Ollie Robinson is back on the Test radar. England have named the Sussex captain in a 15-strong squad for the opening match against New Zealand at Lord’s next month – their first red-ball outing since the 4-1 defeat in the Ashes.
Robinson, now 32, last played for England more than two years ago in Ranchi. That match ended painfully: a back spasm, 13 wicketless overs that seldom crept above 70 mph, and uncomfortable questions about conditioning. His numbers, though, never really dipped – 76 wickets in 20 Tests at 22.92.
Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, did not shy away from the issue when the squad was announced. “We’ve been pretty transparent with Ollie, when we left him out the last time, both to him and publicly,” he said. “Ollie Robinson, when he’s fit and bowling at a decent pace for him, which is around 82-83 mph, he is world-class. When you look at his record, he is one of the few bowlers right up there statistically, in all the bowlers globally, of all time.”
Key’s point about pace is crucial. During the last Ashes, England paid the price for injuries to their more durable seamers, and the absence of a control bowler who could keep the run-rate in check. Robinson, at full tilt, fills that gap. Scott Boland and Michael Neser showed in the same series that accuracy at 80-plus can still turn Tests.
Robinson’s Ashes omission last September did not cause a stir – he had played little, and England wanted proof that the body would last five days. A week later, he took 11 wickets for Sussex against Worcestershire. Over the winter he was handed the county captaincy by Paul Farbrace, and friends say the extra responsibility has sharpened both focus and fitness. Three wins in five Championship games, a five-for against Leicestershire and a second first-class hundred at the Kia Oval suggest the move has worked.
“We’ve monitored him a lot,” Key said. “It’s been a great move from Paul Farbrace to make him captain, that’s got the best out of him. He looks like he’s back up to his full fitness, and that’s what we required of him.
“We’ve spoken to him a lot throughout the start of this summer. He’s constantly been messaging as well. Even the other day, he said, ‘What do I need to do to impress?’ Well, you need to show that you can maintain your skill, your speed throughout the game. That’s what we require, and that’s what he’s done.”
Those words match what Robinson revealed last week – that head coach Brendon McCullum had told him a recall was “there for the taking” if he could stay on the park. The lines of communication, for once in English cricket, appear open and direct.
There are still minor reservations. Fitness markers set by the medical staff are strict, and Robinson’s history of mid-match niggles is long enough to cause a wince. Off the field, loose comments on a podcast raised eyebrows last year, though the dressing-room view is that the apology was swift and accepted. England believe the captaincy has added a measure of maturity.
For the moment, the selectors see more upside than risk. With James Anderson edging towards 44 and Stuart Broad now retired, experience is in short supply. Robinson’s 20 Tests may not sound much, yet only Mark Wood has played more among England quicks currently fit.
The Lord’s pitch is usually kinder to seamers who hit a length, and the Dukes ball in early June can do plenty. Conditions, then, could be ideal for a comeback. If he plays – and fitness in the next fortnight will decide that – Robinson will share new-ball duties with Anderson or Wood, with Chris Woakes offering insurance and Gus Atkinson pushing for a debut.
The squad announcement caused little fanfare, which is probably how both parties prefer it. Robinson knows the task remains simple: keep the pace above 80, land as many balls as possible on a handkerchief, and walk off at the end of a Test still able to climb the Lord’s stairs. Do that, and the tag “world-class” – Key’s words, not his – will stick.
