The 18th IPL Auction will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24-25, with a list of 574 players released by the BCCI. As cricket fans peruse the auction list, they are met with a mix of surprising names. In this discussion, we will focus on the seasoned players who stand out for their age and experience. Ready to examine the oldest players available at this year’s auction?
James Anderson (42 y 3 m)
James Anderson, the England cricketer, retired from international cricket in July 2024. Fans were surprised to see his name on the auction list. He last played a T20 match in 2014 for Lancashire in the T20 Blast. He represented England in international play in 2009. For the first time in IPL history, he has entered his name for the IPL auction. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians may bid for this legendary test specialist. They have a history of prioritizing experience. Additionally, CSK already features the uncapped 43-year-old MS Dhoni on their team.
Faf du Plessis (40 y 4 m)
RCB released South African batter Faf du Plessis during the retention period. He has played for three franchises in the IPL. He played a total of 145 IPL matches, where he scored 4,571 runs, with an average of 35.99. There is a very high chance that RCB will use RTM for Faf in the coming IPL auction. At this age, he is still a perfect T20 batter.
Mohammad Nabi (39 y 10 m)
This Afghan batter has consistently been in high demand in T20 leagues around the world. He has participated in almost every major T20 league globally. Nabi’s skills as an off-break bowler, combined with his flight variations and powerful batting, make him an ideal all-rounder for T20 cricket. The Mumbai Indians (MI) picked him in the last IPL. But he didn’t get many chances in the playing XI. Nabi has struggled to find his best form in recent years. So, there’s a low chance any IPL team will want him in this auction.
Sikander Raza (38 y 6 m)
Sikander Raza is one of the best players from Zimbabwe to date. His great play for his national team and in various leagues makes him a perfect T20 player. He also played in many T20 leagues around the world. He has the ability of spin-off arm bowling and is very hard-hitting, making him different from others. The Punjab Kings released him during the retention period.
Ravichandran Ashwin (38 y 2 m)
Indian bowling all-rounder R. Ashwin is also available in the mega auction. On his day, he can win the match one-handed with his bowling and batting abilities. He has experience in the IPL with 211 matches. The franchise will surely show interest in him in the auction.
READ MORE: IPL 2025: Post-Retention Deadline—Who Holds the Upper Hand?
