The Indian Premier League has played a pivotal role in being the benchmark of how cricketing tournaments should be unfolded. From being lucrative to enticing several fanatics, the IPL has shown it all, with the players being the backbone of it.

With teams or franchises acting as the initiator and face of it, some players and team combinations have worked tremendously. At the same time, there were a few that were forgettable. That said, through this listicle, we dive deep into the top IPL campaigners betrayed by their respective teams across the tournament's timeline.

David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

David Warner's shocking exit from the Sunrisers Hyderabad has bewildered many followers, primarily when the same swashbuckling left-hand batter led them to their first-ever title in the 2016 edition. It all started in the 2021 edition when he couldn't deliver the desired performances as a captain, and the team's management took the harsh step of sacking him as the captain for the season's midway.

In the second half of the season, the franchise dropped and blocked Warner on social media. Warner's expression was filled with sadness as he brought drinks for his squad during matches. Despite his substantial accomplishments and loyalty to the Orange team, it is unsurprising that this is a perfect example of a franchise betraying a devoted cricketing campaigner inside the IPL ecosystem.

Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings)

Suresh Raina, a.k.a Mr IPL, sadly gets his name to this list. Raina was one of the Chennai Super Kings' longest-serving players, spending 12 years with them. From IPL 2008 to 2015, the left-handed batter was entirely devoted to the Yellow Army, missing no matches. But in 2022, CSK dismissed him and opted not to bid for their former vice-captain. Raina got unsold and did not receive a decent farewell from IPL.

Two years later, Raina has broken his silence on the subject, adding that he is delighted to see MS Dhoni still playing and should not be sad. Nonetheless, it has sparked a lot of suspicion among die-hard fans, mainly because he is the tournament's fifth-highest run-getter. As it suggests, this makes him one of the players who deserved a befitting end to an illustrious IPL stint.

Yuzvendra Chahal (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

India's current spinmeister, Yuzvendra Chahal, Royal Challengers Bengaluru purchased Chahal during the IPL 2014 auctions, and he proved to be an excellent addition to the Bangalore-based team. His achievements at RCB won him a call-up to India's white ball teams, and he quickly established himself as the country's go-to spinner in both T20I and ODIs. However, ahead of the major auction in 2022, RCB chose to release Chahal, who the Rajasthan Royals then signed.

Mike Hesson, the franchise's director of cricket at the time, recalled the phone conversation in which Chahal expressed frustration and displeasure, which was an apparent reaction from a frequent contributor. Still, many fans believe he should have been retained and played for a long time, as he's known for his consistency.

Sourav Ganguly (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Sourav Ganguly, an Indian cricketing great, was released by his home team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, and the release of 'Dada' surprised many fans and critics, who raised their voices and criticised the Knight Riders' massive action for a short time. Ganguly's stay with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was fraught with controversy. He was named captain for the first season, but the club failed to reach the semi-finals.

Then, in 2009, he was fired as captain, and before the 2011 auction, he was also dismissed as a player. It all started when the current CEO, Venky Mysore, held the team's responsibility and first took this major decision, which wasn't that difficult for him, as it was a matter of getting the team to triumph.

See Also: IPL 2025: The ₹23.75 crore gamble that could define KKR's IPL 2025 campaign

Adam Gilchrist (Deccan Chargers)

Adam Gilchrist has been one of the most incredible wicketkeeper batters in the sporting world. He has gained prominence in the Aussies cricket space and aroused dominance in the IPL through his impeccable stint for the now-defunct franchise, the Deccan Chargers. The side had a forgettable start in the inaugural edition, and no one believed that the same team would go on to win the second-ever IPL title under the helms of Adam Gilchrist.

But, as was the case for many, Gilchrist was surprisingly not retained for the 2011 IPL season, which aroused a big question mark. In an interview in 2017, Gilchrist didn't have a definite answer and was equally perplexed, like the others, behind his release as he still believed that he had some game left for the franchise.

Mohammed Siraj (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)

Mohammed Siraj has become a reliable Indian pacer in the International space thanks to his commendable and eight-long years of contribution to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Known for having a loyal fanbase, RCB had its priorities straight in going for a massive restructuring across all the departments. Though Siraj has been consistent in his wicket-taking abilities and has leaked some critical runs, there is no denying that the speedster has shown promise in recent international encounters.

With a large amount of purse and a couple of Right-to-Match cards (RTM) available, many anticipated him to return to the squad, but that did not happen. The main reason for this is the overall restructuring, and many supporters believe he should have received an RTM and stayed with the franchise.

Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals)

Many expected Rishabh Pant to stay because he had virtually become the franchise's face. Pant's name, however, did not appear on Delhi Capital's retention list. Despite not playing a T20I since his vehicle accident in December 2022, he returned well in the IPL 2024, scoring 446 runs and earning a position in India's T20 World Cup-winning side this year.

According to a report by The Times of India, Pant requested to stay captain of the Capitals and be part of the coaching staff selection process. However, the Capitals side was not impressed by his T20 performance or captaincy and has opted not to retain the T20 World Cup-winning player, citing other future goals and plans.

KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants)

KL Rahul is another high-profile skipper released from the current IPL super auction for 2025. The 32-year-old was one of the Lucknow Super Giants' initial draft selections when the franchise debuted in 2022. However, he was not retained. LSG made the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023 under Rahul's leadership, and he has been the team's leading scorer in three seasons.

But following a disastrous IPL 2024 match against SunRisers Hyderabad, in which LSG lost by ten wickets, TV cameras filmed LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka conversing with KL Rahul, which seemed intense and a bit towards a harsh venting out. This led to several criticism notes to the owner, and many assumed that this would prompt Rahul to leave the franchise. Though this reason might not be apparent, he will be next seen for the Delhi Capitals as the potential heir for the squad's leader.

David Warner

David Warner

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