Best replacement players in IPL history
Over the years, franchises have brought in players who weren’t even in the original plans but went on to guide their team’s fortunes.
7. Sandeep Sharma (IN) Prasidh Kirshna (OUT) for Rajasthan Royals in 2023
When Prasidh Krishna 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.
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