Coming only hours after he was somewhat surprisingly ignored by all ten franchises at the Indian Premier League auction, it was no surprise that Phil Salt’s second T20I hundred in four days was framed as something of a riposte.
“That was probably a little bit of it, subconsciously," the opening batter himself agreed. But the day’s context ought not to overshadow that of England’s West Indies tour as a whole, which was billed from the outset as a chance for those on the fringes to stake a claim for a place in a white-ball regeneration that had to follow the recent 50-over Cricket World Cup disaster.
Heading into its final game, Salt could have done no more to cement his place alongside captain Jos Buttler at the top of the order for next year’s T20 World Cup defence, the Lancashire batter now the owner of a third of all centuries scored in the format by Englishmen.
An innings of 109 from 56 balls in Grenada on Saturday had kept England’s miraculous chase - and the series - alive. In Trinidad last night, 119 from 57 led the tourists to their highest ever T20 score and batted West Indies out of the contest, setting up a decider on Thursday with the scores level at 2-2.
"I'm playing good cricket, I'm doing what I came out here to do,” Salt said afterwards. “More importantly than that, the boys have really pulled together and shown what a good team we are.
Back-to-back T20i centuries for Phil Salt 🏏
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 19, 2023
Just look what it means 🤩#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/pPtJBHUPXA
“The West Indies are a very good side that we're playing against so to win back-to-back games and force the decider in a couple of days' time, I'm chuffed.”
Salt’s IPL snub was perhaps less surprising for coming days after his maiden T20 hundred at any level and more so for following on the back of what was actually an impressive maiden campaign this spring.
The 27-year-old averaged 27.25 striking at 163.91 during his debut season with Delhi Capitals but was not retained and then went unsold at auction in Dubai despite a modest base price.
"It was a confusing morning," Salt said. "I expected to be picked up, having gone there last year and done well and after the year that I've had, but these things happen. It's part of the lottery of an auction, it happens in draft processes as well. There's a few lads in our dressing room who are going to have a very good Christmas and I'm over the moon for them.
"I was a bit confused but it can happen. There's no bad cricketers on the list at the IPL. It's one of those things."
