2 weeks ago
Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt tin “absolutely” push their credentials to beryllium England’s Test wicketkeeper during nan T20 World Cup, says managing head Rob Key.
England Test coach Brendon McCullum said he needs to “work out” who will return nan gloves for nan bid against West Indies successful July.
By then, Bairstow will person gone 4 months without a first-class game, while Salt has not played red-ball cricket since September.
“The determination connected who keeps successful nan Test squad won’t beryllium connected if personification has played Championship cricket aliases not,” Key told BBC Sport.
“We will deliberation astir who is nan champion personification to do nan occupation for nan domiciled that we require and that’s really we will make nan decision.”
Ben Foakes was England’s keeper for nan 4-1 bid conclusion successful India, pinch Bairstow playing arsenic a master batter aft donning nan gloves for past summer’s Ashes.
After nan nonaccomplishment successful India, McCullum said of nan Test keeping position: "We'll activity that retired successful time. Whatever we decide, we will put nan finance and nan support in, and effort to springiness nan astir magnitude of clip for that to beryllium successful."
Any decisions England return complete nan Test broadside this summertime will partially beryllium pinch nan 2025-26 Ashes bid successful Australia successful mind.
Along pinch Foakes and Bairstow, Lancashire’s Salt mightiness travel into nan reckoning. The 27-year-old has been successful blistering shape successful T20 cricket and is presently nan starring overseas run-scorer successful nan Indian Premier League (IPL).
Another campaigner would beryllium Durham’s Ollie Robinson. The 25-year-old, who has acquisition pinch England Lions, has passed 50 successful each 5 of his County Championship innings this season.
“No-one will beryllium ruled out,” said Key.
Neither Salt nor Bairstow are expected to support astatine nan T20 World Cup, pinch skipper Jos Buttler group to return nan gloves contempt not keeping for portion of England’s circuit of West Indies successful December and again successful nan IPL.
“He captains very good pinch nan gloves,” said Key. “He’s nan heartbeat of nan squad and nan focal constituent for everyone.”
However, England whitethorn request a stand-in keeper and skipper during nan four-match bid against Pakistan, opening connected 22 May, pinch Buttler owed to be nan commencement of his 3rd child.
The reigning champions person recalled gait bowler Jofra Archer aft a twelvemonth retired injured for nan World Cup successful nan Caribbean and United States successful June.
England statesman their defence of nan trophy they won successful Australia successful 2022 against Scotland successful Barbados connected 4 June.
They do truthful aft an atrocious run astatine nan 50-over World Cup successful India past autumn, wherever they were besides defending champions but won only 3 of their 9 matches.
But Key denied location was further unit connected skipper Buttler and coach Matthew Mott to oversee a beardown run astatine nan T20 World Cup.
“When it comes to being a coach and captain, it’s astir getting your players playing arsenic good arsenic they can,” said Key. “Let’s attraction connected that. Don’t interest astir nan extremity result.
“Every squad wants to win. We person arsenic bully a chance arsenic any.”
