Meet 3 IPL Players Who Turned Into ‘Monsters’ After Changing Teams

Ever wondered why some IPL players flop hard in one team but turn into total beasts after a switch? In the crazy fast world of IPL cricket players who became monsters after changing teams grab all the attention. These guys looked lost in their old franchises but hit monster mode once they got a new home.

From openers smashing sixes to finishers owning death overs, IPL players who became monsters after changing teams rewrite the game. What makes them explode? A better role, fresh backing, or just the right timing. Let’s check the top three IPL players who became monsters after changing teams.

1. Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek Sharma has come a long way from being a middle-order cricketer for Delhi Capitals to a power play specialist for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He began with SRH in 2019, but only became a full-time opener in 2022

He joined SRH in 2019 but found his real magic only after becoming a full-time opener in 2022. Before that, his stats were average, just 178 runs in 17 innings from 2019 to 2021 at a strike rate of 127.

The key reason for his rise? SRH gave him the freedom to attack from ball one alongside Travis Head. In IPL 2024, he smashed 484 runs with 42 sixes, the most in the tournament at a strike rate of 204. This made him one of the top IPL players who became monsters after changing teams. Fans saw his aggressive style change T20 batting in India.

His form continued strong. In IPL 2025, he hit his first IPL century off 40 balls against Punjab Kings, scoring 141 off 55. In IPL 2026 so far, he has 380 runs in 8 matches, including a 135* off 68 balls and a 47-ball ton against Delhi Capitals. His strike rate is 212 with 28 sixes. SRH’s batting coach backed his risk-taking, making him the first Indian to score multiple IPL tons under 50 balls. Abhishek Sharma proves that IPL players who became monsters after changing teams thrive with the right opportunity.

2. Phil Salt

Phil Salt was released by the Delhi Capitals after 2023, where he showed flashes but no big impact. Kolkata Knight Riders picked him up, and he turned into an elite opener. In IPL 2024, he scored 435 runs at 182 strike rate, helping KKR win the title. RCB saw his potential and bought him for 11.50 crore in the 2025 mega auction. There, he smashed 403 runs at 175+ strike rate, key to RCB’s first IPL title with a title-winning catch in the final.

KKR and RCB used him purely as a powerplay enforcer without middle-order pressure. In IPL 2026, he hit a 36-ball 78 with six fours and six sixes against the Mumbai Indians, earning player of the match alongside Virat Kohli’s 120-run stand. Phil Salt shows how IPL players who became monsters after changing teams get unlocked by teams that trust their aggression with a career IPL strike rate over 175 and 1000+ runs.

3. Tim David

Tim David had a quiet IPL debut with RCB in 2021, scoring just a few runs. He was bought by the Mumbai Indians in 2022 and became a great finisher, hitting 216 in his first season with them. He cleaned up in the last overs to help MI chase. He was a typical example of IPL players who turned deadly after a team switch.

He returned to RCB in 2025 and found himself in a good team. In 2025, he contributed crucial runs to their title chase, with clear instructions as the finisher, scoring 187 runs at an average of 62.33. His overall IPL strike rate is 173+ across 50+ matches. MI taught him to own the death overs while RCB gave him protection up top.

In IPL 2026, so far, Tim David is in sparkling form with 183 runs in 7 matches at 91.50 average and 194 strike rates, including a 70* off 25, his highest.  RCB hit records like 97 runs in the last five overs, thanks to his six-hitting with 15 sixes already. Tim David reminds us of that IPL players who became monsters after changing teams often return stronger

Also Read: IPL 2026: Why Rohit Sharma Missed Mumbai Indians vs GT Match in Ahmedabad

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