Former captain Michael Vaughan has suggested the England and Wales Cricket Board intervene in batsman Tom Banton's participation in this year's Indian Premier League.
Banton, who recently represented the Brisbane Heat in Australia's Big Bash League, was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL auction late last year.
Vaughan, however, has encouraged Banton to play in the County Championship instead of the IPL – and pursue a berth in England's Test XI.
What Vaughan said about Banton
“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 number six in the Test side,’ Vaughan wrote in a column for Telegraph Sport.
“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 centuries.”
The 21-year-old Banton has been capped three times in T20I level, but has not played Test cricket. His prowess in the shortest format was recently on display in Sydney and Perth. Banton hit two brisk half-centuries. He has also played for the Qalandars in the Abu Dhabi T10.
Kolkata in the IPL
The hard-hitting Banton will be joined by Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins at the 2020 IPL. Kolkata also have West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell, New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, England ODI captain Eoin Morgan and Indian wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. KKR have won the IPL twice.
They are captained by wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik. Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is their new coach. McCullum succeeded former head coach Jacques Kallis last year. Kallis has since joined the Proteas as a batting consultant for the ongoing Test series against England.
