Eight key South African players will be flying home before the IPL 2025 playoffs — and that’s going to leave a few franchises scrambling.
With the World Test Championship final on the horizon, Cricket South Africa has confirmed that its WTC-bound players will leave India by May 27. That’s just two days before the playoffs kick off.
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The decision comes after CSA wrapped up negotiations with the BCCI and IPL teams, putting red-ball priorities first. South Africa will play a warm-up against Zimbabwe on June 3 in Arundel before facing Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s on June 11.
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Not everyone’s heading out, though. Players not named in the WTC squad will stay back until the tournament wraps on June 3.
Which South Africans are leaving — and what it means for their teams
The eight players making an early exit are Kagiso Rabada (GT), Aiden Markram (LSG), Marco Jansen (PBKS), Tristan Stubbs (DC), Lungi Ngidi (RCB), Wiaan Mulder (SRH), and the MI duo of Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch.
Out of these, Mumbai Indians may be hit hardest. Rickelton, their second-highest run-scorer with 336 runs in 12 innings, and Bosch, who’s chipped in with valuable cameos and tidy spells across three games, will both leave after the league stage.
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GT haven’t had Rabada since March 29, but they’re nearly through to the playoffs. LSG, however, are clinging to hope, and Markram’s 348 runs in 11 innings make him their third-highest scorer. They’ll need a miracle to stay in the mix.
DC will miss Stubbs, who’s been lethal at the death, scoring 259 runs in 10 innings at a 151.46 strike rate. PBKS can’t afford to lose Jansen either — he’s taken 11 wickets in as many games and they need two wins from their last three to qualify.
Ngidi could still feature for RCB when they face KKR on May 17 — if Josh Hazlewood hasn’t recovered from his shoulder niggle.
The league stage ends May 27. Playoffs begin May 29. And the Proteas? They’re off to chase a world title.
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