IPL 2025: Swastik Chikara with Virat Kohli

It goes without saying that the Indian Premier League stands as one of the most fierce leagues in terms of competition. Every squad is stacked with immense talent. However, the harsh reality remains that only 11 players can take the field at any given point (excluding the Impact Player).
Several players find themselves warming the bench due to them not making the cut when it comes to squad composition, strengths of the opposition, conditions, etc. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL 2025&nbsp;</a>was no different. There were a whole lot of players who did not get tested despite being incredibly skilled in their own right.
<hr>
<h2>5 players who deserved a chance but were benched all season</h2>
<h3>5. Shreyas Gopal (CSK)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748878288534_Shreyas-Gopal.jpeg" alt="Shreyas-Gopal" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Shreyas Gopal (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Shreyas Gopal was coming off an impressive run in the 2024-25 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He had scalped 18 wickets in 10 innings at an economy of 4.98. He ended up as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament.&nbsp;
Gopal has also been tested at the IPL. He was a vital component for RR for three seasons on the trot (2018 to 2020), picking up 41 wickets at an economy rate of 7.79. However, Noor Ahmed, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin were CSK's preferred spinners this season.
<h3>4. Arshin Kulkarni (LSG)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748783422460_Arshin-Kulkarni.jpeg" alt="Arshin-Kulkarni" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Arshin Kulkarni (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Arshin Kulkarni was acquired by LSG ahead of the the 2024 season after impressive outings in the Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy and the Maharashtra Premier League. He was tried at the top of the order for a couple of games. However, the tall all-rounder could not generate the desired outcome.
He was brought back in the mega auction ahead of IPL 2025. Despite above average performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 (194 runs and six wickets) and a solid couple of games in VHT 2024-25 (107 off 137 and 1/7 in four overs and 90 off 101 and 0/16 in two overs), he was not included in the team for any game.
<h3>3. Rajvardhan Hangargekar (LSG)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1680422688592_Rajvardhan-Hangargekar.jpeg" alt="Rajvardhan-Hangargekar" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Rajvardhan Hangargekar (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Rajvardhan Hangargekar's first rise to prominence was the 2022 U-19 World Cup, where he impressed with his raw pace. He featured in only two matches for CSK across three seasons and was not retained by the franchise.
LSG put in the sole bid for the bowling all-rounder and acquired him for INR 30 lakh ahead of the season. Hangargekar had played only four competitive matches (two T20s and two List A games) since December 2024. He did not get a chance to represent the Rishabh Pant-led LSG this season.
<h3>2. Swastik Chikara (RCB)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748785039754_Swastik-Chikara.jpeg" alt="Swastik-Chikara" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Swastik-Chikara (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Swastik Chikara made his first big impression before the mega auction when he smashed his way to become the leading run-getter in last year's Uttar Pradesh T20 League (499 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 185.50). He was acquired by RCB for INR 30 lakh.
He had also struck a colossal 381 runs off 343 balls in a CK Nayudu game for UP in January earlier this year. Renowned as a ferocious hitter of the ball, it was expected that the top-order batter would feature for RCB sometime during the tournament. However, he was left to spend the entire season on the bench. &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>1. Mayank Markande (KKR)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748783966213_Mayank-Markande.jpeg" alt="Mayank-Markande" width="960" height="600" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Mayank Markande (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Mayank Markande was an important part of MI in his maiden IPL season (15 wickets in 14 matches). After three seasons (2019, 2021, 2022) of sporadic appearances, his next decent season came in 2023 for SRH. However, he was released by the runners-up of the 2024 season.
Markande had a reasonably good stint in the white-ball domestic circuit ahead of IPL 2025. However, he did not even make a single appearance for KKR. Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine were entrusted with the bulk of the workload as far as the spin-bowling department is concerned.

It goes without saying that the Indian Premier League stands as one of the most fierce leagues in terms of competition. Every squad is stacked with immense talent. However, the harsh reality remains that only 11 players can take the field at any given point (excluding the Impact Player).
Several players find themselves warming the bench due to them not making the cut when it comes to squad composition, strengths of the opposition, conditions, etc. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL 2025&nbsp;</a>was no different. There were a whole lot of players who did not get tested despite being incredibly skilled in their own right.
<hr>
<h2>5 players who deserved a chance but were benched all season</h2>
<h3>5. Shreyas Gopal (CSK)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748878288534_Shreyas-Gopal.jpeg" alt="Shreyas-Gopal" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Shreyas Gopal (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Shreyas Gopal was coming off an impressive run in the 2024-25 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He had scalped 18 wickets in 10 innings at an economy of 4.98. He ended up as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament.&nbsp;
Gopal has also been tested at the IPL. He was a vital component for RR for three seasons on the trot (2018 to 2020), picking up 41 wickets at an economy rate of 7.79. However, Noor Ahmed, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin were CSK's preferred spinners this season.
<h3>4. Arshin Kulkarni (LSG)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748783422460_Arshin-Kulkarni.jpeg" alt="Arshin-Kulkarni" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Arshin Kulkarni (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Arshin Kulkarni was acquired by LSG ahead of the the 2024 season after impressive outings in the Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy and the Maharashtra Premier League. He was tried at the top of the order for a couple of games. However, the tall all-rounder could not generate the desired outcome.
He was brought back in the mega auction ahead of IPL 2025. Despite above average performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 (194 runs and six wickets) and a solid couple of games in VHT 2024-25 (107 off 137 and 1/7 in four overs and 90 off 101 and 0/16 in two overs), he was not included in the team for any game.
<h3>3. Rajvardhan Hangargekar (LSG)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1680422688592_Rajvardhan-Hangargekar.jpeg" alt="Rajvardhan-Hangargekar" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Rajvardhan Hangargekar (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Rajvardhan Hangargekar's first rise to prominence was the 2022 U-19 World Cup, where he impressed with his raw pace. He featured in only two matches for CSK across three seasons and was not retained by the franchise.
LSG put in the sole bid for the bowling all-rounder and acquired him for INR 30 lakh ahead of the season. Hangargekar had played only four competitive matches (two T20s and two List A games) since December 2024. He did not get a chance to represent the Rishabh Pant-led LSG this season.
<h3>2. Swastik Chikara (RCB)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748785039754_Swastik-Chikara.jpeg" alt="Swastik-Chikara" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Swastik-Chikara (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Swastik Chikara made his first big impression before the mega auction when he smashed his way to become the leading run-getter in last year's Uttar Pradesh T20 League (499 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 185.50). He was acquired by RCB for INR 30 lakh.
He had also struck a colossal 381 runs off 343 balls in a CK Nayudu game for UP in January earlier this year. Renowned as a ferocious hitter of the ball, it was expected that the top-order batter would feature for RCB sometime during the tournament. However, he was left to spend the entire season on the bench. &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>1. Mayank Markande (KKR)</h3>
Price: INR 30 lakh
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1748783966213_Mayank-Markande.jpeg" alt="Mayank-Markande" width="640" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Mayank Markande (Source: X)</figcaption>
</figure>
Mayank Markande was an important part of MI in his maiden IPL season (15 wickets in 14 matches). After three seasons (2019, 2021, 2022) of sporadic appearances, his next decent season came in 2023 for SRH. However, he was released by the runners-up of the 2024 season.
Markande had a reasonably good stint in the white-ball domestic circuit ahead of IPL 2025. However, he did not even make a single appearance for KKR. Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine were entrusted with the bulk of the workload as far as the spin-bowling department is concerned.

It goes without saying that the Indian Premier League stands as one of the most fierce leagues in terms of competition. Every squad is stacked with immense talent. However, the harsh reality remains t

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