The IPL season is on in all its glory. The sixes and fours are raining relentlessly. The young guns are scoring fast and furious but it is the older experienced players who are showing that they still matter in the game. With their timely responses marked by calmness, these players are certainly the big daddies in the game.
Sunil Narine - 36 years old
Narine has been one of the mainstays of the Knight Riders unit having joined them in 2012. The Trinidad-born spinner has established himself as an exceptional spin bowler with the ability to bamboozle batsmen, but over the years has also contributed when required with the bat making him a lethal weapon to have. He was once again retained by the franchise for IPL 2025. He has taken 7 wickets in the league with a best of 3-15.
M S Dhoni - 43 years old
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stand-in skipper MS Dhoni turned back the clock in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) earlier this week, unleashing a late blitz to power his team to their second victory of the season. Dhoni’s bat came alive, smashing 26 runs off just 11 balls as CSK chased down a target of 167 in a last-over thriller. Thanks to his fireworks in Lucknow, Dhoni was named Player of the Match. Although ‘Thala’ didn’t quite agree with the organisers’ decision, the award helped him break an all-time IPL record.
Moeen Ali – 37 years old
Moeen Ali played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2025, replacing Sunil Narine due to illness. Ali made his KKR debut against Rajasthan Royals on March 26, taking 2 wickets for 23 runs and contributed to a comfortable victory. Ali is a valuable middle-order batter, capable of stabilizing innings and accelerating scoring when needed.
Virat Kohli - 36 years old
Virat Kohli has led the charge for RCB with 248 runs from 6 games, including 3 half-centuries. He has had his opening partner Phil Salt for company, who has himself scored 208 runs already this season. A bonafide superstar of the sport and the TATA IPL, Virat Kohli has been with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) through thick and thin. The former India captain, is the only player with over 8000 IPL runs.
Faf Du Plessis - 40 years old
A seasoned campaigner with over 11,000 T20 runs, Faf du Plessis is among the most consistent top-order batters in IPL history. The South African veteran has amassed over 4,500 IPL runs and was instrumental in CSK’s 2018 and 2021 title-winning campaigns. He later led RCB to two playoff finishes before being acquired by Delhi Capitals. He brings leadership and experience to the squad serving as DC’s vice-captain in TATA IPL 2025.