Well, being picked up in the IPL mega-auction and making a roaring Indian Premier League (IPL) debut is nothing short of a dream for a majority of cricket players. Often hailed as the “launch pad” for cricketers, the Indian Premier League since the IPL 2008 season has witnessed numerous seasoned as well as uncapped players creating unmatched records.
Despite their exponentially rising international fame, a few players, including MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and many others, have remained immensely loyal and consistent to the format of the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inaugural 2008 season and have continued to be the mainstay of the world’s wealthiest and most prominent cricket league.
In this article we will take a look at the top four players who featured in the inaugural IPL 2008 season and are continuing to play in the ongoing IPL 2025 season as well.
Top 4 Players Who Played In IPL 2008 And Are Playing In IPL 2025
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
The legendary Indian former international cricketer, often hailed as the “godfather” of Indian cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, is at the first spot in our list of the top four players who were a part of the inaugural IPL 2008 edition and will also be playing in the IPL 2025 season.
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Mahendra Singh Dhoni has continued to be the gloveman and one of the most reliable finishers for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team since the IPL 2008 edition. As of March 2025, MS Dhoni has successfully led the CSK team to a streak of five glorious IPL titles in the IPL 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023 seasons. The 43-year-old, MS Dhoni, was retained by the CSK franchise at a staggering value of INR 4 Crore for the ongoing IPL 2025 season.
Virat Kohli
Another legendary Indian international cricketer, Virat Kohli, is at the second spot in our list of the top four players who featured in the inaugural IPL 2008 season and are continuing to play in the ongoing IPL 2025 season as well. Virat Kohli made his much-anticipated IPL debut for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise in the inaugural IPL 2008 season, shortly after his Under-19 victory and has been the mainstay for RCB ever since.
Well, from being an uncapped player in the IPL 2008 season to now being one of the strongest prospects for the “highest half-tons” record in the ongoing IPL 2025 season, Kohli has undoubtedly come a long way.
Rohit Sharma
The former skipper of the Mumbai Indians (KI) franchise who successfully led the team to a sensational total of five title victories, Rohit Sharma is at the third spot in our list of the top four players who were a part of the inaugural IPL 2008 season and have been the league’s mainstay ever since.
Shortly after clinching the 2025 Champions Trophy, the captain of the Indian national cricket team is all geared up to claim his sixth IPL title for the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. As of now, Rohit Sharma has amassed a spine-chilling total of 6,628* runs in a total of 257 matches that he has played till the IPL 2024 season with a brilliant average of 29.72. Well, Sharma’s fans are undoubtedly looking forward to the “hitman” show to unroll with the IPL 2025 season in full swing.
Manish Pandey
The 35-year-old Indian international cricketer is at the fourth spot in our list of the top four players who featured in the inaugural IPL 2008 season and are all set to play in the ongoing IPL 2025 season as well. Manish Pandey made headlines for being the first Indian player to smash a century in the 2009 edition of the Indian Premier League for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise.
Apart from being a mainstay in the Indian Premier League, Manish Pandey was also a member of the Indian team that clinched the 2018 Asia Cup. After having played for numerous leading IPL franchises, including the Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Lucknow SuperGiants (LSG), and Delhi Capitals (DC), Manish Pandey undoubtedly holds an extremely rich experience of performing under high-pressure situations.
Acquired at a whopping auction price of INR 75 lakh, Manish Pandey is currently playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad in the IPL 2025 season.
