New Delhi: Dinesh KarthikThe mentor and batting coach of the London Spirit men’s team for the 2026 season of The Hundred has described uncapped England all-rounder James Coles as having a “rare” skill set, which is why he attracted so much interest during the auction.The 21-year-old was snapped up by London Spirit for £390,000 after a fierce bidding war between five franchises.
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Karthik said after the auction, “First of all with the bat, I think for the first time he has been able to bat anywhere between 4, 5 and 6. At times he has also been very good at 3, so we have definitely looked at that aspect. He is a left-hander, involved in the powerplay and someone who shows incredible skill with the ball. The fact that there are not many of those skill sets in the UK makes us strongly go for him.” “Happened.”Coles was part of the England squad for the 2022 Under-19 World Cup and was recently included in the England Lions squad for the tour of Australia in January 2025. He made his county debut for Sussex County Cricket Club at the age of 16, where he became the club’s youngest ever debutant in 2020.
He has been a person who has the potential to rise very high. Walking into the auction you can see that he will be one of the most sought-after players.
Dinesh Karthik on James
In the County Championship last season, he scored 1,032 runs, including four centuries, at an average of 47 and took 20 wickets, also proving to be a safe pair of hands by taking 19 catches, most of them at second slip, a position in which he has excelled.Coles’ record in the T20 Blast last season was equally impressive. He scored 397 runs at an average of 33 and took 10 wickets at an economy rate of over nine.
James Coles of Sussex celebrates with Jack Carson after dismissing Jack Carson during the second day of the Rothesay County Championship Division 1 match between Sussex and Hampshire at The First Central County Ground in Hove, England on September 09, 2025. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
But it was in the SA20 where the talented young player caught everyone’s attention. Playing for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, he scored 152 runs at a strike rate of 170.78 and took five wickets with his left-arm spin.“For starters we were drying out right there at the end. I don’t think there was much to say, but he’s been a guy who has had a great upward curve. You can see in the auction that he will be one of the most sought-after players,” Karthik said.“Mo [Mo Bobat, Spirit director of cricket] And I’ve worked with him with the England Lions and I’ve really enjoyed working with him as a player.
James Coles of Southern Brave bats during The Hundred match between Southern Brave Men and Welsh Fire Men at the Utility Bowl in Southampton, England on August 28, 2025. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
He said, “We have had our eye on him for some time now. He has always been part of our plans and the fact that he has performed so well in recent times shows why teams really wanted him. We were very keen on him and we are very happy that we have got him.”Coles is the fourth most expensive player recruited by Hundred sides this year. England’s Jofra Archer (£400,000), Phil Salt (£450,000) and Harry Brook (£465,000) were signed by Southern Brave, Welsh Fire and Sunrisers Leeds respectively ahead of the auction.Asked if the huge price tag would put pressure on the youngster, Karthik replied: “For starters, we know his personality and because we know him quite closely having worked with him, we support his skill set.
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What do you think of the signing of James Coles for London Spirit?
“We also support the person he is. He’s a very sorted kid, someone who doesn’t get too carried away or too frustrated. Yes, it has a high price, but at some point in life when you do well, you have to deal with it.“I think he is at a stage where he is ready to deal with it because he appears to be someone who has shown a lot of development in recent times. The way he speaks, the way he has played in the franchise league and the way we have seen him for a while shows that his graph will only go up. He is definitely a future prospect for England, if not immediately then in the near future. It is quite a good achievement for us to have someone like him backed.“