Recalled England star Dawid Malan says best is yet to come

The Yorkshire batsman has been included in a 14-man party for the three T20 internationals against Pakistan.

The news comes in the week of his maiden career double century, Malan striking 219 on his home debut for Yorkshire in the Bob Willis Trophy match against Derbyshire at Headingley.

Asked whether his best cricket is still ahead of him, the 32-year-old Malan said: “Definitely. As a batsman you are in your prime from 28 onwards until whenever anyone says that your eyes go. I hope that doesn’t come any time soon.

“I feel like I’ve got a hell of a lot of time left to play.

“I feel fit, I don’t feel old and don’t feel past it.

“Mike Hussey was playing Test cricket and scoring hundreds at 36, Matthew Hayden and guys like that. I feel I have still got so much to give in cricket and so many more runs to score.

“The determination from my side to keep improving will keep driving me to score runs for as long as I play the game.”

Malan’s innings against Derbyshire suggested that he can still play Test cricket as well as performing a role in England’s white-ball team.

The left-hander made the last of his 15 Test appearances in 2018, and he has represented England 11 times in white-ball action – most recently in their last T20 fixture, against South Africa at Centurion in February.

A calf injury ruled Malan out of the recent three-match one-day international series against Ireland, but he is hoping to re-establish himself in a T20 squad that features fellow Yorkshire stars Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid and David Willey.

“It was disappointing to miss out due to injury for the Ireland series,” added Malan.

“I don’t know if I would have been selected, but I was ruled out by the England medical team three or four weeks before the team was announced.

“They didn’t want me to push my leg (calf) and then re-tear it.

“As it turned out, the leg healed in time and I would have been available for selection. But that’s the way it goes, and I understand why the decision was made.”

The Pakistan series will again be played behind closed doors in a so-called biosecure environment.

All three games will be staged at Emirates Old Trafford, with the first taking place on Friday August 28 (6pm start), the second on Sunday August 30 (2pm start) and the third on Tuesday September 1 (6pm start).

The white-ball squad remains separate from the Test squad due to the need for separate “bubbles” owing to the regulations caused by Covid-19. Eleven of those named to face Ireland have been retained for these matches.

As well as Malan, Chris Jordan and Lewis Gregory are included after missing the one-day internationals against Ireland.

Liam Livingstone, Reece Topley and Pat Brown have been named as the reserve players, the latter having recovered from a back problem.

Ed Smith, the national selector, said: “In this crowded international summer, players who are currently in the Test match biosecure bubble for the Pakistan Test series are not included in this squad.

“We want to give multi-format players some opportunity to rest and refresh, while still selecting strong squads for every series.

“We will announce the squad for the Australia T20 series at a later date.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board has also announced its coaching team for the Pakistan series.

England assistant coach Graham Thorpe will take over head coach duties and be supported by assistant coach Paul Collingwood. Marcus Trescothick is batting coach and England Young Lions coach Jon Lewis bowling coach, with support from the former Pakistan inernational Azhar Mahmood. Former Essex wicketkeeper James Foster will oversee the wicketkeepers.

Squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire).

Reserves: Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Reece Topley (Surrey).