Best replacement players in IPL history

Dwayne Bravo. (Photo Source: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP via Getty Images)

In the IPL, where injuries and withdrawals are unavoidable over its two-month bracket, replacement players often come out to become surprising game-changers. Over the years, franchises have brought in several players who weren’t even in the original plans but went on to guide their team’s fortunes.

These replacement signings are typically last-minute, brought in due to injury setbacks or player withdrawals. And yet, some of them make such an impact that they not only turn around a team’s campaign but also earn long-term contracts.  In the ongoing 2025 season, several teams have already signed multiple replacements. Even franchises knocked out of the playoffs are using this opportunity to assess future talent. Young players have stepped up with match-winning knocks and spells, taking the opportunity with both hands and contributing.

Here are the Top 10 replacement signings in IPL history: 10. Matheesa Pathirana (IN); Adam Milne (OUT) for Chennai Super Kings in 2022 Matheesha Pathirana. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Sri Lanka's was signed by Chennai Super Kings as a replacement for Adam Milne during IPL 2022, and few expected the 19-year-old could become a long-term asset. Milne, ruled out with a hamstring injury, opened the position for Pathirana, whose unorthodox slingy action instantly drew similarities to Lasith Malinga.

Coming off the U-19 World Cup, where he picked up seven wickets, Pathirana’s pace and yorkers caught the attention. Though his IPL 2022 stint was restricted to just two matches, but became a long-term asset. CSK had already monitored him since 2021, initially bringing him in as a reserve. In 2023, he became an important ember in CSK’s bowling setup, picking 19 wickets in 12 matches with a best of 3/15. His ability to deliver under pressure, particularly in the death overs, made him a fan favorite. Retained ahead of the 2025 season, Pathirana leads CSK’s pace attack and is a long-term prospect of the side.

9. Anrich Nortje (IN) Chris Wokes (OUT) for Delhi Capitals in 2020 Anrich Nortje. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Anrich Nortje’s IPL career began with Delhi Capitals in 2020, when he was signed as a replacement for England’s Chris Woakes. He had an impressive run the same year, bowling at extreme pace and delivering accurate Yorkers, and was a crucial member of Delhi’s attack. His partnership with fellow countryman turned the Capitals into a strong bowling unit, guiding them to their first-ever IPL final.

Nortje finished IPL 2020 with 22 wickets, troubling batters with his short balls and pace. His success continued in 2021, and it came as no surprise when DC retained him over Rabada before the 2022 mega auction. However, since 2022, the South African has struggled to replicate the same performances. Affected by consistent injuries, including a hip and back issue, and ineffective in Indian conditions, his performances have dipped significantly. In 47 IPL games, he has picked 61 wickets, at an average of 26.18 and an economy of 8.94.

8. Jake Fraser-McGurk (IN) Lungi Nigidi (OUT) for Delhi Capitals in 2024 Jake Fraser. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

Australia's Jake Fraser-McGurk had a dream debut season in IPL 2024. Drafted in as a late replacement for injured pacer , the opening batter turned out to be a brilliant pick for the Delhi Capitals. In just nine matches, JFM scored 330 runs at a strike rate of 234.04, the third-highest for DC. He also hammered 15-ball fifties against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, respectively.

His match-turning abilities made him one of the most talked-about players of the season. DC retained him for a whopping INR 9 crore at the 2025 auction using their Right to Match card. However, Fraser-McGurk’s second season didn’t go as planned. In six games in 2025, he managed just 55 runs at a strike rate of 105.77, including two ducks. With no runs under his belt, he was eventually benched mid-season, as DC turned to other opening combinations.

7. Sandeep Sharma (IN) Prasidh Kirshna (OUT) for Rajasthan Royals in 2023 Sandeep Sharma. (Photo source: BCCI/IPL)

When was ruled out of IPL 2023 due to injury, the Rajasthan Royals announced Sandeep Sharma as the replacement player. Having gone unsold at the auction, Sharma was brought in and had a clinical season. Known for his swing and slower deliveries, Sandeep was never a headliner, but always a starter for whichever team he represented. In just his second game of IPL 2023, he famously defended five runs in the final over against MS Dhoni. That season, he picked 10 wickets in 12 games at an economy of 8.61.

In the following year, he bagged 13 wickets in 11 games at an economy of 8.18, even picking a five-for against the Mumbai Indians. Looking at his experience and value, the Royals retained Sandeep for IPL 2025. With 146 wickets in 137 IPL matches and an economy of just over 8, Sharma is one of the league's most underrated assets. Notably, he has dismissed Virat Kohli seven times so far, making him the bowler to have dismissed the star batter the most number of times in IPL. In the ongoing 2025 season, the 32-year-old has picked nine wickets in 10 games but was ruled out due to a fractured finger.

6. Dwayne Bravo (IN) Lasith Malinga (OUT) for Mumbai Indians in 2008 Dwayne Bravo. (Photo Source: Twitter/X)

Ace Sri Lankan pacer was ruled out of the inaugural IPL season in 2008 due to a knee injury, which led Mumbai Indians to opt for a young West Indies allrounder, Dwayne Bravo. Though Bravo wasn’t among the headline names at the time, MI coach Lalchand Rajput revealed he was the unanimous choice as Malinga's replacement. Over three seasons with Mumbai, Bravo had his share of ups and downs, scoring 457 runs and bagging 26 wickets in 30 matches.

However, it was with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) from 2011 onward that Bravo's IPL career fully took off. A match winner with both bat and ball, the West Indian became a death-overs specialist, winning the Purple Cap twice (2013 and 2015) and playing a crucial role in CSK’s title wins in 2011, 2018, and 2021. With 183 wickets and over 1500 runs across his IPL career, he is considered one of the tournament’s greatest all-rounders. Apart from his heroics on the field, he was well known for his celebratory dances and funny moments.

5. Hashim Amla (IN); Shaun Marsh (OUT) for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2016 Hashim Amla. (Photo Source: Twitter)

During the 2016 IPL, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) brought in South African batting stalwart as a replacement for the injured Shaun Marsh. Marsh, who had been battling a back injury, was forced to withdraw. The Aussie left-hander had been an important member in Punjab's lineup ever since his record-breaking debut season in 2008, when he clinched the Orange Cap by scoring 616 runs in just 11 matches, including a century and five fifties.

Replacing such a consistent performer, Amla had big shoes to fill. Known for being a red-ball specialist, the right-hand batter showed confidence in excelling in the shortest format as well. After a short stint in 2016, he returned in 2017 and scored 420 runs in just 10 matches at an average of 60.00 and a strike rate of 145.83. He notched up two centuries, both in losing causes, becoming the first IPL player to do so. In 16 IPL games, the veteran batter scored 577 runs at an average of 44.38 and a strike rate of 141.77.

4. Rajat Patidar (IN); Luvnith Sisodia (OUT) for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2022 Rajat Patidar ( Photo Source : X / Twitter )

after a decent debut in 2021 where he played just four games and went unsold in the 2022 mega auction was called back by Royal Challengers Bengaluru as an injury replacement for Luvnith Sisodia midway through IPL 2022. Roped in for just INR 20 lakh, Patidar made the most of his opportunity, scoring 333 runs in eight matches, including an unbeaten 112 in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. That innings not only helped RCB win the game but also confirmed Patidar’s place in the side. 

Though a heel injury ruled him out of IPL 2023, he bounced back in 2024 with 395 runs at a strike rate of 177, earning a spot among the retained players. Ahead of IPL 2025, Patidar was named RCB captain after the release of Faf Du Plessis. Under his captaincy, RCB started the 2025 season on a strong note, with many believing he might be the one to finally help RCB lift their maiden IPL title.

3. Lendl Simmons (IN); Jalaj Saxena (OUT) for Mumbai Indians in 2014 Lendl-Simmons. (Photo source: X)

IPL 2014, West Indies batter was acquired by Mumbai Indians as a replacement for Jalaj Saxena. The decision turned out to be one of the most impactful mid-season signings in IPL history. Making his IPL debut, the right-handed batter made an immediate impact with 394 runs in just eight matches, including a memorable century against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), helping MI reach the playoffs after a poor start.

Simmons’ biggest contribution came in the 2015 season, where his opening partnership with Parthiv Patel played a crucial role in the side clinching their second IPL title. Scoring 540 runs at an average of 45, he was the backbone of MI’s batting lineup and finished as the joint second-highest run-scorer that year. Although injury hampered his 2016 season and he played just one game and returned in 2017, adding another title to his name. In his IPL career, he scored 1079 runs in 29 matches at an average of 39.96 and a strike rate of 126.64, including one century and 11 fifties.

2. Phil Salt (IN); Jason Roy (OUT) for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 Phil Salt. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

After going unsold at the IPL 2024 auction, England's wicketkeeper-batter Phil Salt became a crucial part in Kolkata Knight Riders' title-winning run. Roped in as a late replacement for Jason Roy, who pulled out due to personal reasons, the right-handed batter was signed at his base price of INR 1.5 crore. Salt formed a solid opening partnership with , with the duo providing explosive starts throughout the season.

The pair managed six 50-plus stands and combined for 559 runs, the third-best opening partnership of the tournament. The 29-year-old hammered 435 runs in 12 games at a strike rate of 182.01, including a match-winning unbeaten 89 against Lucknow Super Giants. Notably, 296 of those runs came in the powerplay at a strike rate of 185. Though he left before the playoffs for national duty, Salt’s contributions had already opened the doors for KKR’s third IPL trophy. Later, Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked him up for a hefty INR 11.5 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. So far, Salt has scored 239 runs in nine games, including two fifties.

1. Chris Gayle (IN); Dirk Nannes (OUT) for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2011 Gayle ( Photo source : X / Twitter )

One of the most iconic mid-season replacements in IPL history was of the Caribbean legend, who went from being unsold in the 2011 auction to becoming the face of RCB over the years. The Southpaw, who had a subpar stint with Kolkata Knight Riders (463 runs in two seasons), was overlooked by franchises due to injury concerns and inconsistent performances.

When Australian pacer Dirk Nannes suffered an injury early in the 2011 season, the Bangalore side roped in Gayle as a late replacement. With no match practice and no time to rest after travel, Gayle smashed an unbeaten 102* against his former team KKR in his very first game for Bengaluru. That season, he hammered 608 runs in just 12 matches and bagged the Orange Cap.  Over the years, the Universe Boss excited fans with his six-hitting abilities, including the record-breaking 175* off 66 balls in 2013, still the highest individual score in T20 cricket. In 2023, he was also inducted into RCB's Hall of Fame and had his jersey '333' retired by the side.