"I wouldn't be surprised if Jimmy Anderson ends up at Chennai Super Kings" - Michael Vaughan's prediction ahead of IPL 2025 auction
Former England captain Michael Vaughan feels five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could land retired pacer James Anderson in the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. Despite retiring from international cricket earlier this year, the 42-year-old surprisingly gave his name to the IPL auction list for the first time in his long cricketing career.
Meanwhile, CSK have often relied on overseas bowlers manning the powerplay during their successful run in the IPL from Doug Bollinger, Ben Hilfenhaus, and Josh Hazlewood, among others.
Speaking on the Club Prairie Fire Podcast, Vaughan said:
"You mention James Anderson, I wouldn't be surprised if Jimmy Anderson ends up at Chennai Super Kings. You heard it here first. They are a team that like someone who can swing it in the first few overs. They had a swinger, be it Shardul Thakur. It would not surprise me if Jimmy Anderson ends up at Chennai."
Despite being the third-leading wicket-taker in Test history with 704 scalps, Anderson hasn't tasted much success in T20s during his illustrious career.
The champion pacer has played only 19 T20Is and 44 overall T20 games, picking up 59 total wickets at an average of over 31 and an economy of over eight.
"I want to play cricket again" - James Anderson
James Anderson recently stated his wish to play cricket again as the reason behind registering for the 2025 IPL auction.
The veteran pacer has set his base price at ₹1.25 crores despite never featuring in a global T20 league.
"That’s the whole point of going in the auction, I think, I want to play cricket again. Whether I get picked up or not is a different matter. There’s definitely a feeling inside of me that I’ve got more to offer, in some shape or form. So, however long down the line that might be, in whatever capacity that might be I’m not sure yet," said Anderson on Sky Sports.
He added:
"But I’m really keen to play. I feel really fit, I’ve been bowling still, ticking over, so I feel like I’m in a good place and I’d love to have an opportunity to play somewhere."
Anderson's last T20 game came for Lancashire against Warwickshire in the 2014 Natwest T20 Blast. His last T20I for England dates even further back to a bilateral series against South Africa in 2009.
Meanwhile, the 2025 IPL Mega auction will take place over two days on November 24 and 25 in Saudi Arabia.