Dangerous batsman in IPL and Teams to Watch in IPL 2025
Dangerous batsman of IPL– The Indian Premier League (IPL) is nothing short of a national festival, and IPL 2025 promises even bigger thrills. With blockbuster viewership (the first eight matches of IPL 2025 drew a staggering 288 million TV viewers in India fans are itching to see who will emerge as the game-changers. In particular, the tournament highlights questions like “who is the most dangerous batsman in IPL?” and “which teams are the most dangerous contenders?”. Modern T20 cricket is defined by power-hitting: players who can destroy bowling attacks in a matter of overs. For example, Australia’s Travis Head — known for his blistering strike rate of 176.38 after 31 IPL games — exemplifies today’s explosive batting. At the same time, team loyalties run deep: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) leads the fan charts with roughly 43.5 million total followers, making it the most popular franchise. In this blog we dive deep into IPL 2025, identifying the top 10 most dangerous batsmen (with career stats), discussing the “most dangerous batsman in the world,” and highlighting which teams look most lethal this season. We also profile the team fan-followings, noting which team has the most fans in IPL. Throughout, we cite expert sources and official stats to back up key points, giving a full, up-to-date picture for cricket fans.
Top 10 Dangerous batsman in IPL
The IPL has seen many fearless hitters who change games single-handedly. The table below ranks the Top 10 dangerous batsman in IPL history by career runs, average, and strike rate (as of early 2025):
Position | Player | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
1 | Virat Kohli | 258 | 8252 | 39.10 | 132.28 |
2 | AB de Villiers | 184 | 5162 | 39.71 | 151.69 |
3 | Jos Buttler | 113 | 3800 | 38.38 | 148.09 |
4 | Chris Gayle | 142 | 4965 | 39.72 | 148.96 |
5 | Travis Head | 31 | 986 | 36.51 | 176.38 |
6 | Abhishek Sharma | 69 | 1569 | 26.15 | 159.78 |
7 | Shreyas Iyer | 122 | 3377 | 33.40 | 131.15 |
8 | Mitchell Marsh | 48 | 961 | 24.03 | 138.67 |
9 | Rohit Sharma | 262 | 6684 | 29.32 | 131.19 |
10 | Nicholas Pooran | 83 | 2126 | 34.85 | 168.60 |
Dangerous batsman in IPL- These names are household stars in T20 cricket. For context:
- Virat Kohli (RCB) tops the list in career IPL runs (8,252), combining consistency with timing. He still leads the league’s run charts despite 15 seasons of play.
- AB de Villiers (RCB) is second in runs (5,162) and known for his insane strike rate (151.7). His 360-degree game made him devastating in all formats.
- Chris Gayle (KKR), often called the “Universe Boss,” bludgeoned 4,965 runs in 142 IPL matches. Sports analysts hail Gayle as the most dangerous batsman in the world, praising his brutal hitting ability.
- Travis Head (SRH) is an example of a new-age power hitter: in just 31 IPL games he’s averaged 36.51 with a 176.38 strike rate, unprecedented in modern T20. His aggressive strokeplay epitomizes the current attacking style.
- Abhishek Sharma (SRH) made headlines with his record 141 off 55 balls (strike rate 256.36) in 2025. In 69 matches he has 1,569 runs at a 159.78 strike rate, earning him a spot on this list as a fearsome six-hitter.
- Shreyas Iyer (PBKS) is the leading Indian middle-order batsman here, with 3,377 runs from 122 games (avg 33.4). He consistently delivers under pressure, making him one of the “dangerous” tacticians in the IPL.
- Other big hitters like Jos Buttler (RR), Rohit Sharma (MI), Nicholas Pooran (SRH), and Mitchell Marsh (LSG) round out the top ten. Each combines high power (notice their strike rates, e.g. Pooran’s 168.60!) with match-winning centuries or clutch fifties.
Dangerous batsman in IPL: In short, this table highlights aggressive batsmen who have racked up huge totals and maintain high strike rates – the truly dangerous game-changers. Many of them are also prominent on the world stage, as discussed next.
Most Dangerous Batsman in the World
Looking beyond the IPL, who is cricket’s most dangerous batsman on the planet? Historically, attacking legends like Sir Vivian Richards, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Virender Sehwag paved the way, but modern names now top the charts. For example, a recent SportsBoom analysis explicitly names Chris Gayle as “the most dangerous batsman in the world”, citing his career tally of 19,594 international runs and 42 centuries. Gayle’s sheer power-hitting changed T20 batting forever. The same source ranks Virender Sehwag and AB de Villiers among the global elite – both amassed over 17,000 international runs. These players share a fearlessness: Gayle could clear any field, Sehwag smashed high-scoring innings from the outset, and AB’s “360 shots” baffled bowlers.
In today’s game, active stars like Glenn Maxwell (Australia) and Suryakumar Yadav (India) carry the dangerous-batsman tag too, thanks to jaw-dropping strike rates in T20Is. (For context, Travis Head’s IPL strike rate of 176.38 is comparable to Maxwell’s T20 rates.) While Maxwell or SKY are not in the SportsBoom list, they are widely recognized as elite power hitters. Another modern example is Nicholas Pooran, whose 2,126 IPL runs at 168.60 SR (see table) show his ability to annihilate bowling.
Most Dangerous Team in IPL 2025
Teams, too, can be dangerous when they have the right mix of talent and form. For IPL 2025, the Mumbai Indians (MI) emerged as a prime candidate for the title of “most dangerous team.” MI’s story is a comeback saga: after a shaky start (they lost 4 of their first 5 games), Mumbai exploded late in the season. They won 7 of their last 8 matches to surge into the playoffs. This turnaround sent a clear message: when in form, MI is a pack of winners.
Key reasons MI are now so dangerous include:
- Championship Pedigree: Mumbai is a five-time IPL champion – tied for the most titles in league history. That winning culture and experience gives them an edge in crunch moments.
- Momentum Swing: After early hiccups (losing 4/5), the squad rattled off seven wins in eight games to grab a playoff spot. This late-season surge exemplifies how deadly MI can be when their batsmen fire and bowlers click together.
- Star-Studded Lineup: The Hardik Pandya-led side has a stacked roster. Hardik himself has been in terrific form, and the lineup includes explosive batters and death-over specialists. Such star power makes MI formidable – opponents know any lapse can be punished by a boundary or six from veterans like Ishan Kishan or Suryakumar Yadav (2023 champions Revanth?).
- Strategic Depth: Mumbai blends seasoned greats with rising T20 power hitters, giving them flexibility. They adapt tactics well (e.g. adjusting batting order or bowling changes on the fly). Also, smart mid-season signings kept them dangerous: MI brought in Lizaad Williams and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman to replace injured players, maintaining balance. These replacements ensured Mumbai’s lineup stayed strong throughout the grind.
- Home-Ground Advantage: Playing many games at the Wankhede Stadium (with its short boundaries) provides a tactical edge to MI’s batsmen. The team often peaks at home, where crowd support and local conditions boost their confidence.
Together, these factors made Mumbai Indians a very dangerous team in IPL 2025. Their record and roster mean no opponent in the playoffs would take them lightly.
Which IPL Team is Looking Dangerous in 2025?
Besides Mumbai, a few other franchises looked especially dangerous as the playoffs approached. Notably:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): RCB has been on a tear in 2025. Led by Virat Kohli, they topped the points table with an unbeaten away record. Analysts say RCB’s well-rounded squad – combining Kohli’s consistency with the depth of Maxwell and others – makes them one of the most dangerous teams. In fact, fantasy experts identified RCB as a top title contender, praising their balance and momentum.
- Punjab Kings (PBKS): Punjab stormed to first place in 2025’s table. Shreyas Iyer and his opening duo (Arya and Singh) have tormented bowlers. Fantasy reports cite PBKS’s strong lineup and consistency as reasons they’re “looking the most dangerous” this season. Their aggressive batting (multiple centurions) and savvy bowling make them a constant threat.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Sunrisers showed they can obliterate any attack: in a notable 2024 match they scored a mind-blowing 277/3 against MI. That record IPL total exemplifies SRH’s firepower. As one source notes, SRH’s batting dominance (with aggressive openers like Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma) makes them a strong contender in 2025.
In summary, RCB, PBKS, and SRH were widely regarded as the teams “looking dangerous” in 2025. All three consistently qualified for playoffs and boasted explosive rosters, so opposing captains knew to plan carefully against them.
Top 10 Most Fan-Following Teams in IPL
Off the field, fan support reflects a team’s popularity. The table below ranks IPL teams by their social media following (Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter) and totals, as of 2025:
Rank | Team | Instagram Followers | Facebook Followers | Twitter (X) Followers | Total Followers |
1 | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 18.6M | 14M | 10.9M | 43.5M |
2 | Mumbai Indians (MI) | 18M | 14M | 8.3M | 40.3M |
3 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | 20M | 10M | 7.4M | 37.4M |
4 | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | 7.5M | 18M | 5.3M | 30.8M |
5 | Delhi Capitals (DC) | 4.6M | 9.3M | 2.6M | 16.5M |
6 | Punjab Kings (PBKS) | 4.2M | 9.3M | 3.0M | 16.5M |
7 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 5.4M | 6.8M | 3.3M | 15.5M |
8 | Rajasthan Royals (RR) | 5.2M | 5.9M | 2.9M | 14.0M |
9 | Gujarat Titans (GT) | 4.9M | 2.0M | 0.6266M | 7.3M |
10 | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | 3.6M | 1.3M | 0.8169M | 5.8M |
These figures come from recent social media analytics. A few highlights-
- CSK (Chennai) has the largest fanbase by far (about 43.5M total across platforms). They boast ~18.6M Instagram followers, 14M on Facebook, and 10.9M on X/Twitter. Media reports confirm CSK leads all teams in online fans, reflecting MS Dhoni’s immense popularity and the team’s sustained success.
- MI (Mumbai) is a close second with ~40.3M total. MI has 18M on Instagram and another 14M on Facebook, slightly trailing CSK on each platform.
- RCB surprisingly has the highest Instagram following (20M) and 37.4M total. Their passionate fanbase (Virat Kohli’s followers worldwide) makes them one of the most popular teams.
- KKR is fourth overall (30.8M) mostly due to an enormous Facebook presence (18M).
- At the lower end, two newer teams (GT, LSG) have under 8 million combined followers, reflecting their nascent fanbases.
Dangerous batsman in IPL In essence, Chennai Super Kings emerges as the team with the most fans in IPL, a testament to their huge legacy and brand. Mumbai and Bangalore trail closely. This massive social footprint underscores why matches like MI vs CSK or RCB are billed as blockbusters – their fan support is enormous.
Taken together, these analyses paint a comprehensive picture: IPL 2025 is shaped by high-stakes players and teams. The “most dangerous batsmen” (both in IPL and globally) and the “most dangerous teams” (like a red-hot MI or streaking RCB) drive the season’s excitement. And the fan followings confirm that this league’s power lies as much off the field as on it. With this info, fans can appreciate both the explosive talent on display and the passion of the crowd as IPL 2025 unfolds.
