Rishabh Pant’s each run costs Rs1 million, Jofra Archer’s wicket Rs11.36 million in IPL 2025

Dubai: They were backed with millions and billed as game-changers — but these IPL stars couldn’t live up to the hype in Season 18.

The Indian Premier League’s 18th season has been a revelation — young stars have broken through, new match-winners have emerged, and several teams have reshaped their identity. But amid the highs, one glaring anomaly stands out: big-money players who failed to deliver.

With the next auction looming at the end of the year, teams will be under pressure to rethink their spending strategy. Here’s a look at 10 players who fetched massive sums but returned little value — most of them clustered in a handful of franchises whose fortunes took a hit due to their misfiring stars.

The Lucknow Super Giants skipper finally showed his class with a blistering century in the final league match — but it came too late. For most of the season, Pant struggled for rhythm, finishing with 269 runs. That’s more than a million rupees per run. His leadership was commendable, but the bat stayed mostly quiet.

Kolkata Knight Rider’s vice-captain had a forgettable season. Once seen as an all-round asset, Iyer managed just 142 runs from 11 games. On Sunday, he didn’t even make the playing XI, listed only as an unused impact sub. At Rs1.6 million per run, he’s one of the most expensive flop this season.

Returning to Chennai Super Kings, the veteran off-spinner managed just 7 wickets and 33 runs across 9 matches. His bowling returns cost five-time champions Chennai Super Kings nearly Rs14 million per wicket — a steep price for a quiet season.

The England quick returned to Rajasthan Royals with great anticipation but once again failed to ignite. Although he played 12 matches — his most in a single IPL season — his 11 wickets came at a costly Rs11.36 million each.

Known for his muscle and match-winning ability, the Australian was expected to fire for Punjab Kings. Instead, he returned just 126 runs in 10 games and failed to take a single wicket. Each run cost Punjab Rs873,000. Still he has a chance to redeem himself in the playoffs.

Back with Punjab Kings, Maxwell’s season ended prematurely due to injury — but not before scoring just 48 runs in seven games. For a player once known for electrifying knocks, every run this season came at a steep Rs875,000.

The South African finisher had the role he knows best — coming in late and hitting hard. But his returns for Lucknow Super Giants were tame: 153 runs in 11 matches, with a best of 27 not out. Each run cost nearly half a million rupees.

After a prolific 2023 season, Conway failed to replicate his form for Chennai Super Kings. The New Zealand opener managed just 156 runs in six matches — with a fifty in his final appearance. His per-run cost? Rs400,000.

One of the few retained players on this list, Head didn’t flop completely, scoring 374 runs. But the explosive starts that defined Sunrisers Hyderabad’s run last season were missing this year. At Rs374,300 per run, his impact didn’t quite match the investment.

The left-hander began and ended the season with fireworks, scoring a century in the opener and 94 not out in the penultimate game. But he went missing in between, finishing with 354 runs. That’s Rs311,000 per run — not poor, but far from what Hyderabad paid for.

They were once the giants of the IPL — match-winners, crowd-pullers, the heartbeat of their teams. But this season, their struggles have laid bare the brutal truth of the league: reputations don’t win matches, performances do.

For the rising stars watching on, it’s more than a warning — it’s a wake-up call. In a league that moves fast and forgets faster, consistency isn’t just desirable — it’s survival.