In the recent IPL auction, it was reported that Jimmy Anderson did not attract any bids, while a remarkable 13-year-old batter, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, made headlines by becoming the youngest player ever to secure a deal. Suryavanshi was acquired by the Rajasthan Royals for 11 million rupees (approximately £104,000), under the guidance of former India captain Rahul Dravid. This young talent, born in March 2011 during India’s triumph in the 50-over World Cup, had previously made a name for himself by scoring a hundred from just 58 balls for the India Under-19 team against Australia U19 in an unofficial Test match.
Despite being available for around £10,000 more than Suryavanshi, the iconic 42-year-old Anderson, who retired from Test cricket in July and hasn’t played a T20 game in a decade, was overlooked by all 10 franchises. In contrast, several other players found suitors, including England white-ball batter Will Jacks, who was sold to Mumbai Indians for £500,000. Key signings included Sam Curran returning to Chennai Super Kings for £230,000 and Jacob Bethell joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru for £246,000.
Among notable transactions, IPL-winning captain Shreyas Iyer was sold to Punjab Kings for a record £2.51 million, soon eclipsed by Rishabh Pant’s £2.54 million deal with Lucknow Super Giants. The upcoming IPL season is set to commence on March 14, with the final scheduled for May 25.