IPL franchises line up to sign uncapped England fast bowling all-rounder with auction dates announced
Jordan Thompson was the joint highest wicket-taker of the The Hundred competition this summer in England.
Even as the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia hogs the limelight, the caravan for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has gradually picked up.
Reports are that the IPL governing council has told all ten franchises to submit their list of retained players for the season by November 15, with ESPNcricinfo reporting that the auction for the same will be held mid-December.
One cricketer who looks set to fetch a massive deal at the bidding war prior to IPL 2023 is Jordan Thompson, an uncapped allrounder from England, who has been in some impressive form in either skill over the past two years.
Thompson, reported The Daily Mail, has been contacted by at least two of the IPL franchises as they aim to secure the services of the 26-year-old. One of those franchises is expected to be Mumbai Indians (MI), which roped in the allrounder for their UAE-based side MI Emirates for the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20).
Jordan Thompson set to fetch big at IPL 2023 auction: Reports
Considered one of the most promising cricketers based in UK, Jordan Thompson plays for Yorkshire in the English domestic county circuit. The 26-year-old bowling allrounder boasts of a very impressive first-class and T20 record to his name.
He has taken his scalps at an average of 25.54 and 25.13 in County Championship and domestic T20s, respectively. In T20s, right-arm quick has a batting strike-rate of 154.58, which reflects on his ability to hit big down the order. At the Bob Willis Trophy back in 2020, Thompson recorded 234 runs and bagged 15 wickets from five North Group encounters for Yorkshire. He was the joint highest wicket-taker of the men's Hundred competition this year.
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If the IPL gig comes to fruition, it won't be Jordan Thompson's first stint at a domestic T20 league outside UK, as he has previously been to Australia and Pakistan for the Big Bash League (BBL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He has played for Karachi Kings and Hobart Hurricanes in the respective overseas leagues.
Thompson, however, isn't the only England domestic talent that IPL franchises are vying for. According to the Daily Mail, Will Jacks from Surrey and Somerset's Will Smeed are two other players that have received a word of communication from the franchises as they look to bolster their squads ahead of the IPL 2023.