Siddharth Kaul lone Indian in BBL 2025 draft as over 600 players register

Underlying the rarity of Indian cricketers participating in overseas T20 franchise leagues, pacer Siddharth Kaul is the lone Indian male cricketer to register for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) draft, set to take place on June 19.

The draft, announced by Cricket Australia, features over 600 players from around the world, including 178 from England, 74 from Pakistan, 42 from the West Indies and 13 from Sri Lanka.

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Punjab’s Kaul, a former India international and experienced IPL campaigner, will be hoping to rejuvenate his T20 career by earning a spot in Australia’s flagship franchise tournament.

Among the most eye-catching names in this year’s draft is legendary England pacer James Anderson, who has put his name forward at the age of 42. Having recently made a return to T20 cricket after more than a decade, Anderson turned heads in the Vitality T20 Blast, picking up 10 wickets in just four games for Lancashire, including standout figures of 3 for 17.

If selected, Anderson would become the oldest overseas player to feature in the BBL and the second-oldest overall, behind former Aussie left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg. Earlier this year, Anderson had registered for both the IPL 2025 mega auction and The Hundred draft but went unsold. However, given his recent form and enduring stature in the game, BBL franchises may be tempted to take a chance on the veteran this time around.

Meanwhile, in the women’s draft, India will have a stronger presence with Shikha Pandey, Yastika Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues registering for the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) draft. The Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers will hold the first picks in the BBL and WBBL drafts respectively, each of which will unfold over four rounds.