"You want to get ready to hit the ground running" - Reece Topley aims to use SA20 to warm-up for IPL 2023

England left-arm seamer Reece Topley recently suggested that the SA20 event will be a warm-up tournament for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Topley feels it's crucial to hit the ground running leading up to the high-octane competition in India.

The 28-year-old, who will turn up for the Durban Supergiants in SA20, fetched ₹1.90 crores from the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2023 IPL auction. It will be the Essex seamer's first stint in the cash-rich league.

Ahead of the Super Giants' first game on January 11, Topley insisted that it will be small steps, given his recent comeback from injury and will slowly start his build-up with SA20 slowly for the two-month tournament in India.

"Obviously not having played for a long time literally just before the start of the World Cup," ANI quoted Topley as saying. "Naturally, it's going to be a bit of a progression, small steps, but at least, I'll be playing and I'll be looking to fine-tune in skills during this opportunity over the next two months or so.

"Not just this competition obviously. But obviously, you want to get ready to hit the ground running when you touch down in India."

The left-arm bowler suffered an ankle injury in Australia just before the T20 World Cup 2022 warm-up clash against Pakistan, with Tymal Mills named as his replacement for the tournament.

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"Had a welcome message from Faf" - Reece Topley

Faf du Plessis. (Image credits: Getty)

Reece Topley, who will lead the bowling unit alongside the likes of Jason Holder, Junior Dala, Dwaine Pretorious, and Hardus Viljoen, revealed that Johannesburg Super Kings skipper Faf du Plessis also welcomed him to the squad.

Expressing his excitement to play under a "fierce competitor", he added:

"I had a welcome message from Faf, played against him a lot and really looking forward to playing under him. He's a fierce competitor. But now it's nice to have a change and have him on my side for once."

Reece Topley will also play under the veteran Proteas cricketer at RCB in IPL 2023 in India.