Rob Key sends message to axed Zak Crawley and explains Ollie Robinson’s England Test recall

Emilio Gay has been outstanding for Durham this season (Getty)

Perhaps the most eye-catching decision was a recall for Ollie Robinson, a divisive figure who fell out with the England leadership on his last involvement in India in 2024. Robinson turned up to the tour lacking fitness, much to the disappointment of head coach Brendon McCullum, and caused friction when he spoke on a podcast with his partner, the YouTube golfer Mia Baker, and revealed behind-the-scenes details about England’s tour.

Robinson’s form for Sussex this season, picking up 17 wickets at 26.17 in mainly bat-friendly conditions, as well as scoring a swashbuckling century against Surrey, had drawn calls for him to be reinstated, not least by the former England captain Michael Vaughan, who told The Independent last month: “England needs to sit with Ollie and if it’s a mental thing, if it’s a fitness thing, if it’s an attitude problem that Ollie Robinson has, England have to iron it out. They’re not a good enough team to just put someone like Ollie Robinson on the scrapheap.”

Robinson has taken on the captaincy at Sussex this season and has stressed his improved “maturity” in a bid to convince McCullum and Key, who had opened the door to a recall in a series of chats and texts over the winter. Robinson’s talent has long been clear, having taken 76 wickets in his 20 Test matches at 22.92, and now he will get another chance at Test cricket at 32 years old.

“When he’s fit and bowling at a decent pace for him, which is around 82-83 mile an hour, he is world class,” said Key. “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. We’ve monitored him a lot. 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. Ollie Robinson, fit and at his best, is one of the best bowlers in the world, and it’s exciting to see him back.”

Ben Stokes opened the bowling on his Durham comeback against Worcestershire (Nigel French/PA) (PA Wire)

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir retains the support of the hierarchy despite being sidelined during the Ashes, and he will compete with leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed for a place in a relatively callow bowling attack. With Mark Wood and Brydon Carse injured, and Jofra Archer unavailable because of T20 commitments, England have retained Ashes bowlers Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue in a fast-bowling pool with Robinson, Baker and Matt Fisher, as well as captain Ben Stokes – who opened the bowling for Durham against Worcestershire in what could signal a new role.

“I think there’s a chance that Ben could take the new ball, or Ben could come on pretty soon,” said Key. “I often feel that Ben sometimes doesn’t bowl himself soon enough.”

It is a new era with some old names. But as ever, judgement will be delivered on the field. Key was cautious not to promise too much, too soon from Robinson and this fresh England team.

“This is an evolving attack,” he said. “This is an attack that, with another 20 Test matches behind it, is going to be seriously exciting. When you think about where someone like Mitchell Starc was after 15 Test matches, compared to where he is now after however many he’s played [105], this attack has the makings of being world class. And I think Ollie adds to that, definitely.”

England squad v New Zealand

Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob ‌Bethell, Harry Brook, ​Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio ‌Gay, James Rew, Ollie Robinson, ​Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.