Former India pacer Siddharth Kaul has thrown his name into the hat for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season in Australia. The right-arm medium-fast bowler has registered for the BBL draft, seeking an opportunity to showcase his skills in the popular Australian T20 league.
Kaul, who retired from Indian cricket in November 2024, is the only male Indian player to register for the BBL draft this year. He joins a pool of over 600 overseas players from around the world, all vying for a spot in one of the eight BBL teams. The BBL draft is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Born on May 19, 1990, Siddharth Kaul made his first-class debut for Punjab in 2007. He was a member of the India Under-19 team that won the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, where he played a crucial role in the team's victory. He was entrusted with the task of bowling the final over by his then skipper Virat Kohli against South Africa in Malaysia, where India won the Under-19 World Cup for the second time. The skiddy pacer ended with 10 wickets from 5 games and jointly led the Indian bowling charts alongside Ravindra Jadeja, who was the vice-captain of that side.
Kaul has also been a regular in the Indian Premier League (IPL), representing Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. He has played 55 IPL matches, taking 58 wickets at an average of 29.24. He made his ODI and T20I debuts for India in 2018. He played three ODIs and three T20Is for India, with his last international appearance coming in 2019.
While Kaul is the only Indian male player in the BBL draft, as many as 15 Indian women cricketers have registered for the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) draft. These include experienced players like Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, and Yastika Bhatia, who have all played in the WBBL before. Other Indian women players in the WBBL draft include S. Meghana, Arundhati Reddy, Pratika Rawal, U-19 T20 World Cup-winning captain Niki Prasad, Uma Chetry, Kashvee Gautam, and Priya Mishra.
The BBL draft has attracted a number of high-profile international stars, including England fast bowler James Anderson. If picked, Anderson would become the oldest player in the league at 43. Other notable names in the BBL draft include Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan, Jofra Archer, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, and Kane Williamson.
Kaul's decision to register for the BBL draft comes after his retirement from Indian cricket in November last year. This makes him eligible to play in overseas leagues. His experience in domestic cricket and the IPL could make him a valuable asset to any BBL team.
