Yorkshire’s Dawid Malan ‘deserves’ his England recall, admits Chris Silverwood

Silverwood has turned in some desperation – but far from blind faith – to the 33-year-old left-hander, who made the last of his 15 Test appearances against the same opponents at Edgbaston in August 2018.

The move to Yorkshire from Middlesex in late 2019 has helped to revitalise Malan’s career, and with England’s top-order presently displaying all the stability of an intoxicated student in Headingley’s nightspots, resulting in the expected dropping of opening batsman Dominic Sibley for the match that begins on Wednesday, England have gone back to Malan as they look to recover from 1-0 down in the series, with only the weather having prevented a probable 2-0 deficit.

“Dawid Malan deserves his opportunity in the Test arena,” said Silverwood, the former Yorkshire pace bowler.

“He has a lot of experience across all formats and, if called upon, I am confident that he can come and do well on his home ground.

“In the limited time he has played first-class cricket this season, he has shown what he is capable of, scoring a highly accomplished 199 for Yorkshire against Sussex at Headingley in June.”

The fact that Malan is back on the strength of one first-class innings, to go with his customary excellence in the white-ball arena, in turn highlights one of the chief reasons why England are struggling under Silverwood and captain Joe Root at Test level – the schedule.

Not only is there no first-class cricket at present for players such as Sibley to find form, nor is there chance for anybody else to press their claims with so much attention and money ploughed into The Hundred.

That tournament is helping England’s Test chances in the way that snarling dogs at letterboxes help postmen on their rounds, and England’s fingers have been bitten to the extent that only urgent surgery to the schedule can possibly hope to rectify the balance.

Sibley had gone after averaging 19.77 in 10 Tests this year, as has Zak Crawley from the squad for the fixture in Leeds.

While Sibley heads back to Warwickshire, Crawley goes back to Kent, his 267 against Pakistan last year looking increasingly like a freak disturbance of the natural order.

However, Silverwood made clear: “Zak is still a massive part of our plans moving forward, but we feel he would benefit from time outside the pressure of international competition to get some time working on his skills.

“He has a bright future, and I do not doubt that his time will come again in the Test arena,” he added.

“Dom Sibley needs some time away to regain his confidence after a challenging period.

“He will return to Warwickshire to spend time in the middle without the scrutiny and find some rhythm and confidence.”

Silverwood said: “Dom offers a lot of value to the Test environment and some time away should help him. He remains part of our plans.”

Also going back to his county is Somerset’s Jack Leach, the left-arm spinner who cannot get a game.

Moeen Ali has now usurped him after coming back into the side, also keeping Yorkshire’s Dominic Bess out of the picture.

“Jack Leach will return to Somerset to get some game-time,” added Silverwood.

“I have been impressed with his patience, and it’s not easy living under the Covid protocols, especially when you’re not playing.

“However, he has regained his confidence and spark, and it has been a considerable asset having him around.

“He will be on standby should we need his services, but we want what is best for him and playing cricket and getting overs into him is the way to go.”

Malan, the No 1-ranked T20 batsman in the world, who has lately been plying his trade with Trent Rockets in The Hundred, averages only 27 himself in Test cricket.

However, an Ashes century in Perth emphasised his class, while his performances for Yorkshire in last summer’s Bob Willis 
Trophy, which was played instead of the Championship due to Covid, highlighted that he is a man for all formats with plenty still to offer.

Ditto Adam Lyth, his Yorkshire team-mate, who made the last of his seven Test appearances in 2015.

Lyth started this season like a house on fire and although his form has subsequently resembled more of a simmering saucepan, he had been touted for a potential return and remains, at 33, one of the finest players on the county circuit.

England squad for third Test: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood.