Another storied TATA IPL (Indian Premier League) season came to a glorious and fitting end on 3rd June 2025. Fans witnessed several records set and a first-time champion in RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru). As fancied as it could get, the season had it all. The anticipation, close encounters, youthful flavour, geo-political tensions, unprecedented pause, new-age resumption, intense playoff battles, edge-of-the-seat final, and a new winner, the season delivered beyond its expectations. As always, it turned out to be a cricketing extravaganza. 

However, with every passing season, we unfortunately bid adieu to some of the long-serving players. It is this hysterical side of sports that makes the fans, unwillingly, heavy-hearted, and come to terms with the reality. As much as the emotional fans wish for their favourite players to always continue playing, the sport must be met with certain realistic expectations. As the 'Generation-Next' takes center stage, the 'Generation-Bold' makes way for them to seize their moments and sustain themselves for years to come. The IPL turned 18 this time, and fortunate are those who have seen some of the legends grace the cricket field. These great players have blessed the game and their fans alike. Their enchanting charm is something they developed courtesy of their gifted skills and then evolved with the fickle dynamics of the game. 

Having been at the helm of the sport and in the peak of their powers, they saw it all. From personal milestones to achieving team silverware and everything in between, they have completed the set. When age gets the better of them and they comprehend well enough to do justice to their game, they realise that the time is perfect for them to hang up their boots and let the youngsters build on the legacy. Considering that and accounting for several other factors, some veterans might have played for the last time in the IPL 2025. Let's take a look at some of those names and their IPL journeys hitherto. 

See Also: Emerging Stars of IPL 2025: Future of Indian Cricket?

MS Dhoni

The most successful captain of the Indian Cricket Team has been a stalwart and brand for the CSK (Chennai Super Kings) since the inception of the IPL in 2008. As the franchise's skipper, he has led the team to the ultimate glory five times in his glorious career. From a batting perspective, MS has been a great finisher for his side, both in setting up mammoth scores and in pulling off unimaginable chases in a gobsmacking fashion. The wicket-keeper batter has played the most number of matches (276) and also as a captain (226). Nicknamed 'Thala', meaning 'A Leader' in Tamil, by multitudes of his supporters, he further holds the record for hitting the most number of sixes as a captain (222) and most dismissals from behind the stumps (200).

However, over the past few seasons, Dhoni has struggled to keep up with the pace of the modern format of the game. He has had dismal batting returns, turning his presence as a lower-order batter into a liability. His wicket-keeping skills are still second to none, though. With the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) amending certain rules before the mega auction, bracketing players retired from the international game for the past five years as uncapped, allowed MS to be considered at the lowest retention contract of 4 crores. This rule enabled the CSK to retain their most celebrated icon and sustain his IPL career for probably a year or two. Turning 44 years in July 2025 and carrying a knee injury for the majority part of the last few years, Dhoni might seriously consider retiring now. If so, he might next opt for a mentor role to nourish the youngsters by passing on his gold-valued experiences. If not even now, then the impact player rule could be the only saviour to prolong him by another season. 

Rohit Sharma

The Mumbai Indians' (MI) talismanic opener and former captain has been a batting spearhead for the franchise since 2011. Under his leadership, the MI won five IPL titles, the same as the CSK. In the 2025 season, Rohit Sharma crossed 7000 runs in IPL cricket along with 300 sixes. As illustrious as he has been for the national side, the powerful batter has brought immense glory to the Ambani-owned franchise. Under his tutelage, several players have established themselves in the circuit and flourished exceedingly well. 

With international cricket behind him, playing only the ODI (One Day International) format currently, and age not on his side, Sharma navigated the entire 2025 season as an impact batter for the MI. He came in as an opener, scored inconsistently over the campaign, and fielded minimally. His often below-par batting returns have been a concern for the team management. His role of instantly taking the attack to the opposition has returned rich dividends only on a few occasions. With a mini-auction before the next season, it might be interesting to know about the players retained by the franchise. Rohit's decision to continue playing in the IPL might be completely based on that. 

Ravichandran Ashwin

R. Ashwin, India's second most successful test bowler after Anil Kumble, has mostly been on the move in terms of IPL franchise cricket. He started with the CSK in 2009 and fulfilled his circle moment by returning there, his home franchise, for the 2025 season. Between these two stints, he plied his trade with several other teams, including the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Known for his immaculate bowling prowess, Ash has always stayed ahead of the batters and disguised them with his impeccable guile. Having amassed more than 170 wickets in his IPL career so far, the Tamil spin geek has enjoyed a successful time in India's glorious domestic T20 league. This also included leading the KXIP team in 2018. Moreover, Ashwin has also been deployed as a pinch-hitter batter by various teams and sent up in the order. On many instances, his counter-attacking hitting has eased the pressure on the batting side and instead put it back on the bowlers. 

Over the past few seasons, Ashwin has not been a regular starter in the playing XI for whichever franchise he has played for. Lack of international cricket in his strides and teams relying more on leggies and mystery spinners have complicated his case manifold. This explains his exclusion and might tempt him to consider retirement before the next season. Ashwin has always wanted to give up on the game at his home, the M. Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai. This wish of his came true when he was selected by the CSK in the auction for the just-concluded season.

Faf Du Plessis

Faf Du Plessis, the South-African maestro, is arguably the most underrated IPL player ever. He debuted in the league for the CSK in 2011. In the initial stages, he was more of a gun fielder than a prolific batter. Over the years, his explosive batting gradually became a symbol of his identity, and he solidified his position as a long-term opener for the team in yellow. With the CSK, he won the tournament in 2011, 2018, and 2021. His performances, initially unnoticed, picked up in credibility and appreciation during the 2018 season, when he was one of the highest run scorers and bailed his team out in crunch situations. The Proteas' player subsequently played for the RCB as their captain in 2023-24 and was bought by the DC for the 2025 season. 

Faf is now a globetrotter in franchise cricket, having retired from the international game and exercising his play across different global T20 leagues. This year, in the IPL, unfortunately, he found himself plagued with injuries and was forced to miss quite a few matches. He eventually played as an impact player and didn't field much on several occasions. With the IPL always evolving and teams usually looking at multi-faceted players, Du Plessis might seem saturated and be out of plans for many teams soon. These signs could hint at a possible retirement from the Indian League. 

David Warner

David Warner, fondly remembered as 'The Pocket-Sized Dynamo', has been one of the best overseas players in the history of the IPL. Known for storming the league with his batting, the explosive left-handed Aussie stands among the highest run scorers in the eighteen seasons of the tournament. Having played for the DC and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Warner has accumulated over 6500 runs and possesses the second-highest number of 50-plus scores. He also led the SRH to IPL glory in 2016. He has been the mainstay of every batting order over the years, which has fetched him the orange cap for scoring the maximum runs on multiple occasions. 

Recently, the opener has gradually run out of favour and has been in and out of the side frequently. His run-scoring abilities and strike rate have dropped, and this has made him a lesser utility player. For 2025, he registered himself in the auction at a base price of 2 crore but didn't find any buyers, and went unsold. Although Warner has been playing in all the other global T20 leagues, going by the current IPL trends, his name might not even come up in the next mini-auction. Thus, a certain fan favourite in him would possibly have to bid farewell to the league that brought him glory and improved his international game as well.