Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson has declared he will not "overthink" his prospects of returning to England's Test side, as he concentrates on preparing for his first T20 World Cup appearance at the age of 35.
Dawson's Test Career and Current Focus
Dawson, a left-arm spinner, has played just four Test matches for England, with his debut occurring a decade ago in 2016 and his most recent appearance coming in the fourth Test against India last summer. Despite being overlooked for the recent Ashes tour of Australia, where young spinner Shoaib Bashir was taken as the premier option but not selected for any Tests, Dawson remains a pivotal figure in England's white-ball setup.
"It's not something I've overly thought about," Dawson stated regarding a potential Test comeback. "Obviously got the World Cup to focus on first, domestic cricket in England, see how that goes and then see where we end up."
Opportunity for English Spinners
The door appears wide open for English spinners to stake a claim in the Test arena, given Bashir's omission and the reliance on all-rounder Will Jacks for spin during the Ashes. However, Dawson is not allowing himself to dwell on this possibility, emphasising his immediate priorities.
Reflecting on his sole Test match last summer, Dawson said, "I really enjoyed it. It was enjoyable to play it again." He added about the Ashes selection, "Not something I overly thought. I played that one Test match and you can't control selection at times, but it's something I didn't really overthink."
T20 World Cup and Career Milestones
Dawson is set to play a key role in England's spin attack at the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting with a match against Nepal in Mumbai on February 9. This tournament marks a significant milestone, as he was selected in the 2016 T20 World Cup squad but never played, and has twice been a travelling reserve.
"Obviously the older you get, sometimes you don't expect to be involved," Dawson remarked. "I'm 35 but it's been amazing to be back involved. Obviously the World Cup is going to be a really cool occasion if selected to play and really looking forward to that."
Recent Form and Team Confidence
Dawson has impressed in the ongoing ODI series in Sri Lanka, with the series level at 1-1 ahead of Tuesday's decider. England recently ended an 11-match away losing streak in ODIs under coach Brendon McCullum, winning the second match on Saturday. In that victory, captain Harry Brook deployed six spinners, finding success on a challenging wicket.
"Exciting to go to a World Cup and play there," Dawson said. "Hopefully we can win tomorrow and build some confidence."
Challenges for English Spinners
Dawson acknowledged the difficulties faced by spinners in English cricket, where conditions often favour seam bowling and the 50-over format has been marginalised by the introduction of the Hundred during the summer.
"I really enjoy 50-over cricket. I was lucky enough to play a hell of a lot of it when I was younger," he explained. "The age I'm at, we grew up with 50-over cricket. We've managed to play a lot of that. It's a format I really enjoy."
He noted, "It's probably a lot weaker than what it used to be, that competition. I think in England you've grown up to sometimes be the back-up for the seamers on seamer-friendly conditions. But you still have a job to do in that. You try and hold an end sometimes. It's not all doom and gloom in England bowling spin. You do get a couple of good venues."
As Dawson gears up for the T20 World Cup, his focus remains firmly on the present, with Test ambitions taking a backseat to immediate team goals and personal performance in white-ball cricket.
