IPL Auction 2025: James Anderson puts in his name; Chennai Super Kings to go in the hunt?

Legendary England fast bowler James Anderson feels he still has enough cricket left to entertain the fans, as the 42-year-old has registered for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction, eyeing a return to T20 cricket after more than a decade.

James Anderson has had an extraordinary Test career with a record 704 wickets. He retired from international cricket earlier this year and has since taken on the role of the bowling coach of the England cricket team.

James Anderson surprises the cricket world with IPL 2025 Mega Auction entry

However, the fast-bowling great still wants to be in action on the field. James Anderson feels he has the drive and skill to compete with the young guns, as the Englishman listed himself at a base price of INR 1.25 crore for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction scheduled in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24-25.

Notably, Anderson, who last played a T20 game in 2014, has never participated in the IPL, so it would be a really special entry to the world’s biggest franchise tournament if he gets any buyers at the mega auction later this month in Saudi Arabia.

Read Also: IPL Auction 2025: Full list of Overseas Players with INR 2 Crores base price

Despite his shift to coaching, the legendary England pacer is eager to re-enter the high-paced world of T20 cricket and test his skills in the IPL. Speaking about his T20I career, James Anderson managed 18 wickets across 19 matches, maintaining an economy of 7.84 for the England cricket team.

However, Anderson’s Test stats prove his legacy and the franchise can’t unnotice him at the auction table, but since the T20 is a fast-paced and ever-evolving format of the game, the IPL teams might look for fresh energy rather than the Englishman’s vast experience at the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Ben Stokes decides to skip IPL for England duty

Meanwhile, James Anderson’s former England Test captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes is notably absent from the list of registered players. Reports claimed that Ben Stokes opted out of the IPL 2025 due to England’s intense Test schedule, prioritizing his national duties over the money.

On the other hand, a record 1,574 players registered for the IPL 2025 mega auction, including 320 capped stars and 1,224 emerging talents. Among them, 30 players hail from Associate Nations, eager for their chance in the world’s biggest T20 league.

Read Also: IPL Auction 2025: Full list of Indian players with INR 2 Crores Base Price

The 10 franchises have already retained their core players, and they are now left with 204 slots to complete their squads at the two-day IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the next season. Surprisingly, not a single England player has been retained.

IPL GC and BCCI introduce new rules for overseas stars

However, the IPL brings a game-changing twist this year, as if any overseas player withdraws after being bought in the mega auction, he will face a two-year ban from the cash-tich T20 league, a bold new rule introduced after a series of players withdrew last year in the last minute.

Notably, Indian players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal were listed at the base price of INR 2 crore at the auction. Among the overseas stars who have listed themselves at INR 2 crore are Steve Smith, Jofra Archer, and Kagiso Rabada.