Phil Salt: England man on path to T20 greatness

It can be argued that international cricket is not the pinnacle of the T20 format, that the highest standard is found at the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Salt has excelled there, too.

The 29-year-old is the only batter to score more than 1,000 IPL runs at a strike-rate in excess of 175. No-one else scoring that quickly has managed to reach 500 career runs.

And this is the real kicker. Of batters to have played 30 IPL innings – so those that have had a good go in cricket’s richest tournament – Salt’s strike-rate of 175.70 is the highest. Every single T20 great you could think of – Andre Russell, AB de Villiers, Jos Buttler and the rest – are eating Salt’s dust.

It is a record that makes him hot property at the top of the order, and a champion of the past two seasons. In 2024 it was with Kolkata Knight Riders, Salt only missing the final because England players were called back to prepare for the World Cup. This year it was with Royal Challengers Bangalore, opening with Virat Kohli.

“He has a thirst to improve,” said Buttler, English cricket’s most successful export to the IPL.

“If you look at him two or three years ago and where his game was, and you look at it now. He was a top player then as well, but he just wants to keep adding to his game.

“He asks questions of the coaches and other senior players, and he’s added more and more to his game, which I think has made him harder to stop.

“In particular, his off-side play is outstanding, and when he’s so strong through the leg side, he’s hard to stop.”