HAMPSHIRE captain James Vince has turned down the chance to be in this weekend’s Indian Premier League auction - to boost his chances of playing Test cricket.

Vince, who will be up against Chris Gayle when he plays his first game for the Karachi Super Kings at the Pakistan Super League tomorrow, is expected to be in England’s squad at next month’s World T20.

But director of cricket Giles White says Vince does not want to play at the IPL, knowing that new England coach Trevor Bayliss will be keeping a close eye on county talent before the first Test against Sri Lanka in May.

White said: “I think James can see what is ahead of him right now. He is very much in the space that he wants to play Test cricket and going into the IPL at this time might narrow that opportunity.

“Runs early season with Hampshire will push his case and that’s his goal right now.”

Vince is one of two English players, Ravi Bopara being the other, in the Karachi squad that takes on Lahore Qalanders in Dubai today.

Karachi’s other overseas players are Sri Lanka legend Tillakaratne Dilshan, ex-West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons and Bangladeshis Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Also in the squad is Vince’s former Hampshire teammate Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Amir, the left-armer who is back playing after a five-year ban for spot fixing.

Captained by former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, Karachi play the Quetta Gladiators on Saturday, Islamabad United on Sunday and Peshawar Zalmi on Thursday before playing the same teams again by February 17.

The top four play off each other to determine the finalists in a fortnight’s time.

As well as Gayle, the Lahore Qalanders have Dwayne Bravo and Ajantha Mendis in their ranks. Peshawar Zalmi (Dawid Malan, Jim Allenby), Quetta Gladiators (Kevin Pietersen, Jade Dernbach, Luke Wright) and Islamabad United (Shane Watson, Sam Billings) also boast familiar names.