Chris Jordan: All you need to know about RCB’s newest recruit

After the IPL auctions were done with, one thing was certain; Royal Challengers Bangalore had the best batting lineup in T-20 cricket on paper. What was also certain was that in the absence of Mitchell Starc, their bowling lineup was mediocre. Lacking incisiveness and death bowling capabilities, their bowling frailties have been exposed in the IPL where they have struggled to defend totals. Also, post Gayle-Kohli-AB-Watson, their batting had no firepower.

Thus, to strengthen their side on both fronts, the RCB management has decided to go in with English all-rounder Chris Jordan as a replacement for Starc.

Jordan who?

Born in 1988 at Barbados to Barbadian parents, Chris Jordan got a chance to play for England due to his maternal grandparents, who held British Citizenship. A classmate of pop-star Rihanna and West Indian World Cup hero Carlos Brathwaite, Jordan gained a sports scholarship to complete his formal education from England, after being scouted by Bill Athey.

Early days

Jordan made debut for Surrey vs Middlesex in 2007 where he bagged 2-41 and followed that up with 3-42 vs Durham in the next match. It came as no surprise that he received the NBC Denis Compton Award as Surrey’s most promising young player in 2007. Sadly, though, he suffered a stress fracture of the back; one of the worst injuries that any sportsperson could suffer, especially a fast bowler.

Jordan was unable to play in the 2010 English season and was subsequently released by Surrey a couple of years later in 2012. It didn’t help Jordan that his time at Surrey coincided with the troubled times at the county, which made it difficult for him to emerge.

Turnaround

Jordan always had undoubted potential and it came to the fore when he moved to Sussex in 2013. He flourished there and took 6-48 on debut vs Yorkshire and passed fifty wickets in the County Championship that season.

Before joining Surrey, he returned to his birth land to play for the Barbados national team, displaying his undying spirit and desire to play the gentleman’s game. One wondered then whether he would play for the West Indies or for England, but after good performances for Sussex, he was ultimately selected for two England Lions (the B team) fixtures in 2013.

Jordan made his England ODI debut against Australia at the Ageas Bowl, Dublin. He took to international cricket like a fish takes to water and at the start of England’s 2014 summer was handed his Test cap against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. From being dumped by Surrey to becoming a Three Lions test match player in a span of two years, Jordan completed a remarkable turnaround.

He can contribute with a few lusty blows at the end

International displays

After the Sri Lanka series, Jordan was selected to face the touring Indian team and he did very well. Taking four wickets for almost nothing to finish of the Indian batting for 94 at the Oval, showed that he had undoubted potential which was waiting to burst through. Combined with some lofty hitting down the order and brilliant fielding, England had unearthed a potential all-rounder; something they had been looking for since Andrew Flintoff retired.

His ability to bowl brilliantly at the death, an innate knack of picking wickets and taking sharp catches at important times have made Jordan a vital cog of England’s side en route the T-20 world cup final.

Indian Premier League

After not being picked by any side in the initial January auctions, IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore picked Chris Jordan as a replacement for Mitchell Starc for the 2016 edition. This does not seem to have gone down too well with Sussex as he has yet to appear for them this season, having missed the opening games of the Championship due to an elbow problem.

Alan Donald speaks

"I'm delighted to say that I'm looking forward to be working with one of cricket's fine talents in Chris Jordan.

“He’s quick, he’s fast, he’s aggressive. But more so he’s brilliant at the death. He had a fantastic T20 World Cup here in India.”