Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings Interested In Rising England Star Tom Banton

England’s new batting sensation Tom Banton looks set to be the latest English star who can set the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on fire. The right-handed batsman has been turning heads with his batting exploits in recent months. And the way his stocks are rising, it would not be surprising at all if he lands a lucrative IPL deal next month.

The 20-year old was the second leading run-scorer in this season’s T20 Blast in England. Tom Banton scored 549 runs at a staggering strike-rate of 161.47. He made four half-centuries and a blistering 51-ball century against Kent. Tom Banton was prolific in 50-over cricket too, smashing 454 during Somerset’s successful Royal London Cup campaign.

He recently earned his maiden England call-up for the ongoing T20I series in New Zealand. Last month, he was also named Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) Players’ Young player of the year.

And as per reports, Tom Banton is in demand for the IPL. According to the reports in The Mail, both Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have inquired about the batsman’s availability ahead of the IPL’s next edition in April. If Tom Banton finds an IPL team for the next season, it will further enhance his reputation.

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The youngster has already been snapped up by Qalandars, who play in the UAE’s T10 League, and Brisbane Heat in Australia’s T20 Big Bash League. Banton, meanwhile, has had a forgettable start with his national team. He failed to perform in both the warm-up games, scoring 11 and 6. Perhaps those two failures have delayed his debut in international cricket.

Tom Banton is yet to make his debut in the five-match T20I series. The series is currently locked at 1-1 after New Zealand won the second game by 21 runs. Banton is expected to make his debut in the remaining games of the series.