Big Bash League teams urged to call up Carlton dasher Brayden Stepien

He’s been likened to banned star David Warner, now Big Bash teams are being urged to sign Carlton hurry-master Brayden Stepien.

Brayden Stepien launching over cover against Monash Tigers.

HE’S one of the cleanest hitters in Victorian Premier Cricket, his batting has been likened to David Warner and he has a big fan in the great Keith Stackpole.

And Carlton wicketkeeper-batsman Brayden Stepien should be on a Big Bash League club, according to his coach, former Victorian batsman Warren Ayres.

With the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades allowed to replace unavailable players, Ayres says they’re “crazy’’ if they aren’t considering calling up 21-year-old Stepien.

The left-hander has been in mint form for the Blues this season, thrashing 128 off 125 balls — with 13 fours and 4 sixes — in a one-dayer against Geelong and then clouting 69 off 35 deliveries against the Cats in the Victorian Super Slam T20 tournament.

The Melbourne Stars have lost explosive top-order batsman Nic Maddinson (broken arm) and keeper Seb Gotch (finger).

The pair is expected to be sidelined for the first half of the expanded BBL season.

The Renegades will be eligible to sign replacement players for Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris if the openers remain on Test duty.

Carlton's Brayden Stepien during Round 1 of the Victorian Super Slam. Picture: Arj Giese.

BBL clubs scouring for replacement players are looking far and wide, with 128 Australians already contracted.

“I think these franchises are crazy if they don’t go for Brayden,’’ Ayres said. “A lot of people are talking about him.’’

He said the Bendigo product, a state under-age representative, was a rare talent.

“Over the last two seasons he’s been one of the most dynamic Twenty20 players in the state,’’ Ayres said.

“He’s scored a century in T20 at Premier level and this season he’s already scored a 50 and a 40 in the Super Slam and in Premier Cricket he’s made a century and four 50s from seven games. With a little bit of luck and a little bit of nous he could have scored five centuries.

“In terms of talent, he’s outstanding. In terms of scoring rate, he’s exactly what a Big Bash club is after.

“I liken him to Davie Warner in the way he bats. He’s a nuggety little left-hander who hits the ball really hard. You can’t bowl to him because he’s got such an array of strokes … no matter where they bowl, he’ll score.

“At the moment he’s still refining his game. But the way I see it with him, the way he’s developed so much in the past 12, 18 months that if you give him a year or two in the Big Bash among the best players in the country and international players he’ll blossom and hopefully be something really good in the future. He’s got the talent that a lot of players don’t possess. He’s a matchwinner.’’

Ayres said former Australian Test players Stackpole and Julien Wiener had both watched Stepien this season and hailed him a star.

Stackpole has offered to mentor him.

Ayres said Stepien’s wicketkeeping was “as good as any other gloveman going around in Premier Cricket’’.

Stepien joined Carlton in 2015-16.

That season he also represented the Victoria Country under-19 team and smoked 131 off 132 balls against South Australia.