The cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) is never short of talent. Right from its inception in 2008, all the way to the current 2025 season, the high-octane league has seen the birth of ground-breaking cricketing talent. Whilst there may be no shortage of talent, there are a few unfortunate souls who, despite their prolific stature and hefty price tags, fail to live up to the standards.

In this season alone, we have seen a few flop performances from some of the very best in the business. In this article, we showcase the top five high-profile cricketers who failed to live up to expectations in IPL 2025.

See also: WATCH: Viral moment when Shashank Singh predicted PBKS will end up in top 2 before start of IPL 2025

Rishabh Pant (₹27 crore, Lucknow Super Giants)

Perhaps the most shocking disappointment of all was to see Rishab Pant from LSG falter big time this season. Last year, he was acquired by LSG for a whopping ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive purchase in the history of IPL. Many of his fans, including Sanjeeev Goenka, founder of LSG, had high hopes from him. But contrary to their assumptions, Pant failed to deliver big. As the most expensive player in IPL history, Pant's performance was underwhelming. Pant could only manage 106 runs in seven innings, with an awful average of 15.14 and a strike rate below 100, significantly below expectations. 

Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore, Kolkata Knight Riders)

Just like Pant, Venkatesh Iyer from KKR also etched his name in the record books by becoming the second-most expensive player in the IPL mega-auction last year. But as fate would have it, Iyer succumbed to the burden of his heavy price tag. In six innings, Iyer managed only 135 runs with a solitary fifty. His highest score was 52* in the 2024 final, but this season, his performances have been inconsistent and disappointing. His score of 7 against DC on April 29th marked his fourth single-digit score, whereas against GT in a must-win fixture, Iyer could only score 14 (19), failing to hit a boundary and struggling to rotate the strike. His inconsistency and lack of impact were major disappointments for KKR this season as the tall all-rounder struggled to justify his hefty price tag. 

Mohammed Shami (₹10 crore, Sunrisers Hyderabad)

The ace Indian speedster's performance has been another source of disappointment for the fans. Being acquired by SRH for a staggering ₹10 crore, Mohammed Shami's performance in IPL 2025 has significantly fallen short of expectations, causing concern among both fans and experts. As a member of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Shami's difficulties have been apparent throughout the season. Across nine matches, Shami could only muster six wickets under his tally, with an alarming economy rate of 11.23. His figures include a particularly dismal performance against Punjab Kings, where he conceded 75 runs in four overs—the most expensive bowling spell by an Indian in IPL history. Subsequently, he also went on to claim an unwanted record of having the second-highest bowling figures in IPL history.

Liam Livingstone (₹8.75 crore, Royal Challengers Bangalore)

England's Liam Livingstone serves as yet another example of how expensive buys can lead franchises to inevitable catastrophes. Although RCB has stormed into the playoffs in blazing fashion, Livingstone's paltry contribution both with the bat and the ball has caught the ire of many fans and cricketing pundits alike. Livingstone has managed only 87 runs in seven matches, averaging 17.40 with a strike rate of 127.94. His sole highlight was a half-century against the Gujarat Titans, but he failed to cross the 20-run mark in subsequent innings. Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary cited Livingstone's poor shot selection and lack of game awareness as the key reasons for his poor show this season. He noted that Livingstone has faced more than 10 deliveries in an innings only once this season, highlighting his inability to build and anchor the innings progressively.

Glenn Maxwell (₹4.2 crore, Royal Challengers Bangalore) 

Maxwell has been a serious contender across several IPL seasons in the past decade. But his performance in the ongoing IPL edition has been nothing short of disappointing. He has clearly had a season to forget, with only 48 runs in seven innings and four wickets at an economy rate of 8.46. His inability to contribute significantly with both bat and ball was a concern for RCB. Batting has surfaced as the primary source of concern for the Australian southpaw. He started his journey poorly this season by registering a golden duck against GT in the tournament opener, marking his 19th duck in the cash-rich league. And to further compound his woes, Maxwell suffered a fractured finger during training in early May, ruling him out for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season. This injury has ended a season that many had hoped would mark a resurgence for the 36-year-old all-rounder.