Hampshire batsman James Vince won't be making himself available for the annual Indian Premier League T20 auction, as he bids to earn a place in the England Test squad this summer.
The 24 year-old has represented England at both T20 and 50 over level, and averaged just under 30 in last season’s County Championship, but is looking to improve on that in an attempt to earn a place on arguably the biggest stage of them all.
Focus on England
Confirming that Vince wants to focus on his county captaincy, Hampshire's cricket director Giles White said; "His head's screwed on, James is looking at it broadly and can see what's ahead of him right now." Vince is now the Hampshire skipper in all formats, after taking over from James Adams mid-way through last season.
Vince enjoys big stage
The batsman was the highest run scorer in last season’s NatWest T20 Blast, and also in his first full series with England against Pakistan in the recent T2O season. However, he's yet to play a Test match for England, hence his efforts not to move up the pecking order.
"James is very much in the space that he wants to play Test cricket," White told Hampshire cricket. "I think that if he were to go to the IPL auction, for him at the moment, it might narrow that opportunity," he added. Vince has been a consistent performer over recent years for Hampshire in the shorter forms of the game and has received international calls in recent months, but must know knuckle down and shift his obvious talents to the longer game.
A busy batsman
Vince is currently playing for Karachi Kings in the inaugural Pakistan Super League in the UAE, but he suffered early disappointment, only scoring three against Lahore Qalandars in his first match. However, his side did manage a seven wicket win and currently top the table.
He will also be hopeful of being named in England's T20 squad for the upcoming World Cup in March, which is named on Monday, and he will join up with the squad for the series against South Africa after the conclusion of the ODI series against the Proteas in a couple of weeks.
The domestic season starts on April 10, when Hampshire welcome Warwickshire to the Ageas Bowl before facing Yorkshire at Headingley a week later.
