Ollie Robinson makes the most of his second chance with England

The 27-year-old celebrated a maiden five-wicket haul on day three of the first LV= Insurance Test against India, a proud moment on a second chance he once doubted would come.

When Robinson earned his international cap against New Zealand two months ago it should have been the crowning moment of his professional life. But the emergence of racist, sexist and offensive tweets dating back almost a decade instead left him mired in controversy.

After fulsome apologies in public and private, the Sussex seamer left the squad as soon as the game was over to await the findings of a Cricket Discipline Commission investigation into the episode.

The matter even broke through to the House of Commons, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson supporting Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden’s assessment that banning Robinson would be “over the top”.

He was ultimately banned for eight games, three served retroactively with another five remaining suspended, and was also fined and instructed to undergo educational courses via the Professional Cricketers’ Association.

Robinson was back in the England side at the earliest possible opportunity at Trent Bridge this week, and confessed he had feared a much longer exile.

“There was a time when I was speaking with my lawyers and we were looking at the fact I could be banned for a couple of years and never play for England again,” he said. “In a couple of years I would have been 30 and someone else could have come in and taken my spot. So there was definitely a time when I had doubts over my career – but luckily it all came good today. It was probably the toughest few weeks I’ve had in my life actually.”

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