Jofra Archer was sold to the Rajasthan Royals for ₹12.50 crore during the IPL 2025 auction, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.

Initially included in the auction’s longlist, Archer was excluded from the final shortlist after the ECB reportedly withheld his No Objection Certificate (NOC), urging him to focus on recovering from injuries ahead of the Ashes series next year. However, in a surprising turn, Archer was added to the final auction list as the 38th English player, joining the likes of white-ball captain Jos Buttler and veteran pacer James Anderson.

Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, made headlines with his inclusion, as the 42-year-old has never participated in an overseas franchise league. Notable absentees from the auction include England Test captain Ben Stokes, fast bowler Mark Wood, and batter Joe Root.

Archer’s career has been plagued by injuries in recent years, limiting his participation in competitive cricket. He hasn’t featured in Test matches since early 2021. Despite his fitness struggles, Archer was acquired by the Mumbai Indians in the 2022 auction, playing only four games for them in the 2023 IPL season. Before his stint with Mumbai, Archer enjoyed significant success with the Rajasthan Royals, marking his return to the franchise as a much-anticipated comeback.