Michael Vaughan advises KKR newest recruit Tom Banton to "Skip IPL, play County Cricket"

Vaughan sees Banton full of potential to find a place in England's Test side.

Tom Banton | GETTY

Former England captain Michael Vaughan wants T20 star batsman Tom Banton to pull out of the upcoming IPL 2020 season. Banton was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at INR 1 crore in the last auction. 

Vaughan believes Banton, a very promising talent, should play in the County Championship. "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.

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Vaughan feels the youngster can wait for IPL and focus on four-day cricket. "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. "If he does that I could see him batting at No 6 in the Test side this summer. It is possible."

The 45-year-old is eager to see Tom Banton in England's Test side. "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 lineup," Vaughan wrote.

(With Telegraph Sport Inputs)

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 22 Jan, 2020

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