Suryakumar Yadav‘s journey through Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 was nothing short of spectacular as he won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award this edition. Despite Mumbai Indians facing early turbulence with just one win in their first five matches, the revival was scripted almost single-handedly by SKY’s brilliance with the bat.

IPL 2025 MVP: Suryakumar Yadav for Mumbai Indians

As captain of India’s T20I side and a mainstay for Mumbai, he shouldered the responsibility of rebuilding the innings time and again, stepping up in pressure situations and producing breathtaking knocks with his innovative strokeplay. Suryakumar’s consistency bordered on the extraordinary, scoring more than 25 runs in each of his 16 innings. He ended the season with 717 runs at a staggering average of 65.18 and a strike rate of 167.91, peppering his innings with 69 boundaries and 38 sixes. Beyond his batting, he was a sharp presence in the field as well, taking six vital catches that added to his MVP points tally of 320.5. Though Mumbai fell just short of the final, SKY’s heroics took them to the Qualifier 2, making his contribution arguably the most valuable of the entire campaign.

How the MVP race played out in 2025

The competition for the MVP title in 2025 was intense, with Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan hot on Suryakumar’s heels. Sudharsan, who bagged the Orange Cap, accumulated 708 runs and played with remarkable fluency and maturity, yet he trailed SKY by 9.5 points in the final MVP leaderboard. Sunil Narinewho holds the record for most MVP wins in IPL history, finished sixth with 270.5 points, proving yet again that his all-round prowess remains highly effective even more than a decade after his debut. The narrowing margins at the top of the MVP table speak volumes about the evolving quality of performances across the league, where match-winners emerge not just with the bat or ball, but through a blend of both disciplines complemented by game awareness and athleticism in the field. The MVP scoreboard has now become a closely watched metric across the season, much like the Orange and Purple Caps.

A legacy of greatness: MVPs through the years

Since the IPL’s inception in 2008, the MVP award has evolved into a barometer of all-round excellence. Some of T20 cricket’s most iconic names have lifted the trophy, leaving behind legacies that define IPL history. Shane Watson remains a foundational figure, having won the inaugural MVP title in 2008 with both bat and ball, and repeating the feat in 2013.

Sunil Narine’s three MVP wins (2012, 2018, and 2024) mark him as arguably the most versatile player in IPL history, a spinner with the economy of a miser and the explosiveness of a top-order batter. Andre Russell’s brute power and wicket-taking abilities earned him two MVP trophies, while India’s own Virat Kohli (with his record-breaking 973 runs in 2016) and Harshal patel (with 32 wickets in 2021) showed that Indians, too, have dominated this category with standout seasons. For Mumbai, Suryakumar’s 2025 triumph is symbolic, it brings the MVP back to the franchise after 15 years, with Sachin Tendulkar being the only previous MI player to have won it in 2010.

Complete list of IPL MVP Winners (2008–2025)