The all-rounder who does both jobs properly
Coles is not a batter who bowls a bit, or a bowler who bats a bit. He has scored eight first-class hundreds for Sussex — including an unbeaten 224 against Glamorgan in June 2026 — and he bowls genuine left-arm spin that can open the bowling or tie down the middle overs. In T20 cricket he strikes at close to 150 and has taken wickets at under 27 apiece.
- Role: All-rounder
- Team: MI Emirates
- Batting: Right-handed
- Bowling: Slow left-arm orthodox
- Born: 2 April 2004, Aylesbury, England
For MI Emirates that two-way value is gold in a league that limits overseas players. A batting all-rounder who can bowl four overs lets Pooran pick an extra specialist somewhere else, and Coles can bat anywhere from three to six depending on what the match needs.
The Hundred bidding war
Coles became one of the stories of the 2026 Hundred auction when London Spirit paid £390,000 for him — among the highest fees ever paid for an uncapped domestic player — after a bidding war with four other teams. Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace has called him a genuine all-rounder who wants to be in the thick of things.
The England call-up followed in June 2026, for the T20I series against India. He had already played for the England Lions and in the SA20 for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, where he hit a match-winning 45 to take them into the final. The ILT20 is his next franchise stage — and at 22, he is playing like a man in a hurry.
The MI Emirates around him
Coles is the rising all-rounder in the squad, a right-handed batter with eight first-class hundreds for Sussex and genuine left-arm spin to go with them.
Sussex's youngest-ever first-class debutant, he became one of the stories of the 2026 Hundred auction when London Spirit paid £390,000 for him, and he earned a maiden England call-up in June 2026. He gives Pooran a player who can win a game with bat or ball on the same night, which is the kind of flexibility a 22-man squad is built to carry.
What’s next
Three league games to start the season for MI Emirates, then the run to the playoffs. The full list of every ILT20 fixture is on the ILT20 Schedule page.
- Match 1 — Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates: Saturday 21 November 2026, evening session, Dubai International Stadium, Dubai.
- Match 5 — Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates: Tuesday 24 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
- Match 7 — Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs MI Emirates: Thursday 26 November 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 16 December, the Eliminator on Wednesday 17 December, Qualifier 2 on Friday 18 December in Sharjah, and the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai.
Follow every ILT20 result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.
Frequently asked questions
How old is James Coles?
He was born on 2 April 2004 in Aylesbury, so he is 22 during ILT20 Season 5.
Why did James Coles cost £390,000 at The Hundred auction?
London Spirit outbid four teams for the uncapped Sussex all-rounder after his run of big scores and wickets — among the highest fees for an uncapped domestic player.
Has James Coles played for England?
He received his maiden senior England call-up in June 2026 for the T20I series against India, after playing for the England Lions.