Banton 2.0 relishing his role in Rockets ranks
Tom Banton’s career has moved through enough phases for him to be several different cricketers.
There was the teenage phenomenon, ramping and scooping his way into the England side before his 21st birthday, with his swaggering strokeplay drawing comparisons to Kevin Pietersen. Then came the rush of international cricket and franchise tournaments, before the game’s relentless pace drained his enjoyment.
Now comes the resurgence - a second coming built less on hype and more on experience. Banton is back in England colours, enjoying his cricket again and relishing another season with Trent Rockets.
“Playing for England is the best thing you can do,” Banton says. “I’m happy to do whatever is required for the team.”
Banton opens for Somerset, has batted at number five for England in T20 cricket and now occupies number three for the Rockets. England value him at five for the acceleration and aggression he can provide, but also for his ability to read the situation and rebuild after early wickets.
At number three for the Rockets, his task is to give the innings direction before an imposing middle order arrives. “My role is to set up the game for the guys coming in a bit lower,” he explains. “If my match-up comes on, you have to take it down.”
It is a role he relishes during what he calls his “favourite few weeks of the year”. After three seasons with the Rockets, Banton describes their culture as “something very special”.
The quality around him adds to the appeal, with Ben Duckett among those he admires most. “Watching Ducky, seeing how he goes about it and how successful he’s been for England, you can learn a lot.”
Banton has also benefited from Peter Moores at the Rockets and Brendon McCullum with England. “It’s great working with coaches like them, their thoughts on batting and the game are very valuable”.
Banton’s next task is to turn his start into sustained runs for the Rockets. The secret, in his own words, is to “back yourself, trust yourself and really commit to what the team are trying to do.” His story is a special one: a young player who burst onto the scene, fell out of love with the game and has returned as a more mature cricketer, hungry for success across domestic, franchise and international cricket. The prodigy has not disappeared; he’s simply grown into a more complete cricketer.
Tom Banton was speaking in support of KP Snacks’ Everyone In Fund, which supports the ECB’s Cricket Cities programme to remove barriers and create opportunities for participation. Head over to www.everyonein.co.uk/ pitchfinder to find a pitch near you.
First published in The Cricket Paper on 2nd August 2026
