Jimmy Anderson Goes Unsold at IPL Auction

In the recent IPL auction, England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker, Jimmy Anderson, went unsold, marking a disappointing outcome for the 42-year-old who had hoped to make his IPL debut. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi made history as the youngest player ever to secure a deal, being sold for 11 million rupees (£104,000) to Rajasthan Royals, coached by Rahul Dravid. Anderson, who retired from Test cricket in July and last played T20 cricket over 15 years ago, attracted no bids, despite a reserve price of approximately £115,000. Other English players like Will Jacks, Sam Curran, and Jacob Bethell did secure contracts, with Jacks going to Mumbai Indians for £500,000. The auction saw a total of 116 players sold, but Anderson's lack of recent match practice likely deterred franchises from bidding on him. His only hope of participating now lies in being signed as a replacement player if any current squad members withdraw before the tournament begins in April.