England batsman Dawid Malan admits he is unsure when he will be linking up with Yorkshire ahead of the forthcoming county campaign, though insists the county will be his number one priority as soon as April comes around having opted against any possible deals to play in the Indian Premier League.
The White Rose’s new signing is preparing to travel to South Africa having been named in England’s one-day and T20 squads for the upcoming series, starting on February 4 and finishing on February 16.
Malan is then waiting on news of whether he has been called in to play in the Pakistan Super League T20 competition as a replacement player.
The left-hander has recently impressed in the T10 League in Abu Dhabi and the Bangladesh Premier League T20 competition. But he wasn’t selected in the initial draft for the PSL.
That event takes place in Pakistan between February 20 and March 22.
However, after that, it is all Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire for a player who decided against putting himself forward to play in the IPL and is edging closer to settling down in ‘god’s own country’.
“I’ve only spent four days up there (Headingley) so far in between everything I’ve had to do,” he said. “But we put an offer in on a place yesterday, which was accepted, so hopefully we can get all that sorted and settle in quickly.
“If things go to plan, I’ll probably only see the boys in mid-March. If they don’t, I’ll be back in the middle of February after the South Africa tour.
“We’ll wait and see if the Pakistan Super League works. If I get in, it would be as a replacement player. A couple of teams have been in touch already – but until something is put in front of you, you never know.
“I think I will find out after the Pakistan v Bangladesh T20 series finishes next week.
“I didn’t put my name in the IPL auction.
“I want to make an impact for Yorkshire in four-day cricket. I don’t think it would have been right to join a new club and then immediately put my name in an IPL auction.
“My priority is with Yorkshire from when the season starts.”
Should Malan be picked in the PSL, he would be unavailable to go on Yorkshire’s pre-season tour in mid-March, details of which are to be announced shortly.
