They weren’t even picked at the auction — but when the call came, they lit up the league with jaw-dropping performances
The IPL lasts for about two months. During this time, chaos ensues. Injuries, sudden exits, national duties — squads shuffle, and replacements arrive. Some simply fill a gap. Others? They seize the spotlight with both hands.
Remember when Chris Gayle was brought in mid-season for RCB in 2011 and ended up scoring 608 runs in just 12 games, including two centuries? That was the benchmark. Since then, a few more have joined that elite club of “Plan B legends.” Let’s relive five such stories — with numbers, moments, and just a little drama.
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Kolkata Knight Riders called him in when Jason Roy pulled out, and Salt didn’t miss a beat. In IPL 2024, he smashed 435 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of 182.00, including 296 runs during the powerplay — the most by any batter that season. He hit 5 fifties and provided KKR with the perfect launchpad for their title-winning run.
Replacements rarely dominate headlines, but Jake Fraser-McGurk isn’t your usual rookie. Signed by Delhi Capitals to replace an injured Lungi Ngidi, he scored 330 runs in 9 games, faced just 141 balls, and maintained a jaw-dropping strike rate of 234.04. He smashed 27 sixes — joint-second most for DC in 2024 — and rewrote the idea of “impact sub.”
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Gone unsold in the 2023 auction and picked by Rajasthan Royals after Prasidh Krishna’s injury, Sandeep proved he wasn’t done yet. That match against CSK? He defended 5 runs in the final over with Dhoni at the crease. In 2024, he outdid himself — taking 13 wickets in 11 matches, boasting an economy of 8.18, and, once again, being a top death-overs pick. RR retained him for IPL 2025.
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Dropped in 2021, unsold in 2022, and then suddenly called in when Luvnith Sisodia got injured. In 2022, Patidar scored 333 runs in 8 matches for Royal Challengers Bangaluru, including a stunning 112 off 54 balls in the Eliminator — the first uncapped player to score a century in IPL playoffs. Fast-forward to now? He’s RCB’s full-time captain in 2025.
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From net bowler to national team hopeful in three matches — that was Umran Malik’s IPL 2021 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Drafted in for T Natarajan as a Covid-time replacement, Umran bowled consistently at 150+, including a thunderbolt at 156.9kph — still the fastest by an Indian in IPL history. Retained ahead of IPL 2022, he took 22 wickets that season and became a fan favourite overnight.
So the next time your team’s star player is ruled out… don’t lose hope. That replacement might just become your next MVP.
