IPL Auction 2020: 5 English bowlers to watch out for
One thing that England have always been able to produce are top seam bowlers in red-ball cricket, though that hasn’t always been the case in the shorter formats of the game.
In Test cricket, England are currently able to call on one of the finest new-ball partnerships that the game has ever seen. Between them, James Anderson and Stuart Broad have taken over 1000 Test wickets, and have been a vital part of any success that England have had in Tests over the past decade.
The pair have now been joined by Jofra Archer, who became available for England selection in March of this year. Since then, the Barbados-born quick bowler has looked like a natural at the international level.
In white-ball cricket, he was vital in helping England win the World Cup, bowling the Super Over in the victory over New Zealand in the final. He also made an impression in Test matches, particularly on debut when he bowled a memorable spell to Australia’s Steve Smith.
But for the first time in a while, England appear to have a lot of genuinely quick bowlers available to them, especially those who have done the business in the white-ball game. With the World T20 in Australia coming up in November, a number of these could be looking to stake their case for a place in the squad, and an IPL stint could help do just that. Here are five English bowlers to watch in the IPL Auction.
Also see – Ranji points table
#1 Saqib Mahmood
In Jofra Archer, England have finally found a bowler who can consistently reach 90 mph, and challenge batsmen with pace in all conditions. In Saqib Mahmood, they may have unearthed another one. The 22-year-old enjoyed a fine breakthrough season with Lancashire, which helped earn him a spot in England’s Test and T20 squads for the tour of New Zealand.
Mahmood was the highest wicket-taker in the Royal London One-Day Cup this year, claiming 28 scalps, as well as becoming the first Lancashire bowler to take five-wicket hauls in consecutive List A matches. Mahmood played three T20 internationals in that series with New Zealand, and although his figures weren’t too impressive, he wasn’t the only bowler to suffer playing on smaller grounds and flat surfaces.