IPL News: Tom Banton wants Mumbai Indians to pick him in the IPL Auction 2020

England's Tom Banton has expressed his desire to play for the Mumbai Indians in the upcoming season for 2020. The likes of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians showed their interest in signing this 21-year-old wicket-keeper for IPL 2020 earlier this month.

Tom Banton has been a center of attraction in T20 cricket, with his hard-hitting ability with the bat. His extraordinary performances in the Vitality T20 Blast earned him a national call-up against New Zealand as well. This youngster is proving to be a hot asset in the shorter formats, with an expectation to gain big bucks in the IPL auction.

Banton expressed his excitement leading up to the IPL and depicted why he wants to play for Mumbai Indians.

"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 (December 19), 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."

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Banton scored 249 runs at a massive strike rate of 161.43 in the Vitality T20 Blast. He averaged 42.33 with four fifties to his name. Continuing his heroics in the T10 League for Qalandars, Tom Banton smashed 80 runs in just 28 deliveries in a match against the Karnataka Tuskers with nine fours and six sixes. Whe asked about his form, he said,

"Never thought I would have such a year at the start of 2019. I suppose once you are on a roll, you cannot stop."

The highly-anticipated IPL auction for the 13th edition of the tournament will take place in Kolkata on 19th December. It will be exciting to see which team picks him at what price for the upcoming cash-rich tournament.