The impressive rise to stardom of Tymal Mills has hit new heights after the Brandon bowling star earned his first money-spinning Indian Premier League (IPL) deal.

The 24-year-old, who played for Mildenhall and Tuddenham as a youngster, was at the centre of a bidding war at the annual IPL auction before eventually being signed for a huge £1.4million by Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Mills is playing for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League in the United Arab Emirates, watching the auction unfold from Dubai. England vice-captain Ben Stokes was the only player to be signed for more, with the all-rounder set to earn £1.7m at Rising Pune Supergiants.

Mills saw his earnings reach an unexpected high of £1.4m as Bangalore pushed hard for his signing, due to Australia international Mitchell Starc – also a left-arm fast bowler – deciding not to play in the IPL this year.

They faced competition from Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders for the 24-year-old's signature, who has been capped four times by England in Twenty20 internationals in the past year, pushing up his value.

The former Breckland Middle School pupil is an unusual case in that he can only play the short forms of the game, so will be available for the whole competition and not called away for Test matches.

A congenital back condition, which means his vertebrae and spinal chord are too close together and flare up when over-exerted, forced him to focus on T20 cricket in the last 18 months, playing in competitions in Bangladesh, Australia and New Zealand.

The former Mildenhall College pupil will team up with India captain Virat Kohli in Bangalore for the high-profile tournament, which attracts many of the world's best players, between April 5 and May 21.

Not bad for a bowler with a bad back who didn't even play cricket until he was 14.

Mills played football for Brandon Lads and Thetford Town and also played basketball for Bury Bulldogs and Ipswich Tomcats as he was growing up.

A spectacular 93mph dismissal of West Indies star Chris Gayle when playing for Sussex in May last year looks to have changed his life though – as he heads to the IPL as an international cricketer, who is just getting warmed up.