Follow UsEngland’s 22-year-old fast bowler Sonny Baker is making plenty of noise in the ongoing Hundred 2025. Turning out for Manchester Originals, the right-arm pacer has impressed with his pace, sharp swing, and knack for picking up wickets.
In five matches this season, Baker has taken seven wickets at an average of 16.42 and an economy rate of 8.21. His standout moment came against Northern Superchargers on August 17, when he claimed a hat-trick, further underlining his talent.
Capable of consistently bowling around 90 mph, Baker has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most exciting upcoming young quicks in England. His progress has also been rewarded with a maiden call-up to the England ODI squad for South Africa and the T20I series against Ireland.
With his rise, it won’t be long before IPL franchises start circling. Baker has picked up 22 wickets in 19 T20s at an average of 24.81 and an economy of 8.92, and if he continues this trajectory, the 2026 IPL Auction could see him in high demand.
Here’s a look at three franchises who might go after Baker:
RR’s bowling unit was their biggest weakness in IPL 2025. They finished with the worst bowling average (45.2) and the third-worst economy (10.6) across the season. Despite having names like Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Madhwal, and Kwena Maphaka, none of them could provide consistent breakthroughs, with all averaging above 37.
A young, fiery pacer like Baker could inject freshness and give RR the cutting edge they desperately lacked last season.
RCB finally broke their title drought in 2025, and Josh Hazlewood was pivotal in their success. However, an injury forced him to miss a few games, and that put RCB's run in jeopardy. But Hazlewood made his return before the playoffs and RCB ended up winning the title.
However, he is now 34 and RCB need to start planning succession. Baker, who is already playing under Phil Salt (a part of the RCB camp) in The Hundred, could be groomed as Hazlewood’s long-term replacement. His ability to swing the new ball and bowl at high pace makes him a smart future investment.
The absence of Mitchell Starc in IPL 2025 exposed KKR’s pace unit. Their bowlers collectively registered the second-worst economy (10.8), with neither Spencer Johnson nor Anrich Nortje managing to step up. After missing the playoffs just a year after lifting the title, KKR will be keen to strengthen their fast-bowling stocks.