Alex Hales could be picked as Jonny Bairstow’s replacement at this year’s T20 World Cup; Bairstow has been ruled out after a “strange” golf injury; Jos Buttler will manage the England team in Australia – watch the T20 World Cup in October, live on Sky Sports
Alex Hales is in line for a withdrawal from England’s T20 squad as an injury replacement for Jonny Bairstow after a three-year exile from international cricket.
Hales hasn’t played for England since 2019 amid off-field issues, but his form – and the lack of Jason Roy – combined with Bairstow’s rare golf injury put him in line for an international comeback.
The 33-year-old tested positive for recreational drugs in the build-up to the 2019 World Cup, which then-white-ball captain Eoin Morgan said resulted in “a total collapse of confidence”.
However, England managing director Rob Key has made it clear that Hales is now available for selection.
For Morgan, Hales’ ability has never been up for debate, it’s always been a matter of trust.
“There’s one thing about Alex, his quality has never been questioned,” Morgan said.
“It is if the team wants him on the side, or the captains can trust him, or the coach, or the selectors.
“Rob Key said he’s available for selection, which means he falls into a group of players like Will Jacks, Phil Salt, Will Smeed, that kind of caliber player.
“But there is no question that he is extremely destructive and a game-winner.”
sky sports Nasser Hussain said that Hales would now break into his England squad.
“I really try to pick people on their ability as a cricketer,” Nasser said. “He committed the crime, he served his sentence, forgive him, move on.
“He gets into that long queue that Eoin mentioned. It’s a little bit easier for him now because there’s no Morgan, there’s no (Ben) Stokes in over-50 cricket. There are a couple of chances.”
“But obviously at the top of the order you have Will Jacks, you have Jason Roy, you have Phil Salt, you have Will Smeed.
“But you can’t tell me from what we’ve seen from national franchises around the world that Alex Hales is not a serious cricketer.
“Try to pick your best side. But they may know something else. That inner core of veteran players may not want it.”
England will announce Bairstow’s injury replacement for the World Cup on Wednesday. Will Jacks is also in contention, but Hales is understood to be the preferred option.
The T20 World Cup is live on Sky Sports this October.
