'IPL can wait': Michael Vaughan advises KKR new recruit Tom Banton to skip IPL 2020
The two-time Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders stole one of the most promising talents in the T20 cricket - Tom Banton for a cheaper price in Auction held in December. KKR acquired Banton at the base price of 1 crore as the lone bid for the English batsman.
Banton showed his destructive side at the opening position in England (Somerset) and recently in Australia's ongoing Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat. In many of the BBL matches, Banton outshined his opening partner Chris Lynn, who is known for his destructive show.
With Banton being the talk of the town, former England skipper Michael Vaughan advised him to give up his IPL deal to play for Somerset in county season.
"If I were in charge I would be on the phone this week to Tom Banton telling him to give up his IPL deal and play the first few weeks of the county season for Somerset because there is a slot available at No 6 in the Test side," Vaughan wrote in a column for Telegraph Sport.
Vaughan feels that Banton will not get a lot of game time in IPL for KKR as only four overseas players can be part of the playing XI.
‘I have seen enough of Banton to know he is a superstar in the making. I’m not sure a stint in the IPL right now, when he might not get a lot of game time, is what he needs at this stage of his career.
‘The IPL can wait. He has plenty of time to go to India. He needs to play four-day cricket and score some early hundreds,’ Vaughan further wrote.
Vaughan predicted that with Banton in the Test side of the senior team, England will become a force to reckon with in the batting department.
‘Then England would have a top order of Rory Burns, Sibley or Crawley, Pope, Root, Stokes, Banton and a keeper at seven, probably Ben Foakes. All of a sudden that looks a pretty decent line-up,’ he wrote.
