England’s legendary fast bowler James Anderson feels he still has much to offer fans, as the 42-year-old has signed up for the IPL 2025 mega auction, marking his potential return to T20 cricket after over a decade away.
James Anderson Registers for IPL 2025 Mega Auction
James Anderson had a remarkable Test career, taking a record-breaking 704 wickets before retiring from international cricket earlier this year. Following his retirement, he has transitioned into the role of England’s bowling coach.
Yet, the fast-bowling legend still feels the drive to be back in action. James Anderson believes he has the skills and determination to compete with the younger players, listing himself at a base price of INR 1.25 crore for the IPL 2025 mega auction, set for November 24-25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Interestingly, Anderson, who last played a T20 match in 2014, has never appeared in the IPL. If he attracts buyers at the auction, it would mark a special debut in the world’s largest franchise tournament later this month in Saudi Arabia.
Despite his move into coaching, the legendary England pacer is keen to make a return to the fast-paced world of T20 cricket and prove his skills in the IPL. Looking back on his T20I career, James Anderson claimed 18 wickets in 19 matches, maintaining an economy rate of 7.84 for England.
Can James Anderson Shine in T20?
While Anderson’s impressive Test career has cemented his legacy, IPL teams can’t ignore his potential at the auction. However, since T20 cricket is fast-paced and constantly changing, IPL franchises might prefer younger, fresher talent over the Englishman’s vast experience when the IPL 2025 mega auction happens.
Meanwhile, James Anderson’s former England Test captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes is noticeably missing from the list of registered players. Reports suggest that Stokes decided to skip the IPL 2025 due to England’s demanding Test schedule, choosing to prioritize his national commitments over the tournament.
In contrast, a record 1,574 players have registered for the IPL 2025 mega auction, including 320 capped players and 1,224 emerging talents. Among them, 30 players from Associate Nations are hoping for a shot in the world’s biggest T20 league.
The 10 IPL franchises have already retained their core players and now have 204 available spots to fill their squads at the two-day IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Surprisingly, no England players have been retained.
This year, the IPL has introduced a game-changing rule for overseas players. If any player withdraws after being bought in the mega auction, they will face a two-year ban from the league. This bold move comes after a number of last-minute withdrawals by players in the previous year.
Notable Indian players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal have listed themselves at a base price of INR 2 crore. Among the overseas stars with the same base price are Steve Smith, Jofra Archer, and Kagiso Rabada.
Coming back to Anderson, the England veteran recently expressed his growing ‘intrigue’ in playing shorter formats of the game after his retirement from Test cricket. Speaking to the Press Association, Anderson said: “I might be in a bit of denial because I’m well aware I won’t play for England again, but I’ve still not made a decision on my actual cricket career.”
“There’s definitely a bit of intrigue with the shorter formats because I’ve not played any franchise stuff before. Watching The Hundred this year, seeing the ball swing around, it makes me feel like I could do a job there. I know it’s a while since I played it and my age will get brought up again but I really feel I’ll be good enough to play that form of cricket,” he added.
Here’s a list of the IPL 2025 franchises with the biggest auction purses heading into the mega auction:
- Punjab Kings – INR 110.5 crore
- Royal Challengers Bangalore – INR 83 crore
- Delhi Capitals – INR 73 crore
- Gujarat Titans – INR 69 crore
- Lucknow Super Giants – INR 69 crore
- Chennai Super Kings – INR 55 crore
- Kolkata Knight Riders – INR 51 crore
- Mumbai Indians – INR 45 crore
- Sunrisers Hyderabad – INR 45 crore
- Rajasthan Royals – INR 41 crore
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