James Anderson to play for CSK? Michael Vaughan predicts
Former England cricket team captain, Michael Vaughan, has speculated that James Anderson could be picked by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the impending 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. Anderson, who has mostly concentrated on red-ball cricket in his career and never played in the IPL, is set to begin a new chapter. He last played a professional T20 over a decade ago.
Anderson's base price for IPL auction
Anderson, a fast bowling legend, has kept his base price at ₹1.25 crore for the auction after retiring as a player for England. Vaughan said CSK could be the perfect team for Anderson as they prefer bowlers who swing the ball early on. He spoke on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, which he co-hosts with Adam Gilchrist.
Anderson's readiness for new cricket challenges
Despite his retirement, Anderson has stayed fit and still bowls. He had expressed a desire to continue playing cricket during an interview with Sky Sports. "That's the whole point of going in the (IPL) auction, I think, I want to play cricket again," Anderson had said. He had further emphasized his readiness by saying, "I feel really fit, I have been bowling still, ticking over."
Impressive career and T20 stats
Anderson retired from international cricket following the first Test against West Indies earlier this year, marking the end of an illustrious career. Anderson is the highest wicket-taker among pacers in the longest format, with 704 scalps at 26.45. He has the third-most Test wickets overall after Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708). Anderson has a relatively modest T20 experience, having played just 44 matches. He has taken 41 wickets in these matches, 19 of which were for England.
IPL 2025 player auction draws significant interest
The IPL 2025 auction has drawn a total of 1,574 players, vying for 204 slots across 10 franchises. The player pool includes 1,165 Indian cricketers and 409 overseas players. Along with Anderson, 52 other English players have signed up for the IPL 2025 auction. Notably, Jofra Archer is eyeing a comeback after an injury-plagued stint with Mumbai Indians.
