Ultimate Preview: Countdown is on for Big Bash Drafts

With a WBBL title in the cabinet and a fresh coaching setup on the BBL side, the Gades are focused on adding the right pieces to push both squads forward this Big Bash.

Check out our ultimate preview below and submit your predictions of who we'll select with our top picks in this year drafts.

‼️ Key Details

🗓 Thursday, June 19
🕖 BBL Draft kicks off at 4pm (AEST), WBBL Draft to follow
📺 Live on Seven Network, 7plus, Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports
📲 Follow Cricket Australia's Live Blog via the Big Bash App's Draft Hub

⚙️ Draft Rundown

WBBL and BBL clubs will take turns selecting from available overseas players across four rounds.

Each club must draft at least two and up to four overseas players, including allocating a pick to their pre-signed international based on that player’s salary band, with three allocated to the primary list pending salary cap with the fourth considered a replacement player.

Salary bands and rounds are divided between Platinum (Round 1 or 2), Gold (Round 2 or 3), Silver (Round 3 or 4) or Bronze (Round 4 only).

Read more about how the draft works.

🧠 The Renegades Brain Trust

The Melbourne Renegades' Draft Table will feature:

    • James Rosengarten (GM)
    • Wade Seccombe (Head of High Performance)
    • Simon Helmot (WBBL Head Coach)
    • Sophie Molineux (WBBL Captain)

🔢 Draft Order

The Melbourne Renegades, courtesy of May's lottery, hold four picks in both drafts with plenty of flexibility to make trades or strategic plays as the night unfolds.

BBL: Pick 3, Pick 11, Pick 22, Pick 27

WBBL: Pick 7, Pick 15, Pick 18, Pick 31

💫 Pre-Signings

Each club must use one of their picks on their international pre-signings announced ahead of the drafts.

The Melbourne Renegades have pre-signed stars Hayley Matthews and Tim Seifert, which will leave two selections at both drafts to use on the massive pool of nominees available for selection.

🌎 Who's Nominated This Year?

A huge pool of more than 600 players from 30+ countries have nominated for the 2025 drafts. Some of the biggest names include:

🙋‍♂️ BBL Nominees
Sam Curran (England)
Alex Hales (England)
Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand)
Tim Southee (New Zealand)
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
Haris Rauf (Pakistan)
Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka)
Shamar Joseph (West Indies)
Joffra Archer (England)
Jimmy Anderson (England)

🙋‍♀️ WBBL Nominees
Lauren Bell (England)
Sophie Ecclestone (England)
Heather Knight (England)
Danni Wyatt-Hodge (England)
Shikha Pandey (India)*
Jemimah Rodrigues (India)
Fatima Sana (Pakistan)
Shabnim Ismail (South Africa)
Chloe Tryon (South Africa)
Deandra Dottin (West Indies)

Check out the full list of nominees on the Big Bash App's Draft Hub.

♻️ Retention Picks

Keep an eye out for some familiar faces in the pool of draft nominations, with plenty of Renegades in line for this option.

Clubs can opt to hold onto one previously drafted international.

🤔 Gades Retention Picks

BBL: Jacob Bethell (ENG), Laurie Evans (ENG), Hassan Khan (USA), Tawanda Muyeye (ENG)
WBBL: Deandra Dottin (WI), Alice Capsey (ENG), Eve Jones (ENG), Tara Norris (USA), Grace Scrivens (ENG), Linsey Smith (ENG)

📖 Flashback

Our history in previous editions of the WBBL and BBL Overseas Player Drafts look like this:

2024 | WBBL10 & BBL14

In the WBBL draft, the Renegades selected Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, and Alice Capsey—three dynamic all-rounders who added power, versatility, and international experience to the squad. The trio brought a mix of proven match-winners, helping to shape a well-balanced lineup ahead of WBBL|10 and ultimately all played an integral role in winning the WBBL10 Championship.

On the BBL side, the club picked up English power-hitter Laurie Evans and emerging talent Jacob Bethell, with New Zealand keeper-batter Tim Seifert as the club's pre-signing. Seifert added stability at the top order while fans witnessed the emergence of Bethell who wowed the Hobart crowd with a 50-ball 87 in his final match of Big Bash.

2023 | WBBL09 & BBL13

In WBBL|09, the Renegades retained Platinum picks Hayley Matthews and Harmanpreet Kaur, two of the world’s top T20 players. A play for Sophie Devine at Pick 2 was made, but Perth activated their retention rights. Matthews and Kaur brought leadership, experience, and proven match-winning ability to the squad.

The Renegades used their Platinum pick to sign South African superstar Quinton de Kock in the BBL Draft, bringing elite experience and firepower to the top of the order. They backed it up by re-signing Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman who added to an already strong spin presence within the squad.

2022  | BBL12

With the first overall pick in the inaugural BBL Draft, the Renegades secured English star Liam Livingstone. Livingstone would later withdraw from competition. The club rounded out their draft haul with the mystery spin of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and West Indies left-armer Akeal Hosein.