Top pacers Jofra Archer, Lungi Ngidi, and Haris Rauf are among 432 male cricketers who have registered for the BBL 2024-25 player draft, which is set to take place on September 1. In addition, 161 overseas women, including 19 from India, have entered the WBBL 2024 draft.
However, player availability will be a key factor as the eight teams select their squads. Players in both drafts were asked to categorise their availability into four options: full availability including the finals, full availability for the regular season, availability for 6-9 games, and availability for 4-6 games.
Archer has indicated his availability for the full regular season, as England's white-ball schedule doesn't conflict with the BBL until a five-match T20 series in India that starts on January 23, just two days after the end of the BBL's league phase. While Archer may make his return to the Australian league for the first time since its eighth edition, teams may be cautious about his selection due to his injury history and the need for fitness clearance from the ECB.
Similar concerns may arise with South Africa’s Ngidi. His compatriots, Tabraiz Shamsi and Reeza Hendricks, who are available for 6-9 games, will also need to return home in time for the third edition of the SA20, which typically begins in the second week of January.
Meanwhile, other English pacers like Reece Topley, Jamie Overton, Paul Walter, and Brydon Carse have declared full availability, including for the finals.
Rauf, who is eligible for retention by the Melbourne Stars, has made himself available for 6-9 games and the finals, considering Pakistan’s white-ball tour of South Africa in December.
For the WBBL, the scheduling of South Africa Women’s multi-format series against England, starting on November 24—the same day the WBBL league phase concludes—could impact the availability of several regular players. Former South African pace bowler Shabnim Ismail, who is eligible for retention by Hobart Hurricanes, stands out with full availability, while England's Kate Cross and Lauren Filer are available only for the league phase.
South African players Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus are available for the entire WBBL season, but England stars such as Heather Knight, Sophie Ecclestone, Danni Wyatt, Amy Jones, Alice Capsey, and Sophia Dunkley may miss the finals if drafted.
India’s women's team will be hosting New Zealand for three ODIs after the T20 World Cup 2024 concludes in the UAE on October 20, making most of the players from these countries available for only 6-9 games and the finals. India’s visit to Australia for three IWC ODIs is scheduled to begin after the WBBL ends. Notable Indian players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma are among the 19 Indians who have registered for the draft.
On another note, England's Zak Crawley and women’s pacer Dani Gibson have withdrawn their nominations ahead of the draft.