Ollie Robinson: Will Sussex captaincy reopen door with England?

While England’s bowlers were struggling for consistency in the heat of the Ashes during the winter, Robinson was also in Australia.

He headed to Sydney to play grade cricket for Sydney University to stay sharp and get overs in his legs. He even had a spell of bowling in the nets to Australia great Steve Smith ahead of a New South Wales game.

It is all part of his efforts to regain his England spot, which require him taking a bagful of wickets in early summer before the hierarchy decides on which bowlers to settle on with a view towards the home Ashes series next summer.

Robinson says that he has had conversations with England managing director Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum since he last played about his prospects of a return.

But unlike Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow, who have criticised a lack of clarity and care since they last played in the England set-up, Robinson says he has been given a clear message of what is required – take wickets, bowl lots of overs and stay fit.

Now it is a case of putting all that together as he challenges himself to play all 14 Championship games in 2026.

“It’s been eating away at me for a year, 18 months that I haven’t been able to get back in,” he said.

“I had an OK season last year but not as good as I would have hoped. I would have loved to have knocked that door down and taken 50 or 60 wickets, but I didn’t do that.

“Going to Australia before Christmas was purely to get myself in a better place, bowl more overs and train with different people.

“All of that is about making myself better for Sussex, and hopefully for England again.

“I’m 32 now; it’s sort of the last roll of the dice. I would love to play for England again; I’d love to help Stokesy win games of cricket for England.”