Trent Rockets batsman Joe Root says a high-quality pool of players in The Hundred should help standards soar in English cricket.
Root will play for the Trent Bridge-based team when the competition starts next summer but, first, he is hoping coach Stephen Fleming can oversee a strong showing in the Player Draft, which you can watch live on Sky Sports on Sunday October 20.
West Indies' Chris Gayle, Australian Steve Smith and New Zealand's Kane Williamson are among the high-profile players confirmed to take part in the brand-new domestic tournament set to take place between July 17 and August 16 2020.
"The draft is going to be very interesting to see where certain players end up," said Root.
"It's very exciting. It's going to be very different in many ways but it will add to strategy and make guys think slightly differently about the game, and I'm sure that will make for some fantastic viewing too.
"There are some big names in the draft, like Kane Williamson, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith. When you've got great players like that you are pretty much guaranteed exciting cricket. It's going to make for a great tournament."
Root has played franchise cricket for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League, but has yet to appear in the Indian Premier League and says he cannot wait to play with, and take on, some of cricket's biggest stars in The Hundred.
"It's a great opportunity to learn and to grow and to develop as players," he said.
"Having more overseas players to work with and play against, alongside the best English players in the shortest format, should improve the standard.
"it's going to be a different tournament; strategy will come into it so you'll have to think differently under pressure and go to different things, so it could really add to people's games and change the way we look at certain aspects of the game.
"This year has been monumental for cricket and we have seen achievements like never before. The best players in the world are coming here to compete and we're going to get the chance to test ourselves against them once again."
Root was picked up by Trent Rockets after it was confirmed that Nottinghamshire seamer Stuart Broad - who was favourite to fill the one spot available for England red-ball contracted players - would not play in the competition, but act as a mentor for the franchise.
The Yorkshireman - overlooked by Headingley-based team Northern Superchargers in favour of Ben Stokes - is eager to get going at Trent Bridge.
"It's great - I love playing at the ground," he said. "It's one of my favourite Test venues and a nice place to go and score some runs so I'm looking forward to it. I'm lucky to have Broady as a mentor, which is going to be interesting!
"There has never been a more exciting time for cricket.''
Fellow Yorkshire player Jonny Bairstow welcomed the chance to represent Welsh Fire, even though returning to Headingley in the opposition ranks might take some getting used to.
"I enjoy Cardiff, I made my England debut there and it's an amazing place," he said.
"It's a new competition, a new format and new teams. It will feel weird going to Headingley and being in the away dressing room, but it's an amazing honour to be one of the guys to figurehead a team."
'The Hundred Draft - Live' will be live on Sky Sports Cricket, Main Event & Sky One from 1900-2200 on Sunday October 20. It will also be available via Sky Sports' Facebook and YouTube channels, as well as live on the Sky Sports app and streamed on skysports.com.