Before the Republic Day, the Central Government has announced the Padma Awards, in which this year 5 Indian sportspersons have been honored for their outstanding contribution.

Veteran Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will be awarded the Padma Bhushan for winning two consecutive Olympic medals.

While India's great cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin will receive the Padma Shri.

Also Read: Major sports events in India 2025 - full calendar

The Padma Bhushan is India's third-highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan. Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award.

The Padma Awards are given to individuals by the government for their distinguished service in any field.

There will be a total of 139 recipients of the Padma Awards 2025. The list comprises seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awards.

Padma Awards 2025 | Winners in Sports

• PR Sreejesh (hockey) - Padma Bhushan
• Ravichandran Ashwin (cricket) - Padma Shri
• IM Vijayan (football) - Padma Shri
• Harvinder Singh (para-archery) - Padma Shri
• Satyapal Singh (athletics) - Padma Shri

PR Sreejesh (Hockey) | Padma Bhushan

India's great hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will be awarded the Padma Bhushan, who played an important role in India winning the bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

He becomes only the second hockey player to be conferred the Padma Bhushan after the legendary Major Dhyan Chand, who was honoured with the award in 1956.

Sreejesh also led India to a historic bronze medal in Tokyo 2020 and became the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year for three consecutive times.

Sreejesh's stellar career spanned 18 years, and he represented India in 336 international matches.

He is currently serving as the coach of the Indian men’s junior hockey team. 

Ravichandran Ashwin (Cricket) | Padma Shri

India's great spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be awarded the Padma Shri for scoring more than 3,000 runs in 106 Test matches with 537 wickets and 6 centuries.

Before announcing his retirement during the Australia tour in December 2024, Ashwin has been a part of many historic moments for Indian cricket, including the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy wins. 

He retired as India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket last year.

His contribution led India to success in many important Test series.

IM Vijayan (Football) | Padma Shri

The great footballer of the 1990s IM Vijayan will also be honored with the Padma Shri Award. 

He was the biggest star of Indian football before Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri. 

Vijayan made his international debut in 1991 against Romania and remained the backbone of the Blue Tigers for 12 years.

Along with Bhaichung, IM Vijayan formed a deadly attacking duo. He hung up his boots in 2003.

Harvinder Singh (Para-archery) | Padma Shri

Archer Harvinder Singh, who achieved India’s first-ever Paralympic gold medal in the sport at Paris 2024, will be awarded the Padma Shri for his historic contribution. 

He was also the first archer from India to win a medal in Olympics or Paralympics at Tokyo 2020. 

For this brilliant achievement, he has been awarded the country's fourth highest civilian honour.

Harvinder contracted dengue when he was just over a year old and eventually lost the movement in his legs.

Satyapal Singh (Athletics) | Padma Shri

Former athlete and Dronacharya awardee Satyapal Singh has also been selected for Padma Shri.

Satyapal is one of India’s successful international coaches who works with national and international bodies. 

He is a former competition manager at the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and a coach of the Indian para-athletics team. 

He was also a mentor for Paris 2024 Paralympics gold-winning high-jumper Praveen Kumar.

Also Read: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024: Full Winners List

273 Padma Awards and 1 Bharat Ratna in Sports so far | Full List

Bharat Ratna

• Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Padma Vibhushan

• Smt. Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom
• Sir Edmund Hillary (Posthumous)
• Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
• Shri Viswanathan Anand

Padma Bhushan

• Shri Devendra Jhajharia
• Kumari P. V. Sindhu
• Ms. Bachendri Pal
• Shri Pankaj Advani
• Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni
• Ms. Saina Nehwal
• Smt. Sania Mirza
• Shri Satpal
• Shri Leander Paes
• Shri Pullela Gopichand
• Shri Rahul Dravid
• Smt. M. C. Mary Kom
• Shri Abhinav Bindra
• Dr. Vijaypat Singhania
• Shri Chandrakant Gulabrao Borde
• Shri Viswanathan Anand
• Prof. Dinkar Balwant Deodhar
• Shri Kapil Dev Nikhanj
• Shri Lala Amarnath
• Shri Michael Joseph Ferreira
• Raja Bhalendra Singh
• Shri Sunil Manohar Gavaskar
• Shri Vinoo Mankad
• Shri Mihir Kumar Sen
• Shri Ramanathan Krishnan
• Lt. Cmdr. Mohan Singh Kohli
• Shri Nawang Gombu
• Shri Sonam Gyatso
• Shri Tenzing Norkay
• Maharajkumar Vijaya Ananda
• Rao Raja Hanunt Singh
• Shri Cottari Kanakaiyah Nayudu
• Shri Dhyan Chand

Padma Shri

• Shri Rohan Bopanna
• Ms. Joshna Chinappa
• Shri Uday Vishwanath Deshpande
• Shri Gaurav Khanna
• Shri Satendra Singh Lohiya
• Smt. Purnima Mahato
• Shri Harbinder Singh
• Shri S R D Prasad
• Shri Gurcharan Singh
• Shri Sumit Antil
• Shri Pramod Bhagat
• Shri Neeraj Chopra
• Shri Sankara Narayana Menon Chundayil
• Shri Fasil Ali Dar
• Ms. Vandana Kataria
• Ms. Avani Lekhara
• Shri Brahmanand Sagun Kamat Shankhwalkar
• Smt. P. Anitha
• Smt. Mouma Das
• Dr. Anshu Jamsenpa
• Shri O. M. Nambiar (Posthumous)
• Ms. Sudha Singh
• Shri Virender Singh
• Shri K Y Venkatesh
• Shri Zaheerkhan Bakhtiyarkhan Khan
• Ms. Oinam Bembem Devi
• Shri M. P. Ganesh
• Shri Jitu Rai
• Shri Tarundeep Rai
• Ms. Rani
• Shri Sunil Chhetri
• Smt. Harika Dronavalli
• Shri Gautam Gambhir
• Shri Sharath Kamal Achanta
• Smt. L. Bombayla Devi
• Shri Bajrang Punia
• Ms. Prashanti Singh
• Shri Ajay Thakur
• Ms. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
• Shri Somdev Kishore Devvarman
• Shri Murlikant Rajaram Petkar
• Shri Kidambi Srikanth
• Shri Shekar Naik Lachma
• Shri Virat Kohli
• Shri Mariyappan T
• Shri Shreejesh P R
• Shri Vikas Shive Gowda
• Ms. Deepa Malik
• Ms. Dipa Karmakar
• Ms. Sakshi Malik
• Ms. Deepika Kumari
• Shri Sushil Doshi
• Ms. Arunima Sinha
• Ms. Mithali Raj
• Ms. P.V. Sindhu
• Shri Sardar Singh
• Smt. Saba Anjum
• Dr. Sunil Dabas
• Ms Anjum Chopra
• Ms Dipika Rebecca Pallikal
• Shri H. Boniface Prabhu
• Shri Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu
• Shri Yuvraj Singh
• Smt. Mamta Sodha
• Shri Bajrang Lal Takhar
• Shri H. N. Girisha
• Shri Ngangom Dingko Singh
• Shri Yogeshwar Dutt
• Smt. Premlata Agrawal
• Vijay Kumar
• Ms. Jhulan Goswami
• Prof. Ravi Chaturvedi
• Shri Ajeet Bajaj
• Shri Devendra Jhajhria
• Shri Limba Ram Ahari
• Shri Prabhakar Ambadaspant Vaidya
• Shri S. M. Arif
• Shri Zafar Iqbal
• Ms. N. Kunjarani Devi
• Ms. Shital Kamalakar Mahajan
• Shri Gagan Narang
• Shri Harbhajan Singh
• Shri Sushil Kumar
• Shri V. V. S. Laxman
• Smt. Krishna Poonia
• Ms. Saina Nehwal
• Shri Ignace Tirkey
• Shri Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan
• Shri Ramakant Vithal Achrekar
• Shri Vijender Singh
• Shri Virender Sehwag
• Shri Balbir Singh Kullar
• Shri Harbhajan Singh Plaha
• Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni
• Shri Pankaj Advani
• Shri Bhaichung Bhutia
• Smt. Bula Chowdhury Chakraborty
• Kumari Koneru Humpy
• Shri Chiranjeev Milkha Singh
• Miss Sania Mirza
• Shri Bahadur Singh Sagoo
• Shri Mohan Singh Gunjyal
• Smt. Madhumita Bisht
• Smt. Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom
• Lt. Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
• Ms. Rachel Thomas
• Shri Anil Kumble
• Shri Gurbachan Singh Randhawa
• Shri Pullela Gopi Chand
• Ms. K. M. Beenamol
• Shri Dilip Kumar Tirkey
• Shri Rahul Dravid
• Shri Sourav Ganguly
• Smt. Anju Bobby George
• Smt. Gurumayum Anita Devi
• Yogacharya Sadashiv Prahlad Nimbalkar
• Ms. Jyotirmoyee Sikdar
• Shri Gopal Purushottam Phadke
• Shri Kanhaya Lal Pokhriyal
• Shri Nandanoori Mukesh Kumar
• Shri Srinivas Venkataraghavan
• Ms. Diana Fram Edulji
• Shri Jaspal Rana
• Ms. Bhuvneshwari Kumari
• Ms. Malathi Krishnamurthy Holla
• Ms. Sunita Rani
• Shri Dhanraj Pillay
• Shri Leander Adrian Paes
• Shri Mahesh Bhupathi
• Smt. Santosh Yadav
• Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
• Smt. Karnam Malleshwari
• Hon. Capt. Lila Ram
• Shri Pargat Singh Powar
• Shri Ramesh Krishnan
• Smt. Shiny Wilson
• Hony Capt. Shriram Singh (Retd.)
• Shri Ajit Pal Singh
• Shri Aspy Darabshaw Adajania
• Shri Hukam Singh
• Kum. Selma Juliet Christina D' Silva
• Shri Sonam Paljor
• Smt. Ujwala Patil
• Kum. Chandra Prabha Aitwal
• Shri Gulshan Rai
• Shri Jaman Lal Sharma
• Shri Pradip Kumar Banerjee
• Shri Prem Chand Dogra
• Shri Taranath Narayan Shenoy
• Shri Mohammed Azharuddin
• Shri Viswanathan Anand
• Miss Bhagyashree Vasantrao Sathe
• Shri Dilip Balwant Vengsarkar
• Shri Kartar Singh
• Kumari Anupama Gajanan Abhyankar
• Shri Geet Siriram Sethi
• Shri Mohammed Shahid
• Shri Swarup Krishan Reu
• Col. Darshan Kumar Khullar
• Miss Bachendri Pal
• Shri Phu Dorjee
• Miss Pilavullakandy Thekkeyparambil Usha
• Shri Om B. Agrawal
• Shri Charles Borromeo
• Shri Chuni Goswami
• Dafadar Raghubir Singh
• Guru Lairenmayum Damu Singh
• Miss Geeta Zutshi
• Miss Manathoor Devasia Valsamma
• Shri Bahadur Singh
• Shri Chand Ram
• Shri Guru Hanuman
• Shri Kaur Singh
• Shri Sat Pal Singh
• Shri Vijay Prakash Amritraj
• Smt. Eliza Nelson
• Shri Kapil Dev Nikhanj
• Shri Prakash Ramesh Padukone
• Shri Syed M.H. Kirmani
• Shri Vasudevan Baskaran
• Kum. Meena Shah
• Shri Harikant Dang
• Shri Roshan Lal Anand
• Shri Pankaj Lal Roy
• Lt. Comdr. Joginder Singh
• Shri Farookh M. Engineer
• Major Harsh Vardhan Bahuguna (Posthumous)
• Shri Ajit Laxman Wadekar
• Shri Bhagavath Subramanya Chandrasekhar
• Kum. Kamaljit Sandhu
• Shri Chandgi Ram
• Shri Ghaus Mohamed
• Shri Gundappa Ranganath Viswanath
• Shri Leslie Claudius
• Shri Sailendra Nath Manna
• Shri Bishen Singh Bedi
• Shri Erapally Anantharao Srinivasa Prasanna
• Shri Syed Mohd. Moinul Haq
• Shri Chandrakant Gulabrao Borde
• Nawab Mohd. Mansur Ali Khan
• Shri Gurdial Singh
• Shri Prithipal Singh
• Shri Shankar Laxman
• Shri Kishan Lal
• Capt. Avtar Singh Vohra Cheema
• Capt. Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia
• Major Narendra Kumar
• Prof. Dinkar Balwant Deodhar
• Shri Ang Kami
• Shri Chandra Prakash Vohra
• Shri Harish Chander Singh Rawat
• Shri Phu Dorji
• Shri Sonam Wangyal
• Shri Wilson Jones
• Shri Charanjit Singh
• Shri Morapakam Josiam Gopalan
• Shri Nawang Gombu
• Shri Mushtaq Ali
• Shri Gostha Behari Paul
• Shri Nari J. Contractor
• Shri P.R. Umrigar
• Shri Ramanathan Krishnan
• Shri Sonam Gyatso
• Brig. Gyan Singh
• Kum. Arati Saha
• Shri Jasu Patel
• Shri Vijay Hazare
• Jemadar Milkha Singh
• Shri Mihir Sen
• Kanwar Digvijai Singh
• Shri Balbir Singh

As the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 is getting closer to the grand final, it is now time to look back at the bowlers with standout performances. They have constantly troubled batsmen which led to their team's success.

Who do you think are the ones with most wickets? Take a look at the highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25.

Jasprit Bumrah | India

Jasprit Bumrah had a remarkable campaign in WTC 2023-25 cycle and has taken the most number of wickets. He took 77 wickets in 15 matches, with an average of 15.09. 

Bumrah recorded five 5-wicket hauls in the cycle and also had his best bowling figure of 6/45 in an innings against England.

Read Also: Jasprit Bumrah becomes first-ever player to pick 200 Test wickets with an average below 20

Jasprit Bumrah stats in WTC 2023-2025

Pat Cummins | Australia 

The Australian skipper, Pat Cummins, has done wonders with the ball, by taking 73 wickets in 17 matches. He is the leading wicket taker for Australia and can also be on top by showcasing his wicket-taking skills in the WTC final against South Africa. 

His best bowling performance in the tournament was a 6-wicket haul for 91 runs.

Pat Cummins stats in WTC 2023-2025

Read Also: WTC Final: Australia and South Africa announce their squads

Mitchell Starc | Australia 

Yet another Australian legend to feature in this list, who is just behind Cummins by one wicket. This fiery left-arm pacer have always been a key bowling of their team. He took 72 wickets in 18 matches total.

Mitchell Starc's best bowling figure in WTC 2023-25 includes a 6-wicket haul for 48 runs.

Mitchell Starc stats in WTC 2023-2025

Other players with 60+ wickets in WTC 2023-25

Seems like the Aussies and Indians have purely dominated the bowling sides and got most wickets up their sleeves.

Read Also: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

Here are the other players who crossed the 60 wickets mark and deserves a shoutout in the list of highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25.

It's been 14 years since India lifted the 2011 World Cup, a moment etched in every fan's memory. That legendary squad brought joy to millions on that unforgettable night in Mumbai, but where are they now?

While many retired, some explored new paths in cricket, and others found different callings, one key player continues to represent India in ODIs.

Explore the current status of India's 2011 World Cup winning squad and know their journeys since the victory and where are they now.

The unforgettable 2011 World Cup Winning squad

Here's the overview of squad members:

MS Dhoni (C & WK), Virender Sehwag (VC), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin.

Coach: Gary Kirsten

Find out the updates on each one of them below:

1. MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni is the winning captain of 2011 World Cup, who finished off in style with a six to seal the victory for India. He also led India to victory in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, becoming the first captain to claim all ICC limited-overs trophies.

He continued to captain India for several years and played a crucial role as a finisher in white-ball cricket. He also led CSK to win four IPL titles from 2011-2023.

• Retirement: Dhoni retired from test cricket in December 2014, and announced his retirement from international cricket (ODIs and T20Is) on August 15, 2020. However, he continues to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
• Currently doing: Continues to captain Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. He is involved in various business ventures and endorsements.

Read Also: Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet: Here are 10 best moments of IPL 2025

2. Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag was the vice-captain of India's 2011 WC-winning squad and provided explosive starts at the top of the order, including a stunning knock of 175 runs against Bangladesh in the opening match.

He continued his attacking batting in Test and ODI formats for a few more years.

• Retirement: Sehwag retired from all forms of international cricket in October 2015.
• Currently doing: He is a prominent cricket analyst and commentator, and a member of the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel of the National Anti-Doping Agency under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. He also runs the Sehwag International School in Haryana and has ventured into the sports gear and organic farming business.

3. Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir was an integral part of India's success in the 2011 WC, especially with his knock of 97 runs in the final. He continued to play a key role in India's top order for a period. He also led Kolkata Knight Riders to 2 IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.

Later, he served as a mentor for Lucknow Super Giants and then KKR, guiding them to their third title in 2024.

• Retirement: Announced retirement from all formats in December 2018.
• Currently doing: In July 2024, Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of India for three years until the 2027 ODI World Cup. He got his first major ICC title in a coaching role by leading India to victory in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy as the head coach.

4. Sachin Tendulkar 

Sachin Tendulkar was the leading run-scorer for India and the second overall in the tournament (482 runs in 9 innings), including two centuries.

He scored his record-setting 100th international century in March 2012 and became a member of the Rajya Sabha in the same year. Additionally, he was a part of Mumbai Indians team that won the IPL in 2013.

• Retirement: Retired from ODI cricket in December 2012, and from tests in November 2013. He also retired from the IPL in 2013.
• Currently doing: Sachin continues to be involved in cricketing and social initiatives, and remains a global ambassador for the sport.

Read Also: Pataudi Trophy renamed as Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy ahead of India vs England test series

5. Yuvraj Singh

The "Player of the tournament," Yuvraj Singh, delivered an exceptional all-rounder performance throughout the World Cup. He successfully battled germ-cell cancer in 2011 and returned to cricket the next year (2012).

Yuvraj continued to play white ball cricket for India occasionally and played in various IPL teams, winning twice with SRH in 2016 and MI in 2019.

• Retirement: Formally retired from international cricket in June 2019.
• Currently doing: He is involved in various cricketing leagues and charitable initiatives. He also mentored India's emerging star, Abhishek Sharma, and has a significant role in shaping his career.

6. Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina played an attacking role in the lower middle order, particularly in the quarter-final against Australia (unbeaten 34), and the semi-final against Pakistan (unbeaten 36).

He continued to be a significant part of India's white-ball setup for several years and was a key player for CSK in the IPL.

• Retirement: Announced retirement from all forms on August 15, 2020, on the same day as Dhoni. However, he continued to play domestic cricket and in various T20 leagues for a period.
• Currently doing: Raina has been involved in commentary and various cricket-related activities.

7. Virat Kohli

As the youngest batsman in the squad (22 years 95 days), Virat Kohli showed glimpses of his future greatness by performing well in the 2011 World Cup, including a century against Bangladesh.

Kohli rose to be one of the world's premier batsmen and captained India across all formats. He became the most successful test captain in history for India. He led India to numerous victories and broke several batting records.

He is the only player from India's 2011 World Cup-winning squad who is still actively playing international cricket (ODI format).

• Retirement: He retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup in 2024, and also retired from Test Cricket in 2025.
• Currently doing: He won the IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 and had a phenomenal season. He is also expected to play in the 2027 World Cup.

Read Also: The Kohli Effect: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement?

8. Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf Pathan was a part of India's World Cup-winning squad in 2011 and played as a batting all-rounder, primarily in the lower middle order. He continued to play in domestic cricket and the IPL, playing for various franchises, including KKR and SRH.

Pathan was also a part of India's 2007 T20 World Cup winning squad.

• Retirement: Retired from all formats in February 2021.
• Currently doing: He became a member of parliament from the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal, and has been seen participating in the Legends League Cricket.

9. Zaheer Khan

The shepherd of India's pace attack, Zaheer Khan, was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup with 21 wickets in 9 matches. His contributions to the bowling unit were phenomenal.

He continued to represent India in internationals for a few more years.

• Retirement: Khan retired from international cricket in October 2015.
• Currently doing: He has been involved in commentary and coaching roles. He is also a cricket expert and analyst.

10. Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh proved to be crucial for the team in the WC 2011, with the kind of experience he had in the game. He continued to play for India occasionally after the World Cup, but his international appearances became less frequent.

He continued to play IPL for franchises like MI, CSK and KKR.

• Retirement: Retired from all formats in December 2021.
• Currently doing: He is a cricket commentator and an analyst. He has also ventured into politics, serving as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

Read Also: 16 Indian Cricketers with stands named after them at a stadium

11. Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra played three matches in the 2011 World Cup and was particularly effective in the semi-final against Pakistan, where he took 2 wickets for 33 runs.

He faced injuries but made a remarkable comeback to the Indian T20I team and played the T20 World Cup that year.

• Retirement: Nehra retired from all forms of international cricket in November 2017.
• Currently doing: He has been involved in coaching in the IPL (head coach: Gujarat Titans) and won the 2022 season.

12. Munaf Patel

Munaf Patel played a significant role as a consistent medium-pacer in the 2011 WC winning squad, picking 11 wickets in 8 matches. He continued to play domestic cricket and in various T20 leagues after the World Cup.

• Retirement: He retired from all formats in December 2018.
• Currently doing: Served as the bowling coach for Delhi Capitals since the 2024 season and has been seen participating in Legends League Cricket.

13. S Sreesanth

S Sreesanth came in as a replacement for Praveen Kumar (ruled out due to injury) in India's 2011 WC squad. He played 2 matches, including the final.

His career was significantly impacted by a spot-fixing scandal in the 2013 IPL, which led to a ban from cricket.

• Retirement: He made a comeback in domestic cricket after the ban was reduced, and retired from all domestic forms in March 2022.
• Currently doing: Sreesanth is the co-owner of the Kollam Aeries team in the Kerala Cricket League. He also participated in reality shows like Big Boss and was involved in acting and other ventures.

14. Piyush Chawla 

The youngest player in India's 2011 World Cup winning squad, Piyush Chawla (22 yrs 46 days), picked 4 wickets in the three matches he played. He continued to play domestic cricket and IPL for various franchises and won.

• Retirement: Chawla announced from all forms of cricket in June 2025. His last international appearance for India was in 2012.
• Currently doing: He has been associated with the sport as an analyst and was seen giving inputs in per-match shows in IPL and other leagues.

Read Also: Most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket by an Indian bowler

15. Ravichandran Ashwin

The spin master, Ravichandran Ashwin, played only 2 matches in the tournament, picking up 4 wickets. He turned out to be one of the most successful Test bowlers for India, with 537 Test wickets.

Ashwin later developed into a useful all-rounder and could bat well. He was also named ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2016.

• Retirement: Announced retirement from international cricket in December 2024.
• Currently doing: He is actively involved in playing cricket in IPL and played in the TNPL as well. Ashwin is also an active YouTuber, who analyses and shares cricketing stories on his channel, which currently has 1.71M subscribers. 

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. And as the IPL 2025 is about to enter the Playoff stage, the level of competition goes significantly up.

The IPL Playoff is an intense phase of the tournament where players need to perform at their best. Thus, there’s constant pressure on batters and bowlers to give their 100 percent, as a tiny mistake can make or break the team’s campaign. Bowlers are under even more pressure as they are the ones who can help teams win the tournament.

Let's take a look at the top 5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history.

Also Read: IPL Table toppers: IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2025

Most Wickets in IPL Playoffs History

5. Harbhajan Singh | 17 Wickets

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has dismissed the batters 17 times in the IPL playoffs at an economy rate of 7.27. During his playing time in the IPL, he has 150 wickets under his name with a stellar economy of 7.08.

The veteran off-spinner has won IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.

4. Ravindra Jadeja | 19 Wickets

Off-spinner Ravindra Jadeja has claimed 19 wickets in the IPL playoffs. He traps the bowler with his spin and is also quite handy with the bat. He has a brilliant average of 22.52 in 23 games. The tally includes an economy rate of 7.75.

Jadeja was part of Rajasthan Royal's title-winning side in the inaugural IPL season (2008). He also won the trophy in 2018, 2021, and 2023 with the Chennai Super Kings.

3. Mohit Sharma | 20 Wickets

Gujarat Titans pacer Mohit Sharma took 20 wickets in the IPL playoffs. He has been consistently providing breakthroughs when the team needed it most. Having represented CSK and GT in the playoffs, Mohit has taken 20 wickets from 10 games at 15.80. His tally includes an economy rate of 8.77 along with a fifer.

Mohit also played for the Gujarat Titans in the 2023 final.

2. Ravichandran Ashwin | 21 Wickets

With 21 wickets in the IPL playoffs, Ravichandran Ashwin has been a key bowler for Chennai Super Kings, delivering vital spin breakthroughs in pressure moments. Ashwin played for three franchises - CSK, Delhi Capitals, and RR - in the IPL playoffs.

Ashwin snapped up 21 wickets from 24 IPL playoff games at 30.23. Notably, Ashwin also has a maiden over in the playoffs. He won the title with CSK in 2010 and 2011. He bowled a match-winning spell (3/16) in the 2011 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

In IPL 2025, he has claimed seven wickets in the nine games he has featured in.

Also Read: Which team has qualified for IPL playoffs most times?

1. Dwayne Bravo | 28 Wickets

Former CSK all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has taken the most wickets in the IPL playoffs, becoming a standout bowler for Chennai Super Kings. He was known for his death-over skills and crucial wickets in crunch situations. All-rounder Bravo was a mainstay seamer in Chennai Super Kings' pace attack for a decade.

Bravo starred in three of their title-winning campaigns (2011, 2018, and 2021). He also played the final with CSK in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2019. Bravo, who also played for Gujarat Lions, took 28 wickets from 19 playoff matches at 18.21.

We have all heard multiple times that T20 cricket is a batter’s game. However, one thing is to be noted that it is a bowler who turns the game for his team most times. The teams across the world have understood the fact that they need a good set of bowlers to win a tournament. This is true in the biggest T20 tournament IPL as well.

Over the years, it has been seen that teams who possess quality bowlers perform quite well, while those who struggle in this department generally lag behind.

So, let's take a look at the bowlers with the most wickets in IPL history.

Also Read: Fastest 50 IPL Wickets Among Pacers (by Matches)

Top 10 bowlers with most wickets in IPL history:

10. Ravindra Jadeja | 166 Wickets

Ravindra Jadeja is easily the most well-rounded cricketer India has ever produced. A major portion of his success needs to be credited to the IPL, as the Saurashtra superstar built his international career by learning in the IPL under cricketing greats like Shane Warne, MS Dhoni, Stephen Fleming, and others. 

Apart from missing the 2010 season, Ravindra Jadeja has played all the other seasons with him representing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since 2012. He has played 249 games taking 166 wickets with the ball with an average of 30.43 and an economy rate of 7.64.

His generational fielding skills have also shined, as the 36-year-old has taken 103 catches in the competition, making him ‘The Ultimate All-rounder’ as he is the only player to have 1000+ runs, 100+ wickets, and 100+ catches, fulfilling his 3-dimensional abilities to the fullest. 

9. Lasith Malinga | 170 Wickets

Lasith Malinga, who is undoubtedly the greatest pacer in the IPL history has taken 170 wickets in 122 games he has played. Malinga averages 19.79 with the bowl and maintained an economy rate of 7.14 in the cash-rich league. 

Though 108 of these wickets have come in death overs where batters try to score at a faster pace and often get out in the process, still his overall numbers are too good to be questioned.

Malinga started playing for Mumbai Indians in the 2009 season, and last appeared in the 2019 season. His final over in the 2019 final was enough to prove his greatness even at that stage of his career.

8. Amit Mishra | 174 Wickets

The next bowler on the list is Indian leggie Amit Mishra who has picked 174 wickets in 162 games. The eighth-highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL, Mishra, went unsold in the mega auction of IPL 2025. 

He has recorded an impressive economy of 7.37 in the league and has been crucial in taking wickets in middle overs. However, previously he has played for Lucknow Super Giants.

7. Jasprit Bumrah | 174 Wickets

Jasprit Bumrah, the game-changer of the game has put his name at no. 7 on this list of bowlers who scalped the most wickets in IPL history. Bumrah has been playing for Mumbai Indians since the 2013 season, in which the franchise bought him at a cheap price.

Bumrah has scalped 174 wickets in 139 games with an average of 22.38. Meanwhile, Bumrah has bowled at an economy rate of 7.30 in the franchise cricket league. This year he is playing for MI again as the franchise retained him before the mega auction.

6. Dwayne Bravo | 183 Wickets 

Dwayne Bravo with 183 wickets is the sixth name on the list. Bravo had been a vital cog in Chennai’s bowling lineup, particularly in the death overs. With MS Dhoni being captain, Bravo’s potential has been used very cleverly for the team’s benefit. 

The all-rounder has played 161 IPL games and averages 23.82 with the ball. He played his last IPL match in the 2022 season for Chennai.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Best Economy in IPL Since 2024

5. Ravichandran Ashwin | 185 Wickets

Ravichandran Ashwin is always known as a great bowler in Test cricket but he has also proved his ability in the shortest format of the game. Meanwhile, Ash comes at number five on this list of bowlers with the most wickets in IPL history. 

Ashwin has picked 185 wickets in 219 matches with an average of 30.22. He has also maintained an economy rate of 7.18. 

Ashwin went on to play for Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, and returns to the CSK fold after having featured for Rajasthan Royals for the last three seasons.

The Indian off-spinner was bought by Chennai Super Kings for Rs. 9.75 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. Ashwin had burst onto the scene in 2009 with CSK under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. He represented Super Kings till 2015 and was part of two title-winning campaigns, in 2010 and 2011. 

4. Sunil Narine | 190* Wickets

The next bowler on this is none other than the West Indies magician Sunil Narine. Narine has taken 190 wickets in 186 games with an average of 25.39 and bowls with an economy rate of 6.77. 

He has been a crucial member of the Kolkata-based franchise KKR, as the franchise won the league back in 2012, 2014, and 2024.

Narine has also played as an opener under Gambhir's captaincy. However, currently, he is with the KKR franchise as they retain the off-spinner before the IPL 2025 mega auction.

3. Piyush Chawla | 192 Wickets

Piyush Chawla, who was bought by Mumbai Indians for IPL 2021 in the mini-auction is the third-highest wicket-taker in the league history. He has picked 192 wickets in 192 matches with an average of 26.60 and an economy being 7.96. 

Piyush Chawla has earlier featured for Chennai, Punjab, and Kolkata-based franchises in the cash-rich league.

Over the last two years, Chawla was the lead spinner for Mumbai Indians. But, no teams went for him in IPL 2025 auction.

2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 193 Wickets

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with 193 wickets is the second name in this list of players with the most wickets in IPL. Bhuvi has played in 185 matches in which he took those 193 wickets at an average of 27.01. However, he has bowled with an economy rate of 7.60 in the league. 

Meanwhile, Bhuvi is playimg for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise as they bought him in the IPL 2025 mega auction at a whopping 10.75 crore price.

Also Read: Most Dot Balls Bowled in IPL History: No one is catching Bhuvi

1. Yuzvendra Chahal | 214 Wickets

Yuzvendra Chahal has taken the most wickets in IPL history. Chahal has played in 169 games in which he has scalped 214 wickets with an average of 22.63. Moreover, he has an economy of 7.90 in the league.

Previously Chahal has played for RCB till 2021 and this season he is featuring the Punjab Kings as they bought him in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Chahal was with Rajasthan Royals since the 2022 season, claiming 66 wickets in 46 games. He has also represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians earlier in the IPL. He is among the 19 bowlers to have claimed a hat-trick in the IPL.

The leg-break bowler also won the Purple Cap for being the leading wicket-taker during the 2022 season, with 27 wickets to his name in 17 games at an average of 19.51 and an economy of 7.75.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the five-time IPL Champions known for their consistency and tactical moves which usually leads them to success, find themselves in an unfamiliar position this season. CSK is at the bottom of the points table with just 2 wins out of their 9 matches, marking their worst IPL season till date. 

The main reasons of CSK’s struggles in IPL 2025 are a combination of poor auction strategy, some important players getting injured, very weak & out of form batting line-up, horrible fielding performances, and being unable to find a proper & effective playing 11 combination despite playing half of their matches in IPL 2025.

Also Read: Impactful Overseas players in IPL 2025

(1) Poor Auction Strategy

From the Auction Table only, CSK’s management started making mistakes by failing to grab impactful players who could fill the gaps in their squad.

Instead of investing in young and in-form players, the management made some confusing choices by buying mediocre players with poor form like Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, and Vijay Shankar, especially with a few key players nearing the end of their careers like Ravichandran Ashwin. 

Former CSK great, also known as “Mr. IPL”, Suresh Raina has publicly criticised CSK’s poor auction strategy by pointing out the missed opportunities to buy match-winning players like KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Faf Du Plessis, etc., due to a lack of funds. 

While other franchises focused on acquiring young and dynamic talent, CSK appeared to rely heavily on their tried-and-tested players like Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Sam Curran, etc., who are unable to perform in crucial situations for CSK in IPL 2025. 

CSK’s management overlooked many promising domestic and overseas players who have been performing nicely in other T20 leagues, which resulted in a poor out-of-form bunch of players.

Some auction picks like Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed were great buys for CSK in IPL 2025, as these 2 players are performing really well and clinching wickets on a regular basis.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Where's what each team need to do to qualify for the playoffs

(2) Batting Collapses in almost every match

CSK’s batting has been one of the weakest in this season. Their top-order batsmen like Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, and Ruturaj Gaikwad have failed to perform consistently, and batted with a very low strike-rate in power-play which leads the team one step backwards from the start of the game. 

The middle-order batsmen like Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dubey, and Vijay Shankar have failed to capitalize in the middle overs, and batted with a slow strike rate, and poor shot selection, which made most of their chases or first innings totals look below par. 

Even their reliable lower order batters or finishers like Ravindra Jadeja and Mahendra Singh Dhoni haven't been able to rescue them as they are also out of form and being overburdened with responsibility. So, the lack of a proper finisher is glaring. 

Also Read: Top 5 game-changing factors that could send MI to IPL 2025 Playoffs

Some young and new batters of CSK like Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, and Dewald Brewis who got a chance to play from the previous 2-3 matches have performed nicely and played exceptionally well and showed potential that they can be the future stars of CSK. 

After the recent loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad, MS Dhoni highlighted the problems because of which CSK is continuously losing matches this season.

His words were, “In a tournament like this, if there are one or two areas to plug in the holes, then it's good, but when a majority of the players are not doing well, then you need to make changes. You can’t just keep going. We are just not putting enough runs on the board”, while addressing the post-match presentation.

Also Read: Glenn Maxwell in IPL Since 2024

(3) Poor Fielding and Catch Drops at Crucial Moment

CSK’s fielding, which was a strength for them earlier, has been horrible this year. CSK has dropped 13-14 catches in IPL 2025 till now which is most by any team this season and after these catch drops of important players at crucial moments, all those players scored a good number of runs and lead their respective teams to a very good total or chased the runs made by CSK. 

In a highly competitive league like the IPL, every run saved with a good fielding effort makes a difference and creates pressure on the opposition, but CSK has failed to do this in this IPL season, which is one of the reasons for CSK’s struggles in IPL 2025. 

MS Dhoni’s wicket-keeping skills is the only thing which deserves appreciation when CSK is fielding. At the age of 43, Dhoni’s wicket-keeping is still lethal with lightning-fast stumping and very smooth ball receiving technique. 

CSK’s bowling has also been very outstanding this season. Bowlers of CSK, like Khaleel Ahmed and Noor Ahmad, have taken crucial wickets continuously. They have been able to create chances with their effective bowling, but the fielders were not able to grab those chances and take advantage of them.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Lowest Total Defended in IPL

(4) Important Players Getting Injured

Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Captain of CSK, got injured and was ruled out of this IPL, which made the CSK batting line-up very weak and inexperienced. Devon Conway has to return to New Zealand because his father passed away. 

After Gaikwad’s exclusion from the playing 11 because of an unfortunate injury, MS Dhoni has again become the Captain of CSK and Ayush Mhatre has been signed by the CSK management as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Also Read: IPL 2025, CSK vs KKR: CSK's five lowest totals in IPL history

(5) Where will the CSK team go from here?

After losing 7 out of 9 matches, and with 5 games left, only CSK’s qualifying chances for IPL 2025 Play-offs are practically gone. Even MS Dhoni seems to be looking ahead to next season, as after their recent loss to Mumbai Indians, Dhoni highlighted the importance of getting a secured playing XI for the next year, while addressing the post-match presentation.

As the season progresses, one thing is clear: CSK's struggles in IPL 2025 serve as a reminder that even the most successful teams need to evolve and adapt to the current playing style to stay competitive. 

If CSK wants to bounce back next season, they need figure out what went wrong in 2025 and correct those things as soon as possible. The auction errors, poor on-field execution, poor display of batting & fielding, and over-reliance on aging players have all contributed to a season they’ll want to forget. 

The Chennai Super Kings have built a legacy over the years. But this year, that legacy has taken a hit and only a superb comeback in the next season of IPL can earn them their respect again which CSK deserves, and as we all know that CSK is also known as the Comeback Super Kings so every CSK fan will pray for their team’s strong comeback in the next season of IPL.