IPL mega auction 2025: 42-year-old James Anderson registers for first time; Ben Stokes opts out
New Delhi: In a surprising move, James Anderson has registered for the IPL 2025 auction at the age of 42, marking his first-ever entry into the high-profile sporting event.
The veteran English pacer, who retired from international cricket this year with a record 704 Test wickets, has reportedly listed himself with a base price of Rs 1.25 crore.
Anderson, who has never featured in a global franchise T20 league, last played a T20 match back in 2014 for Lancashire. Over the course of his career, he has played 44 T20 matches, 19 of those in England colours, while picking up 41 wickets.
Anderson is currently the bowling coach of the national team.
Meanwhile, Anderson's former teammate and England's Test captain Ben Stokes is not among the list of players who have registered for the auction.
The mega auction for IPL 2025 is slated to take place in Jeddah on November 24 and 25. A total of 1,574 cricketers (1,165 Indian and 409 overseas) have been signed up for the auction.
Punjab Kings will enter the two-day mega auction with the largest purse of Rs 110.5 crore, followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru with Rs 83 crore and Delhi Capitals with Rs 73 crore.
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'The Ba**ds of Bollywood’ mirrors my life, damages my reputation: Sameer Wankhede tells Delhi HC
New Delhi: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has submitted his reply to the Delhi High Court in the defamation case he filed against Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan. The case pertains to the recently released series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which Wankhede claims has defamed him.
In his statement to the court, Wankhede asserted that the show’s portrayal of a police officer is clearly based on him and has caused serious harm to his public image. He cited four key reasons supporting his claim.
First, he said the character in question bears physical similarities to him, including facial and body features. Second, he noted that the character’s working style and mannerisms closely resemble his own.
Third, Wankhede highlighted that the officer in the show is depicted making a high-profile arrest involving a major film personality, which he said directly mirrors his own involvement in the Aryan Khan drug case.
Fourth, he pointed out that the character frequently uses the phrase “Satyameva Jayate,” a motto he himself had used during media interactions in the course of that investigation. He argued that using the national motto in such a context cannot be dismissed as creative expression or humour.
Wankhede also referred to an interview in which Aryan Khan allegedly admitted that the show was “inspired by some real events.” This, he said, contradicts Red Chillies Entertainment’s claim that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is purely fictional.
He further alleged that the tone and intent of the series indicate personal and institutional vendetta, aimed at discrediting and defaming him rather than engaging in artistic storytelling.
Wankhede informed the court that the fallout from the show has affected his family, with his wife and sister receiving abusive and vulgar messages online.
Rejecting Red Chillies’ argument that he is a “thin-skinned” officer, Wankhede said that a public servant cannot be expected to tolerate false and damaging portrayals simply because of his position. He emphasized that his legal action seeks to protect the constitutional rights and dignity of both himself and his family.
