouble after losing early wickets. That knock demonstrated his ability to play long innings under pressure. The highlight of his season was his strike rate—an astonishing 179.24.

Ayush Mhatre

Ayush Mhatre

Brought in as a replacement, Mhatre quickly established himself as one of the finds of the season for CSK. The swashbuckling batter made an instant impression in his debut IPL match against MI at the Wankhede Stadium with a quickfire cameo. CSK had struggled with their top order throughout the season, but Mhatre’s inclusion turned out to be a masterstroke. He scored 240 runs at a strike rate of 188.97, with a top score of 94 against a strong RCB bowling attack.

Nehal Wadhera

Nehal Wadhera

Nehal didn’t start the season for PBKS, with the management initially preferring Suryansh Shedge. However, once he got his opportunity, he grabbed it with both hands and never looked back. Alongside Shreyas Iyer, he became the glue of the middle order. The left-hander scored 369 runs at a strike rate of 145, including two half-centuries. While not the most consistent, his impact was clear — especially highlighted by the 21 sixes he hit in the middle overs.

Shashank Singh

Shashank Singh

One of Punjab’s two retentions, Shashank once again stepped up for his side. Even in the final, he fought a lone battle as his team narrowly fell short by six runs. Batting in the lower-middle order, he finished the season with 350 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 153.50. His never-give-up attitude and ability to handle both spin and pace make him a perfect fit at No. 5.

Naman Dhir

This season saw Naman evolve into a reliable finisher. While he didn’t notch up a single fifty in IPL 2025, the MI batter was one of the most impactful players in the tournament. He scored 252 runs across 12 innings at an average of 31.5 and a strike rate of 182.6 — the fourth-best strike rate in an IPL season for MI. Notably, he also led the charts for most runs in the death overs in IPL 2025, accumulating 190 runs at a stunning strike rate of 195.9.

Vipraj Nigam

Vipraj Nigam

Vipraj caught attention with a match-turning 15-ball 39 that helped DC pull off a record chase of 210 from a precarious 113/6, alongside Ashutosh Sharma. In 14 matches, he scored 142 runs — including 23 boundaries — and also claimed 11 wickets, including prized scalps like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The spin-bowling all-rounder impressed everyone with his versatility and looks set to build on this foundation.

Digvesh Rathi

Digvesh Rathi

Another uncapped wrist-spinner who made his mark this season was Digvesh Rathi. With his variations and subtle changes in pace, he consistently troubled batters. He picked up 14 wickets and finished as LSG’s highest wicket-taker. Rathi even outperformed his more experienced teammate Ravi Bishnoi and barring one game for which he was banned, played every match. He was a dependable wicket-taking option in the middle overs.

Ashwani Kumar

Ashwani Kumar

In his debut IPL game against KKR, Ashwani made headlines with a sensational four-wicket haul and followed it up with seven more wickets in his next six appearances. His pace and ability to bowl hard lengths often hurried batters and brought crucial breakthroughs. He was MI’s golden arm this season. The Punjab-based pacer has a knack for picking up wickets, and he did so every time he stepped onto the field.

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Yash Dayal

Yash Dayal

Whether with the new ball or the old, Yash was one of RCB’s most dependable bowlers across all phases of the game. He took wickets at critical junctures, and his standout moment came in the final over of a thriller against CSK, where he sealed the win for RCB. In 15 matches, the left-arm pacer bagged 13 wickets.

Vaibhav Arora

Vaibhav Arora

Vaibhav emerged as KKR’s top pacer this season, claiming 17 wickets in 12 games, with best figures of 3/29. He was always reliable with the new ball, but this season he took a big step forward by improving his death bowling. His ability to take wickets in the slog overs added a new dimension to his game.