James Anderson, the legendary English fast bowler, has expressed his desire to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite retiring from international cricket earlier this year. Anderson, who holds the record for the most Test wickets by a pacer, has registered for the IPL auction scheduled for November 24-25 in Jeddah.
The 42-year-old Anderson, who currently serves as England’s bowling coach, has set his base price at Rs 1.25 crore. Notably, Anderson has never played in any global T20 franchise league.
Anderson’s decision to enter the IPL auction has raised eyebrows, given his age and lack of recent T20 experience. However, the veteran pacer believes he still has the skills and fitness to compete at the highest level.
“I feel like I’ve still got something to offer in T20 cricket,” Anderson said. “I’ve been bowling well in the nets and I’m confident I can still perform at the highest level.”
Anderson’s entry into the IPL auction adds another dimension to the upcoming event. The IPL is the most lucrative T20 league in the world, and Anderson’s presence will undoubtedly attract interest from franchises.
However, Anderson’s former teammate and England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has not registered for the auction. Stokes, who is considered one of the best all-rounders in the world, has opted to focus on his international commitments.
In total, 1574 players have registered for the IPL auction, including 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 players from Associate Nations. The 10 franchises have already announced their retained players, and the remaining 204 slots will be filled at the two-day auction.
