Follow UsThe 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set begin from 21st March, 2025. The teams have been finalized after the epic IPL Auction that took place in November 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A number of overseas talents have been signed. But, not all overseas slots are filled. A number of overseas talents still have a chance to come in as there will be injuries and requirement of replacement once the training begins for the tournament.
In the current Joburg Super Kings (JSK) side, there are three names who can possibly come into the 2025 IPL as replacements and get an opportunity to make an impact. These three players will be waiting in the wings as they have not signed a deal with any Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams either which will also be coinciding with the IPL.
Jonny Bairstow went shockingly unsold in the IPL mega auction 2025. He along with David Warner were the two big overseas talents who did not end up in any of the 10 teams.
Bairstow had a decent season for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2024 as he orchestrated the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket history of 262 against the eventual champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by scoring an unbeaten 108*.
He has done decently for England in T20Is, Welsh Fire in the Hundred and JSK in the ongoing SA20.
With overs 1500 runs in 50 IPL games which includes some memorable match winning knocks through the years for SRH and PBKS, Bairstow will definitely be among the top three batters in the replacement player list for every IPL team in the upcoming season.
Hardus Viljoen is one of the under the radar fast bowlers in T20 franchise cricket today. The South Africa pacer has had experience of being a part of the IPL back in 2019 where he played six games for Punjab Kings (PBKS) and took seven wickets going wicketless only once.
The 35-year-old has been in decent touch in T20s over the last calendar year as he is currently having a good season for JSK in SA20 where he has picked up nine wickets in five games maintaining a good economy of 7.4
With his brother in law Faf du Plessis being in the Delhi Capitals (DC) and them having fast bowlers like Dushmantha Chameera who have a history of injuries, expect Viljoen to possibly get a call for the DC camp if there is any requirement for foreign bowlers.
Tabraiz Shamsi has been one of the of the best spinners in T20 franchise cricket. The left arm wrist spinner has had experience of being a replacement player in IPL as he replaced Samuel Badree in IPL 2016 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He did well in limited opportunities that season, picking three wickets in four games at a decent economy.
He had a terrific T20 World Cup 2024 for South Africa, picking up 11 wickets in five games. He also performed decently in Lanka Premier League (LPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and South Africa domestic T20, picking a total of 59 wickets in T20s since 2024.
He can strengthen the spin department for teams like Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) or Mumbai Indians (MI) who are coming in with only a couple of spinners in their side.