Australian players have been crucial to the IPL’s success. David Warner, and more recently Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, have significantly contributed to their teams’ achievements in the league.
Starc was acquired for a record-breaking 24.74 crores in the last IPL auction, while Cummins was purchased by SRH for 20.50 crores and led the team to the final.
The winning mindset of these Australian players has been a key factor in the investment from franchises, benefitting The Knight Riders and the Sunrisers.
With IPL 2025 set to introduce changes in retention rules, the BCCI is expected to announce new guidelines by the end of the month after considering various suggestions.
Despite potential major changes next year, Australian players are likely to remain central to teams’ successes, as they have consistently proven their worth. This article will explore five Australian legends who may consider retiring if they go unsold in the IPL 2025 auction.
Australian Legends Set To Retire From T20s If Not Picked In IPL 2025
David Warner
David Warner captained the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023 and played as a regular player in IPL 2024. With the upcoming mega auction, it will be intriguing to see if the Capitals choose to retain him. Given his caliber and experience, a franchise still chasing its first IPL title would benefit greatly from keeping him.
Warner, the top run-scorer among international players in the IPL, has retired from international cricket but remains eager to compete in T20 leagues. It’s unlikely he won’t secure a spot with another franchise if not retained by the Capitals—his absence from the league would indeed be surprising.
Steve Smith
Smith is no longer a regular in Australia’s white-ball format. His last major white-ball tournament for Australia was the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. He was not included in the Australian T20I squad for the T20 World Cup.
In IPL too he is not a regular having last played in IPL 2021 for the Capitals. Smith is very central to Australia’s Test squad though with the Ashes 2025 coming up.
Mitchell Marsh
Marsh is Australia’s T20I captain and he could not replicate Asaron Finch’s success in the format as captain. Finch led Australia to their maiden T20I title in 2021 and Marsh who led the team in the 2024 edition reached only as far as the Super 8s.
His IPL form and record have not been that great either. He is a very injury-prone player. Aging almost 36, Marsh can well think about retiring from the IPL if he is not picked in the mega auction.
Matthew Wade
Matthew Wade has an appalling IPL record having played in the league for almost a decade but sparingly. In 14 matches overall, he has scored just 183 with a best of 35 at an average of 13.07. His glovework has not been that great either.
Wade last played for Gujarat Titans in the IPL In 2024, he played just two matches and scored just four. Given his stats in the IPL, he is almost sure to go unsold and might even think of retiring from IPL cricket.
Josh Hazlewood
Hazlewood is the final Australian player on this list. He has picked up 35 wickets in 27 IPL matches having made his debut in 2020. He picked up 12 wickets for CSK and 25 for RCB in his two-team stint in the tournament.
There are high chances of him remaining unsold at the mega auction since he does not play regularly in the tournament and also does not play T20I cricket regularly for Australia.
