There may have been no change at the top of England’s Test set-up in the wake of another Ashes humiliation down under, but there is a sense of a clean slate in selection at the start of the 2026 summer. And there is perhaps no current player in the domestic system whom that could benefit more than Ollie Robinson.Robinson made his England debut in 2021, 12 months before the arrival of Brendon McCullum as head coach. At 27, he had proved worthy of international recognition on the back of his impressive record in county cricket (as well as skills demonstrated while in England Covid bubbles). But despite 76 Test wickets at 22.92 he has not come close to featuring since the 2023-24 tour of India, amid doubts about his fitness and his ability to sustain pace at the highest level.This, Robinson admits, is as much down to his performances in the meantime, though his returns – 39 first-class wickets at 25.53 for Sussex in 2024, 39 at 24.74 last summer – have hardly been shabby. Now 32 and recently appointed as the club’s captain in Championship cricket, Robinson believes he is fitter than at any point since he was first picked for England, and is hoping to underline that point by “trying to play all 14 games” in Division One, spearheading Sussex’s push to improve on a fourth-placed finish last season – and potentially winning an England recall into the bargain.
“I have to take wickets. That is the only way to get back in,” Robinson said at Sussex’s pre-season media day. “If I can take 50 or 60 wickets, then who knows? That is the objective for me, along with winning games and trophies. Coaches and selectors like match-winners, people who do something when the game is flat.”
Has it felt like England had closed the door on him? “Yes, probably. But I’ve not done myself any favours either. I’ve not been consistent enough, had a few niggles, not taken the wickets I did first time round. I can blame the England set-up but it’s on me to knock the door down. If you do that, they will select you.”
Robinson’s fitness let him down in an England shirt•AFP/Getty Images
Criticism of the England management, and their treatment of players who fall out of favour, has been vocal following Liam Livingstone’s recent interview with ESPNcricinfo. Jonny Bairstow made similar observations earlier this week, saying: “If you are in the system, you are in the system. As soon as you are out of the system, you are out of the system.”
But Robinson defended McCullum and Rob Key, England men’s managing director, by suggesting that the idea of a “disconnect” between county cricket and the Test set-up was only half of the story, and that there is a significant step up to international level.
“As much as there’s a disconnect, it’s also used as an excuse from county cricketers because they’re not in [the team],” he said. “You still have to score runs and take wickets. I know from my point of view I used it as an excuse in the first year I wasn’t in. [But] I only took 35 wickets, how can I expect to get in? There has to be a bit of realism that maybe you’re not good enough to play international cricket.
“The difference in level between county and Test cricket is huge. There aren’t many cricketers we played against last year [for Sussex] that would do well in Test cricket. It is hard for county cricketers to get their head around that. I can see it from both sides. You do need to be a special cricketer to play international cricket.”
This time around, Robinson took himself off to Australia at the end of the English summer to play grade cricket for Sydney University, and although his time down under was cut short by the need to have surgery on a hernia, he has returned in positive mood after speaking to the likes of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood about how they manage their bodies as fast bowlers playing international cricket into their mid-30s.
Robinson celebrates with young allrounder James Coles•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Robinson is sanguine about the lack of communication he has had with England, and it remains to be seen whether the new national selector (if and when the ECB can find someone to fill the job) shares a view similar to the one espoused by Key two years ago: “Ollie Robinson is one of the best bowlers in the world at 83mph, but not at 75mph.”
But it is certainly possible that a fitter, more robust version, still with the point-of-difference high release point and ability to manipulate the ball through the air and off the seam, could yet become an attractive proposition again as McCullum and Ben Stokes look to rebuild a seam attack that by the fifth Test in Sydney was made up of three players with fewer Test caps than Robinson’s 20: Brydon Carse (14), Matthew Potts (11) and Josh Tongue (9).
“I gave Stokesy a text before the Ashes, just said, ‘good luck, hope you boys tear it up’. But I haven’t spoken to anyone since,” Robinson said. “I’ve probably not spoken to anyone for 18 months really, just tried to focus on myself… I still feel like you have to earn the right [to get] that call [from England] as well. And I definitely haven’t done that over the last 18 months. Haven’t taken enough wickets, haven’t played enough games. Had too many niggles. So I haven’t really expected [it].
“As much as I’d love to play for England again, I do need to take wickets and rip up trees to probably receive that call.
“I’d love to be back involved and winning series for England, and playing under Ben again. I think he’s one of the best captains I played under – tactically, off the field, everything. I’d not just love to play for England myself again, but I’d love to help that group win Test series again, and get to that place that we were in Pakistan [in 2022-23] when we won 3-0, and everyone was happy, and everyone was loving English cricket. So I’d love to be involved in that process and helping again.”
For now, sitting on a wooden bench on a crisp March morning in Hove, Robinson is focused on taking over captaincy of Sussex’s Championship side from John Simpson. He has not done the job since his time at age-group level with Kent, and will take charge of a side already in a disadvantaged position – Sussex having accepted a 12-point deduction in the Championship after being put into special measures by the ECB over financial mismanagement.
Simpson says the punishment was initially a cause for anger in the dressing room, while Paul Farbrace, Sussex’s head coach, wants to use it to galvanise a push for silverware, amid the looming possibility of the squad being broken up to cut costs. Robinson, meanwhile, is eager for the challenge.
“I actually asked for it [the captaincy] in my appraisal, to be honest. I’m at that stage in my career where I’d like to take that step forward. Playing for England, you are not always as present at the county as you’d like to be. I felt it was time to give a bit back.
“Being 32 and not playing for England, I have a different drive and motivation. It’s probably been one of the best pre-seasons I’ve had for a few years. You have a different drive, with 20 other guys you are trying to support as well.”
And if success on the field with Sussex leads to an England call, thus depriving Sussex of their captain? “I think if I do take those wickets, we’re going to win games with cricket and be in a great position. I know that if we’re first or second in Division One and England come calling, I’m going to be obviously elated with the call-up, but gutted that can’t carry on. So, yeah, it could be tricky.”
File it under good problems to have.
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
