T20 cricket is regarded as a young player's game. Yet, in every IPL season, several senior players prove that age is just a number, as they leave a lasting impact with their brilliant performances in the world's most popular T20 cricket league.
While the IPL 2025 mega auction is expected to reward several young talents with huge pay cheques, a few seasoned stars could also steal the show.
Legends like James Anderson, Faf du Plessis, Ravichandran Ashwin and David Warner are among the few senior pros looking to make a mark at the auction.
James Anderson (42)
Bowling great Anderson surprised quite a few by registering for the players' auction for the first time in his career.
The Englishman said he listed himself for the IPL auction as he wants to try out T20 cricket to enhance his knowledge about the game.
Anderson, who last played a T20 match in 2014 and has never featured in IPL, could be an attractive prospect for teams looking for an experienced swing bowler.
Anderson retired from Test cricket earlier this year after a stellar career of 188 matches in which he took 704 wickets to finish as the third highest wicket-taker in the history of the game.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan says he 'won't be surprised' if Anderson ends up at the Chennai Super Kings as the five-time IPL champions have always preferred an experienced fast bowler who can swing the new ball.
Faf du Plessis (40)
Faf du Plessis did his reputation no harm as the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, leading them to the play-offs twice in three seasons.
He recently led St Lucia Kings to their maiden CPL title as he continues to make a mark in T20 leagues around the world.
His vast experience of 393 T20 games in which he has amassed nearly 11,000 runs at a strike rate of 136, makes him a vital player for any T20 team.
RCB may look to bring back du Plessis and could also retain him as captain.
David Warner (38)
Warner could also be in demand at the IPL auction. Although he has retired from international cricket, the Australian continues to be a force with the bat.
He last featured in the MAX60 Caribbean T10 league in August, where he smashed 297 runs in nine games at a strike rate of 181.
The Australian left-hander boasts of a good record in the IPL, with 6,565 runs in 184 matches at a strike rate of 139.
One of the most destructive openers in his prime, Warner had led Sunrisers Hyderabad to their maiden IPL title in 2016.
He is a crowd favourite in India courtesy of his aggressive batting and quirky social media posts.
Ravichandran Ashwin (38)
Ashwin could be one of the most sought after veterans at the IPL auction.
Even though he struggled last season for Rajasthan Royals with nine wickets from 15 matches at an economy rate of 8.49, his versatility as a spinner and experience of Indian conditions make him a perfect fit for IPL teams.
Ashwin is a crafty bowler and has a lot of variations up his sleeve which could come handy in T20 cricket.
It won't be a surprise if CSK bring back Ashwin, who played for them from 2009 to 2015, as he could prove to be a match-winner in spin-friendly conditions like Chepauk.
Overall, Ashwin boasts of a good record in IPL with 180 wickets from 212 matches, at an impressive economy rate of 7.12.
Moeen Ali (37)
Moeen is a tempting buy for teams looking for an experienced spin all-rounder.
He is quite versatile with the bat and can play anywhere in the top and middle order, and can also command a place in the team as a specialist spinner.
He flourished under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership at CSK in the last four years, contributing with both bat and ball.
Moeen could be one of the players CSK might hire back using their one remaining RTM card.
Piyush Chawla (36)
Chawla heads into the auction as an uncapped player, starting with a modest base price of Rs 50 lakh (Rs 5 million).
His resurgence with Mumbai Indians in the last two seasons should boost his stock at the auction.
He picked 35 wickets in the last two seasons and could prove to be a bargain buy for teams looking for an experienced spinner.
Photographs: BCCI
