English fast bowler Jofra Archer has made a dramatic return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being picked up by Rajasthan Royals (RR) for Rs 12.50 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. What makes this particularly interesting is that Archer’s name was initially missing from the auction shortlist sent to franchises last weekend but was later added back just days before the auction.
RR’s first signing Jofra Archer
The bidding for Archer started at his base price of Rs 2 crore, with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI) showing early interest. As the price climbed, LSG dropped out, leaving MI and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an intense bidding war. The back-and-forth between these two teams pushed the price from around Rs 8 crore all the way to the final amount of Rs 12.50 crore, with RR eventually securing their former star player.
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This return to Rajasthan Royals is particularly meaningful as Archer had his best IPL season with them in 2020, when he was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. The 29-year-old fast bowler has had a challenging few years dealing with injuries, including elbow issues that limited his participation with Mumbai Indians in the 2023 season to just five games. In total, Archer has taken 48 wickets in 40 IPL matches, showing his capability when fully fit.
The addition of Archer to the auction list came after discussions between him, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). His participation in the IPL is significant as he holds a central contract with the ECB until September, and England hopes to have him available for Test matches against India and Australia next year.
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