Alex Hales confirmed as Jonny Bairstow’s replacement at this year’s T20 World Cup; Bairstow ruled out after ‘freak’ golf injury; Jos Buttler will manage the England team in Australia; watch the T20 World Cup in October, live on Sky Sports
Alex Hales has been called up to England’s T20 World Cup 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, combined with Jason Roy’s troubles and Bairstow’s freak golf injury, have given him the chance of an international comeback.
The 33-year-old tested positive for recreational drugs in the build-up to the 2019 World Cup, an incident that then-white-ball captain Eoin Morgan said resulted in “a complete breakdown of trust”.
However, the Nottinghamshire right-hander will now be part of the squad that heads to Australia in October for the ICC T20 World Cup, alongside Pakistan’s previous IT20 tour and three-match series against the World Cup hosts.
England men’s cricket director Rob Key had previously stated that the door was open for Hales to return, his past transgressions now forgotten.
“I spoke to Alex Hales, he actually called me and argued why he wasn’t there and I think that’s correct too,” Key said after the England T20 starting squad was announced. “I much prefer it when these people pick up the phone and say, ‘come on then, why wasn’t I there?’
“I have great respect for that, unlike people who go behind the scenes complaining about why they haven’t been cast.
“I have said on several occasions that I feel Alex Hales has served his sentence for his misdemeanors. He now depends on the form, the selection and if we feel that he is the best person to go out.”
For Morgan, Hales’ ability has never been up for debate. Rather, it has 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.”
The T20 World Cup is live on Sky Sports this October.
