Does England’s latest Test squad offer Sibley any hope?

After a torrid Ashes down under for Zak Crawley, England have moved on from the Kent star at the top of the order, with the uncapped Emilio Gay earning a call-up.

In the lead-up to the Test squad announcement, many were touted to partner Ben Duckett, including Surrey’s Dom Sibley. But despite Sibley’s impeccable record over the last few seasons, it never felt as if he was the front-runner for the position.

He finished last year as Division One’s leading run-scorer with 1274 runs, and when he rattled off back-to-back tons against Essex and Sussex this summer, it looked like he was backing up the calls for Test return with substance.

He then produced a stubborn 77 against title-rivals Nottinghamshire, only to miss out on the Test squad regardless.

Despite that, Sibley admitted that the prospect of representing England again still lingers in his mind.

He said: “I’m just trying to focus on scoring runs and trying to help Surrey win games of cricket at the minute and see where we’re at.

“It always crosses your mind at some points throughout the day, but at the minute, it’s just trying to put the team in the best position to try and win games.”

During his first spell with England, Sibley showed glimpses of promise, but never fully established himself at Test level. He faced almost 80 balls per innings on average, but struggled to put pressure back on the bowlers, which often saw him get bogged down.

Over the last few years, however, he has made significant adjustments to his technique, and the results are becoming increasingly clear.

During his century against Essex, he scored twenty per cent of his runs through the covers and another twenty per cent straight down the ground. In his 187 against Sussex, he struck three clean sixes down the ground.

That represents a significant shift from his first spell with England, during which he managed just one six from 3,045 balls faced, a slog sweep in South Africa after reaching three figures.

“The first time [I played for England] was over five years ago, so it feels like a long time ago. I feel like I’ve matured as a player and as a person. I feel in a much better place as a cricketer.

“Something that I took away from my stint with England was that my technique wasn’t in a great place. I’d closed off half the ground in terms of scoring.

“Since being back at Surrey, it was a case of trying to get back to how I was playing when I was a bit younger, and scoring all around the ground, and then playing T20 as well has really helped with that.

“The way that the game’s going, you have to push the game forward a bit more. I definitely feel like a more well-rounded player.”

Sibley’s adjustments have not only seen him flourish in the longer format, but he has also impressed with the white ball, too. He has played a crucial role in Surrey’s T20 Blast team over the last two seasons. As an anchor up top, he acts as an ideal foil for the aggression of Will Jacks and Jason Roy.

Since returning to Surrey’s T20 side, he has averaged in the mid-20s with a strike rate just under 130.

“Last year, when I came back in, I hadn’t picked up a bat for quite a long time, and I was just like, ‘I’m not gonna leave the ball in pre-season and try to take away the fear of failure of nicking off.’

“Sometimes making mistakes really helps, and I felt like that did. I was trying to expand and try different things.

“I think that showed in the nets, and that helped me get the opportunity in the T20.”

While England’s first squad selection since the Ashes provides little optimism for Sibley, weight of runs remains the best way to force the conversation.

Both Gay and James Rew have been on England’s radar for several years through the Lions pathway, but it was sustained performances in the County Championship that ultimately opened the door to Test cricket, suggesting Rob Key and Brendon McCullum are living up to their promise of working with the counties.

That pressure becomes even greater when you consider the scrutiny now surrounding England’s leadership after the Ashes. A poor start to the summer could quickly amplify calls for a proven county stalwart like Sibley and place England’s current preference for talent and projection under even greater pressure.