James Anderson, the legendary English bowler, had hoped to make his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in 2025, but all ten IPL franchises rejected the opportunity to sign him in the mega auction. Despite having a base price of ₹1.25 crore, no team showed interest in acquiring his services, even in the accelerated round.
Anderson has claimed 704 Test wickets and earned recognition as one of cricket history’s greatest fast bowlers. However, his last appearance in a T20 match was back in 2014 for Lancashire, and he hasn’t played for England in the T20I format since 2009. His lack of recent experience in T20 cricket likely played a role in the franchises’ reluctance to bid for him. Anderson’s focus on Test cricket has been immensely successful, but his T20 credentials seem to have been a stumbling block in his IPL aspirations.
Meanwhile, Prithvi Shaw, the explosive former Delhi Capitals opener, also failed to attract any bids. Shaw’s inconsistency in the IPL, coupled with off-field controversies, may have contributed to his exclusion.
In a surprising development, franchises ignored one of the top all-rounders, Glenn Phillips, despite his strong performances in recent T20 leagues. Meanwhile, Australia’s Steve Smith, no longer a consistent fixture in the T20 format, was included in the auction, leaving many surprised by the franchises’ priorities.
The IPL 2025 auction proved to be full of shocks, with several high-profile names left unsold, making it a year of unexpected decisions.
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