The Big Bash League’s international hit list

The KFC BBL could be inundated with English players this summer, with clubs expected to target some of the UK's biggest names as part of a raft of imports for this season's competition.

Various media reports have already linked several star English players with BBL moves, where they would join countrymen Tom Banton and Tom Curran, who have already re-committed to the Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers for this season.

England's Test players expected to be off limits, but their white-ball stars are set to be available, while some other big names from abroad have already held discussions about returning to the Big Bash this summer.

Here are some of the big-name international players who have been or could be on the radar of BBL clubs for this season.

Jonny Bairstow

The stat: Since establishing himself as an opener in ODI cricket three years ago, Bairstow is the only man in the world to average more than 50 and strike at better than a run a ball (minimum 500 runs).

One half of England's dynamic opening duo in white-ball cricket, Bairstow has already been linked with a move to the Melbourne Stars, where he could form a mouth-watering opening partnership with Marcus Stoinis. A star of England's World Cup win last year, Bairstow also dominated the 2019 IPL alongside David Warner, including a tournament high score of 114 from just 56 balls.

Jason Roy

The stat: Of the 85 men who have played 100 or more games in England's T20 competition, only two have bettered Roy's balls per boundary rate of 4.54.

Recent media reports have linked Roy with the Perth Scorchers and he would no doubt be an exciting addition to their roster, should a deal get done. Australian audiences need no reminder as to what he is capable of; before the right-hander misfired in the recent ODI series against the Aussies, his five most recent one-day knocks against them read 120, 82, 101, 1 and 85 to go with his England record score of 180 at the MCG in 2018.

Dawid Malan

The stat: Malan's combined average and strike rate of 195.37 is the second best in the history of T20 international cricket (minimum 500 runs).

The No.1 ranked T20 batter in the world, Malan has confirmed he's been in discussions with one club, believed to be the Hobart Hurricanes, about a maiden BBL stint this summer. The left-hander scored a century on England's Ashes tour three years ago and impressed in the recent T20 series against Australia, including a match-winning score of 66 from 43 balls in the first game of the series.

AB de Villiers

The stat: De Villiers has the best strike rate (152.08) of the top 20 leading run-scorers in the history of the Indian Premier League.

The South African superstar has had some discussions with the Brisbane Heat about a return this summer, and his presence would no doubt be a huge fillip for the competition. However, the fact his wife is due to give birth to their third child towards the end of the year and the heavy border restrictions in both South Africa and Australia are obstacles the Heat will need to overcome in order to get their man again.

Eoin Morgan

The stat: The 17 sixes Morgan hit against Afghanistan during last year's World Cup are the most ever in a single ODI innings

Based on his most recent performance in the Big Bash League, England captain Morgan will have a lot to live up to if he makes a return this summer. The left-hander's last-ball six to win the match against the Melbourne Stars in 2017 remains one of the BBL's most memorable moments and Morgan has already spruiked the tournament as one his white-ball players should target this northern winter. He held talks with the Brisbane Heat last year, but a deal never eventuated.

Alex Hales

The stat: Hales's balls per boundary rate of 3.38 in this year's T20 Blast is the best of any player to have scored 100 runs or more.

Hales is no stranger to BBL fans having played for four different clubs and he's the fourth highest run-scorer of all foreigners in the tournament's history. His performance for the Thunder last season was the best of his career; he finished behind only Marcus Stoinis on the run-scorer's list with 576 at a strike rate of 147 and he's reportedly had discussions with the Thunder about a return this season.

Dwayne Bravo

The stat: Bravo recently took his 500th wicket in T20s, which is more than 100 more than any other male bowler.

The most prolific bowler in T20 history, Bravo has expressed an interest in returning to the BBL, but it's understood he's yet to find any suitors. The 36-year-old recently won yet another T20 title in the Caribbean Premier League, but has been nursing an injury through the backend of that tournament and the start of the IPL.

Phil Salt

The stat: Salt's strike rate of 164.09 is the best in Big Bash history among players to have scored at least 300 runs.

He may not have the profile of some other English openers, but Salt's career numbers stack up as some of the best in the T20 game. His career strike rate of 157.48 is the fourth highest ever among all batsmen who have scored more than 1000 T20 runs and he's caught the eye of England selectors as well, earning a late call-up as a reserve batsmen for their recent ODI series against Australia. The opener got the Adelaide Strikers off to a flying start on more than one occasion last summer and coach Jason Gillespie – who has spent the winter working with Salt at Sussex – may be tempted to bring him back this season.

Haris Rauf

The stat: Rauf had best bowling average, the best strike rate and the second-best economy rate of the 15 leading wicket-takers in last season's BBL.

The find of BBL|09, Rauf dominated for the Melbourne Stars and rode that momentum all the way to an international debut with Pakistan in January. The right-armer has spoken to the Stars about a return this summer, however Pakistan's tour of New Zealand in December and the potential quarantine delays that could follow means he may not be available for the full tournament.

Liam Livingstone

The stat: Livingstone's rate of a six every 11.04 balls was the best in last season's BBL among the league's top 30 run-scorers.

Having impressed on his BBL debut last season, Livingstone is understand to have held discussions about a return to the Perth Scorchers and could form a dynamic top order with countryman Jason Roy as well as young Aussie keeper-batsman, Josh Inglis. The strength and depth of England's top order has meant the right-hander has played just two matches for his country, but he was part of an extended England one-day squad earlier this year.

Adil Rashid

The stat: With 204 wickets, Rashid has taken more wickets in limited-overs internationals than any other English spinner.

One of the leading white-ball spinners in the world over the past five years, Rashid's availability for the BBL this season will hinge on whether he's keen to return to England's Test set-up. Having battled shoulder problems in the past, the leggie has been a reluctant long-form bowler in recent years, but England's selectors have already expressed a desire for him to return for their proposed Test tours of Sri Lanka and India this summer. But if a Test return doesn't eventuate, he'd be a prized addition for any BBL side.

Moeen Ali

The stat: Of the 37 players to score more than 200 runs at last year's IPL, Moeen was one of just three to do so with a strike rate of more than 165.

Much like his close friend Adil Rashid, Moeen's availability for this season's BBL will depend on whether he's in England's Test plans this summer. The off-spinning allrounder was one of five spinners in an extended England Test squad during the winter, but he hasn't played Test cricket since the start of last year's Ashes and appears to have dropped out of favour for the time being. He should be suited to a Test campaign in Asia but if England spring a surprise and decide he's surplus to requirements in red-ball cricket, BBL clubs could swoop in.

Andre Russell

The stat: Russell has the best strike rate of any man in the history of T20 cricket (minimum 15 games); he's scored 5598 runs at a rate of 169.63 from 332 games.

Arguably the biggest star on the global T20 circuit, Russell has played for the Thunder and the Renegades in the past and was in talks for a return to the red half of Melbourne last season, but a deal didn't eventuate. Russell is just pure power with everything he does, whether it's bowling fast, taking spectacular catches or hitting some of the biggest sixes in the game. It's unclear whether the West Indian is keen to return to the BBL this summer, but he'd have no shortage of suitors if he shows an interest.

Rashid Khan

The stat: Rashid has the best bowling average (12.62), the best strike rate (12.3) and the second-best economy rate (6.14) of the 100 most prolific wicket-takers in the history of T20 international cricket

No stranger to the BBL, Rashid has already expressed a keenness to return to the Adelaide Strikers this season and he's held discussions with the club about a fourth Big Bash campaign. Following the postponement of the T20 World Cup and Afghanistan's proposed Test against Australia due to the coronavirus pandemic, fans will be hoping to the world's top-ranked T20 bowler can return down under in the blue of the Strikers.

Sam Billings

The stat: Given a rare chance in England's one-day side this year, Billings posted scores of 67no, 46no, 19, 118, 8 and 57 from six matches.

Having previously played with the Sydney Sixers, Billings is doing everything he can to permanently break into the England set-up and he could target another stint in Australia this summer to help his cause. The right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman certainly doesn't get the headlines that some of his countrymen do, but an average of 31.44 and strike rate of 136.06 in his 11 BBL games to date proves he's a player to watch.