England may not have won a Test match on their tours of Australia and New Zealand last winter, but in the form of Dawid Malan, whose 461 runs included a memorable maiden hundred at Perth and put him third on the list among England players, it seemed they had at least one positive to bring home.

He looked set for a long stint in England’s middle order. Instead, after three fallow Tests back on home soil, he was dropped, and hasn’t been seen in England whites since.

“It could be a possibility of a break or it could be a possibility of a lot of cricket again. That’s just sort of the way it works nowadays with these tournaments. You can’t miss those opportunities, because if you miss one then all of a sudden you’re back down the pecking order.

“These tournaments are absolutely great for us as players to earn a bit of income but also to get your name out there on the bigger stage. I remember playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Eoin Morgan a few years ago, it really helped my case for England because he’d seen me play against good bowlers in high-pressure situations. It does do your career wonders and you learn a hell of a lot as a player.

“With the World Cup coming up, you never know what can happen with injuries. If you’re doing it on the big stage under pressure, it gives a message to the England management and selectors that you are still hungry and you do still want to do it at that level.”