What do a teenage Afghan spin bowler and an established English swing bowler have in common? Probably not much, especially given the recent Hundred draft. The 2025 Men’s Hundred is coming up in August, and substantial changes at franchises and exciting contracts have come to light. While some players have booked their spot, others were surprisingly left out. One of those left out is James Anderson himself.
Noor Ahmad: From Chepauk to Old Trafford
Fresh off a ₹10 crore signing with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, Noor Ahmad is legitimately the hottest property alive. The Afghan left-arm wrist spinner secured a lucrative £200,000 deal with the Manchester Originals, evidence that his T20 stock is on the rise, across formats and continents. The Originals, as everyone knows, have recently been bought by the Sanjiv Goenka group (yes, the same conglomerate that owns the Durban Super Giants), and didn’t part with cash just for hype. The troops are already in shock as to how he can control the ball, provide variations, and choke runs in the middle overs as a weapon in the spin-friendly English conditions.
It’s plausible that Ahmad’s familiarity with Goenka’s setup in Durban aided in the move, but that could just be a sick loyalty bonus. The Originals haven’t won, but they’ve made the finals. And with Noor Ahmad weaving his magic, the Originals will likely be gunning for the title they desire.
Anderson’s Absence: A Curveball Nobody Saw Coming
Now, let’s bring out the big headliner—or, in this case, the headline on the sideline. James Anderson, England’s leading Test wicket-taker of all time, indicated that he wanted to re-enter the fray and do it in the quickest format of them all. However, despite being active (and recently having signed with Lancashire), it was nothing doing for Anderson in the auction. No team raised a paddle for Anderson. Not a single one. Zilch.
It’s baffling, particularly because Anderson had stated the new-ball movement in The Hundred last year as a reason for him to go into the draft. Perhaps the consensus is that white-ball cricket is harder on older legs? Or, teams thought he might be rusty after more than 10 years since Jimmy played regular T20 cricket? Whichever way, for someone with his pedigree to be snubbed adds up to a bit of a kicking.
Bracewell, Ravindra & Warner: Underdogs Cash In
As Anderson was chilling his Chianti, other names you may not know were eating up the cash. Examples: a £200,000 contract with Southern Brave, for Michael Bracewell, who had a decent enough tournament in the Champions Trophy, after obviously removing himself from the rest of the field, with his double-barrelled skill set. And Rachin Ravindra, another Kiwi on the gravy train as after his Player of the Tournament performance in the same tournament, a Noor contract for £120,000 with Manchester Originals.
David Warner has put an end to his long wait, notching up his maiden hundred for the London Spirit in style. Even after his absence last season and going unsold at the IPL auction, it seems like Warner’s fire still burns. Back with Justin Langer, this Aussie combination will look to create a spark in London in a new form.
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