England pacer Ollie Robinson believes he is ready to give his best if he is recalled to the Test squad for the upcoming home summer.
Robinson did not feature in Test cricket for over two years and his last appearance came in England’s five-wicket loss to India in Ranchi in February 2024.
However, injuries to key fast bowlers Brayden Carse and Mark Wood and the recent retirements of long-serving seamers James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad mean there are openings in England’s fast department ahead of the summer.
The schedule also includes two three-match ICC World Test Championship series against New Zealand and Pakistan, providing a potential avenue for Robinson.
The 32-year-old said he had recently been in contact with England head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key, while a strong performance for Sussex in county cricket has strengthened his case for selection.
“I had a text from the boss (McCollum) at the start of the season saying the door is still open and that was great,” Robinson said.
“Take the wickets, knock on the door,’ said Keezy (Key) to me too, ‘there’s still a place for you.’
“Keezy came to the Warwickshire game at Hove and texted me saying how well I bowled and how good my rhythm was. It was great to hear that from him.
“For me, when I took over as captain at the start of the season, I didn’t feel the door was still open. I thought it was closed. That definitely motivated me this season.”
Robinson has taken 11 wickets in four County Championship matches for Sussex this season and scored his second first-class century in his latest game against Surrey at The Oval.
The right-arm pacer suggested that he is fully fit, mentally fresh and well prepared for international cricket.
“My mind is on cricket and nothing else. I have regained my love for the game,” he added.
“I feel I’m more prepared now than when I first broke into the England squad. I’ve probably grown a bit since then. Hopefully everything will help if I get a call-up.
“I don’t have any issues (with the England management) – I never have to be honest. There were some things that happened in India (during his last tour in 2024), I don’t really know what they were. We never really washed anything.
“I guess I’ll get the message from the boss, Geezy’s call, whatever it is, the door’s open, just do it, try and come back in.”