IPL Auction 2020: 3 major talking points before the bidding war begins

#2 Will Tom Banton’s wish of playing for Mumbai Indians be granted?

Tom Banton.

Without doubt, 21-year-old English sensation Tom Banton will be among the most sought after players at the IPL 2020 auction. His reputation has grown in leaps and bounds over the years, so much so that a Daily Mail report claimed two of the biggest IPL franchises, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, have expressed interest in purchasing Banton. The England cricketer, in fact, himself confirmed to ESPNCricinfo that he would love to play for Mumbai Indians.

Banton was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo,

“Playing in the IPL has been a dream from a very young age. You see the big crowds and the attention it has. I am in the IPL auction this year, so fingers crossed somebody picks me. As a kid, I have always loved watching Mumbai Indians. Then I had the good fortune of playing at the Wankhede for the England U-19 team. There was tremendous support at the ground then, even though we lost 5-0.”

On the field, Banton has been constantly grabbing eyeballs. He blasted two fifties in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, including an incredible 80 off 28 for Qalandars against Karnataka Tuskers. Back home, he made people sit up and take notice of his engrossing talent, raising 454 runs for Somerset in their successful One-Day Cup campaign. Banton further amassed 549 in the Vitality Blast, which featured a stunning 100 from 52 balls against Kent.

Banton’s reverse-slaps and scoops have drawn much attention, and even led to comparisons with the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Jos Buttler and even AB de Villiers. There is definite excitement over Banton playing in the IPL. How the exhilaration translates into moolah and runs remains to be seen.