The BCCI has included England pacer Jofra Archer, Team USA's Indian-born bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, and uncapped Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Hardik Tamore in the Indian Premier League, two-day mega players' auction set to begin on Sunday in Jeddah. (More Cricket News)
With their inclusion, the auction pool now features 577 players, an increase from the original 574.
Archer's addition to the IPL 2025 auction pool has raised eyebrows, as his name was not part of the original shortlist provided to franchises earlier this month. However, the IPL officially informed teams on Thursday about the 29-year-old England pacer's inclusion.
Archer will be placed in the fast bowlers' category (Set 6) and is scheduled to go up for bidding on the first day of the auction.
Archer made his return to action this summer after a lengthy injury layoff, playing in England's white-ball series against Pakistan, Australia, and the West Indies, as well as the T20 World Cup.
The IPL council has yet to reveal Archer’s base price, but given his experience and skill, the Barbados-born pacer is expected to place himself in the INR 2 crore category.
Archer was named MVP in his last full IPL season, claiming 20 wickets for Rajasthan Royals in the 2020 edition held in the UAE. Overall, he has taken 48 wickets in 40 IPL appearances.
Two Mumbai-born cricketers, Netravalkar and Tamore, will be registered as players number 576 and 577, respectively.
Netravalkar first caught attention during a remarkable T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.
The USA international later shone in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024, finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 15 dismissals.
The 27-year-old Tamore, plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket and has featured in 10 T20 matches, scoring 65 runs at a strike rate of 101.56.
The BCCI has shared the dates for the next three IPL seasons. The 2025 season will begin on March 14, with the final set for May 25.
The 2026 edition will run from March 15 to May 31, while the 20th season will start on March 14 and finish by May 30. The idea behind releasing these dates is to give international boards a heads-up, ensuring they can manage their players' availability for the tournament.
