James Anderson, the legendary English pacer, has made a surprising move by registering for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. This marks the first time Anderson has entered the IPL auction, and his decision has sparked speculation about which franchise might be interested in acquiring his services.
Anderson, who retired from Test cricket earlier this year, has set a base price of Rs 1.25 crore for the IPL 2025 mega auction, scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 24 and 25. However, Anderson has not played a T20 game since 2014, raising questions about whether any franchise will be willing to invest in him.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could be a potential destination for Anderson. CSK has a history of valuing new ball bowlers who offer swing, and Anderson’s experience and skill in this area could make him an attractive option for the franchise.
“You mention James Anderson, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jimmy Anderson ends up at Chennai Super Kings. You heard it here first. They are a team that like someone who can swing it in the first few overs. They had a swinger, be it Shardul Thakur. It would not surprise me if Jimmy Anderson ends up at Chennai,” Vaughan said on Club Prairie Fire Podcast.
Anderson himself has expressed his desire to continue playing cricket after retiring from Test cricket. “That’s the whole point of going in the auction, I think, I want to play cricket again. Whether I get picked up or not is a different matter. There’s definitely a feeling inside of me that I’ve got more to offer, in some shape or form,” Anderson said on Sky Sports.
“So, however long down the line that might be, in whatever capacity that might be I’m not sure yet. But I’m really keen to play. I feel really fit, I’ve been bowling still, ticking over, so I feel like I’m in a good place and I’d love to have an opportunity to play somewhere,” he added.
It remains to be seen whether any IPL franchise will be willing to take a chance on Anderson, given his lack of recent T20 experience. However, his reputation as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time could make him an attractive proposition for teams looking to bolster their bowling attack.
