"Chose to pay it no mind...": Phil Salt on initial IPL snub, Test cricket ambitions

On March 10, KKR named Phil as a replacement player after England opener Jason Roy opted out of the league due to personal reasons. The attacking T20I batter was initially left unsold in the IPL auctions held last year in Dubai.

England batter Phil Salt, who was recently selected as a replacement for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player Jason Roy for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, opened up on his initial snub in the league and his Test cricket ambitions, pointing out that he feels that he has got the style that can suit the current Test team. On March 10, KKR named Phil as a replacement player after England opener Jason Roy opted out of the league due to personal reasons. The attacking T20I batter was initially left unsold in the IPL auctions held last year in Dubai.

Talking about his initial IPL snub despite twin centuries against West Indies just after the 50-over World Cup, Phil said that things like these can consume a player but he chose to pay it no mind. "I imagine that's the sort of thing that could really consume you. But I just chose to pay it no mind. It is not like I am short of somewhere for a game of cricket," Phil told Wisden in an interview.

In 21 T20I for England, Phil has scored 639 runs at an average of 35.50, with two centuries and two fifties in 20 innings. His best score is 119 and strike rate is 165.97. The attacking batter has played T20 cricket all over the world in various leagues and remains a popular choice for franchises in the league circuit. In 228 T20s, he has made 5,308 runs at an average of 25.89 and a strike rate of over 153, with two centuries and 32 fifties. His best score is 119. The 27-year-old impressed during his first-ever IPL season for Delhi Capitals last year. In nine matches, he scored 218 runs at an average of 27.25 and a strike rate of 163.90. He scored two half-centuries and his best score was 87.

Phil also has ambitions to play red-ball cricket as well. He said that he loves going back to red-ball cricket since making runs over there also means one can play in white-ball as well. "I love going back to red-ball because it's the best thing for your technique. If you can score runs in red-ball, and you have got some sort of power game, then you can score runs in white-ball. That is very easily transferable. But you cannot say the same vice versa," said the batter.

The 27-year-old said that he is not spoken about in Tests as much as he likes to. "I may not be spoken about as much as I would like to be in Test cricket, but that is always been the aim for me. I want to keep pushing my case," said Phil.

"I feel like I have got a game that's suited to the current style of the Test team. My scoring areas change [between red- and white-ball cricket] but technically and set-up wise, everything stays the same. What the England Test team are doing now is the stuff that some coaches tried to coach out of me, telling me to not be positive and stand there and block the ball for half a session, and I have never done that. I feel like I would be one of the most natural fits for it, being honest," he concluded. In 52 first-class matches for Sussex, Phil has scored 2,749 runs at an average of 33.52 and a strike rate of almost 72. He has scored six centuries and 14 fifties in 85 innings, with the best score of 148. (ANI)

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